Henderson Land colours Central Harbourfront with Site 3 Art Hoarding Project

Have you walked by the Central Harbourfront recently? Perhaps to visit Art Central or to catch a ferry? If your answer is yes, then you might have noticed a colourful new addition. Henderson Land has transformed its Site 3 Project hoarding and adjacent elevated walkway into a canvas for local artists Elaine Chiu and Zoie Lam, adding a splash of art to our city landscape.

The two murals form the “Realising Central Cityscapes” art hoarding at Henderson Land’s Site 3 of the New Central Harbourfront. Hong Kong’s most recognisable landmarks, Henderson Land’s iconic buildings, and other well-loved locations are reimagined in Elaine Chiu and Zoie Lam’s distinctive styles. The artworks offer a lively retreat from Hong Kong’s bustling lifestyle where pedestrians can appreciate the beauty of the paintings and the city’s architecture.

“We thought about how to translate it to a language that people from all over the world, when they come to Hong Kong, can understand and feel the energy from it instantly,” Elaine said, explaining the process behind the project. “So we picked some really saturated colours, some patterns and buildings that are easy to identify, and blend it all together.”

Both artists’ signature styles are strongly present throughout the Site 3 Art Hoarding. Elaine’s work depicts the city in her unique pixelated style, inspired by her love for Hong Kong’s traditional signboards and neon signs. On the other hand, Zoie’s work transports our cityscape into her imaginary planet Zlism, which is present in all her pieces. Despite the different styles, Hong Kong’s spirit can be felt in both pieces.

“The challenge of this project lies in the length of the artwork, which extends over 100 meters from left to right, and in the need to coordinate with the location of the actual site while working on the piece,” Zoie said, explaining the difficulties she faced. For both her and Elaine, this project is their biggest one yet, with each artist having to fill up a 100-metre canvas. “This is a new challenge for me and the final result is very satisfying.”

The work began at a smaller scale, then enlarged up to twenty times to fit the hoarding at Henderson Land’s Site 3. Both artists used their usual mediums — painting on canvas for Elaine and digitally for Zoie. Changes were made according to feedback and location (for example, whether a street lamp would cover an important building in the artwork). The project took eight months to finish, starting from the initial planning stage until the unveiling during Art Week.

 

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“The challenge for this is in the balancing part,” Elaine said, talking about what sets this project apart from her other works. “So visually, compositionally, and also conceptually. How do you frame Hong Kong’s heritage and show it to the world?”

Of course, the answer to that must include the beautiful architecture in our city. The triangles of the Bank of China Tower, the towering IFC, the Peak Tower standing in the heights, and the intricate geometry of The Henderson are all in full view. However, when you look closer at the Site 3 murals, you’ll also spot lesser-known establishments well-loved by the artists and the people.

“I started my art career as an urban sketcher,” Elaine mused. “I went to all 18 districts of Hong Kong and did urban sketches. There are two districts that I love most, which are Sham Shui Po and Sheung Wan.” Nested in between the skyscrapers, you’ll find old-style tong laus or tenement buildings typical of the two districts. “That very grassroots culture from Sham Shui Po where they utilise all the cityscape area for their advertisements, that feels like the DNA of Hong Kong and mine, and I want to show it to the world.”

Similarly, Zoie also hid away some of her favourite locations in the city within her piece. “I intentionally included old-style buses in the artwork to create a sense of familiarity. The buses start on the left side of the piece and take people on a tour of different attractions in Central,” she explained. “One of my favourite spots is the Fringe Club because I used to take the subway there as a child, and along the way, there are many unique sights to see. I hope everyone can discover them gradually within the artwork.”

Do you spot any of your favourite buildings in Henderson Land’s Site 3 Art Hoarding project? Next time you walk by the Central Harbourfront, keep an eye out for the murals and discover new details in Elaine Chiu and Zoie Lam’s artworks.

(Images: Henderson Land)