‘Things that can happen’ is a non-profit art space located in the historic district of Sham Shui Po, Kowloon, in the heart of Hong Kong. Opening in September 2015, ‘Things’ aims to provide a platform for open experimentation and dialogue in response to the rapidly changing cultural and political context of our city. Housed on the first floor of a residential walk-up building, the site of the art space is located within one of Hong Kong’s most diverse communities, with both the highest concentration of senior citizens and new immigrants in the city – threatened by urban redevelopment, its significance in Hong Kong’s social and industrial history, as well as its geographic centrality in Hong Kong.
Conceived of as a two-year project, the programme will be made up of exhibitions and projects, residencies, and a library. Exhibitions and projects aim to represent and support diverse art practices and experimentations taken by local and international artists with the belief that art can take many forms, employ different methodologies, be many things. The space will also house a small curated library of publications selected by artists.
What is the mission of Things?
Recent political developments in Hong Kong have triggered a spirit of political and civil urgency amongst the city’s population. These resistance movements are not only shifting the socio-political landscape but has also roused a creative awakening amongst the people of Hong Kong and inspired a profound reimagination of the city and its citizens. It is vital at this juncture to provide platforms that continue nurturing this sense of curiosity, especially in a city where imagination and experimentation continue to find little structural support.
By opening up the creative processes taken by artists both locally and internationally, ‘Things’ aims to support the furthering of such discussions and aesthetic experiments in Hong Kong while connecting them to wider conversations.
