Hong Kong’s central harbor has been given a splash of color with a recently unveiled 220-metre (722 ft) billboard covered in illustrations of the construction site of the city’s most expensive piece of commercial land to coincide with the Art March.
The revamped temporary facade is said to be the largest of its kind for a local construction site, featuring colorful depictions of well-known locations such as The Peak and Central piers, as well as Star Ferry ships and franchise buses against the city’s mountainous landscape.
The mastermind behind the project, Cathy Lee Chui Chi-kei, daughter-in-law of Henderson Land Development founder Lee Shau-kee, said Monday that the beautification of the company’s site is meant to give residents a chance to pause amid their busy lives.
“I wanted to create an art mural that doubles as an urban oasis from the demands of our daily lives – a reminder to slow down, turn off our devices, appreciate the present and find meaning in the seemingly ordinary as residents, office workers and visitors alike pass through Central,” said Lee Chui, who is married to Martin Lee Cashing, chairman and managing director of Henderson Land.
Martin Lee’s father was ranked the No. 2 richest person in Hong Kong after “Superman” Li Kashing by Forbes in 2024.
Local artists Elaine Chiu, a specialist in landscape painting, and Zoe Lam, a fashion designer by profession, created the illustrations for the project under the theme of “Making Central Cityscapes Realize”. The project is funded by Henderson Land.
Labeled the “March of Art” by the government, this month hosts a flurry of arts and cultural events such as the three-day high-profile international cultural gathering at the West Kowloon Cultural District, which debuts on Sunday, as well as Art Basel and Art Central, which kick off on late in the week.
Lee Chui said the revamped facade expresses the city’s modern side through bright colors and the artists’ observations, with the giant site serving as a perfect canvas.
“The sheer scale and strategic location of Site 3 played a significant role in how I envisioned this art project. When I was young, I would come across amazing art exhibitions every day on my way to and from school,” she said.
She described the pair of artists behind the project as “breathing new life into our built environment and giving it a human touch”.
“With Elaine adopting a more conventional method of painting on canvas and Zoe using digital technology to help bring her vision to life, their different interpretations of Hong Kong’s cityscapes serve as a meeting point that connects the realms of the past , present and future,” she said.
The build-up wraps around a plot of land known as New Central Harbourfront Site 3, also known as the ‘King of the Land’. The company acquired the site for HK$50.8 billion (US$6.5 billion) in 2021, a record for commercial land in the city, with the first phase of the development expected to be completed in 2027.
Located to the north of the city’s old General Post Office and next to the International Financial Centre, the site will be developed for social and commercial use. It includes a massive garden and commercial space for offices, shops and entertainment.
The build-up is also part of the company’s Henderson Arts @ Central campaign this month in collaboration with six international galleries at H Queen’s, an arts and lifestyle complex in the central business district.
“These exciting events aim to connect the community through art and help develop Hong Kong as an ‘East-West center for international cultural exchange,'” said the developer.