The work of 23 well-known artists including Sandra Tobias, Larry Cocks, Matthew Johnson, Sue Ninham, Eric Kumunja Tjapaltjarri and Rosi Helms is being shown in nine Soho and Central galleries.

'This is the first time we've had an Australian event of this size,' says Peter Osborne, Senior Trade Commissioner of the Australian Trade Commission (Austrade).

He hopes that the event, which is the brainchild of Wilson Tang, one of Austrade's development managers, will not only raise the profile of Australian culture in Hong Kong, but also introduce the Hong Kong public to Australian art.

'I think art is a major part of any culture,' says Osborne. 'Visitors to the galleries will see a diverse range of artworks which, in a sense, reflects the diversity of Australian culture ... the colours and the images that are presented in many of those artworks are very Australian.'

And the artists themselves hope that the exhibition will inspire up-and-coming local artists.

'I hope that Hong Kong students will see that art is important ... it's a great way of getting your feelings across,' says Sandra Tobias, who has lived in Hong Kong for four years and whose paintings reflect elements of Chinese life.

'I also hope that they will be able to see that it's not just about making money, but it's also about the exploration of the self.'

Larry Cocks, who has also spent time in Hong Kong, agrees that young people can learn a lot from the art of other cultures and from the different perspective that foreign artists can bring to local scenes.

'I think it's important for students to be exposed to different materials and techniques, and to see how different artists interpret the environment they live in,' he says.

Cocks's 'Impressions' series of paintings and postcards, which is on display at 5 o.p.t studio gallery, offers his interpretation of daily life in Hong Kong.