France's largest contemporary art institution, the Pompidou Centre, wants to build a modern art museum as part of the West Kowloon development project.
The Hong Kong Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), which could cost more than Euro100 million (HK$964.5 million), would include 12,000 square metres of exhibition space and would be built by 2012.
Seven representatives from the Pompidou Centre in Paris are in town to celebrate the Hong Kong opening today of the Year of France in China festival. It will be marked by the unveiling of the Picasso masterpiece Parade, on loan from the Pompidou, as well as an appearance by French President Jacques Chirac.
Pompidou representatives will also meet officials from Dynamic Star International, a joint venture between Cheung Kong Holdings and Sun Hung Kai Properties, which has declared its interest in developing the cultural hub.
'We've already put forward a proposal that includes detailed drawings of what the museum could be,' Pompidou Centre president Bruno Racine said yesterday.
'The desire for the Hong Kong government to promote Hong Kong as a great cultural city coincides with our desire to have a presence in 21st century Asia. We want our international development to be focused on Asia, particularly China.'
The West Kowloon project - designed by Lord Foster and to be built on a 40-hectare reclaimed site near Kowloon station - is aimed at turning Hong Kong into Asia's cultural and artistic hub. It includes a glass canopy stretching over 55 per cent of the site.
