Hong Kong heritage complex’s first contemporary art show a thought-provoking mix
Taking in everything on show in Dismantling the Scaffold exhibition at former Central Police Station compound will take more than one visit, but on first impression it is witty while making some serious points
The official opening exhibition at Tai Kwun Contemporary begins the moment you set foot in the Tai Kwun Centre for Heritage and Arts, as Hong Kong’s revitalised Central Police Station complex is now known. That’s intentional – the group show is “a response to the rich history of the site”, according to curator Christina Li, of the independent art and culture outfit Spring Workshop.
How the works in the “Dismantling The Scaffold” show, by more than 30 Hong Kong and international artists and art collectives, connect with the city’s newest contemporary art venue may not be immediately apparent, but finding your way to the 1,500 square metre space is an experience in itself.
Entering through the “footbridge gate” above Hollywood Road, I cross the parade ground (look out for the 60-year-old mango tree), and navigate a series of staircases (including the Laundry Steps, one of Tai Kwun’s heritage features) before reaching the prison yard, where the complex’s two new buildings – designed by architects Herzog & de Meuron – loom over its 16 conserved structures, red-brick buildings which date from between 1864 and 1925.
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The first piece from the exhibition, Number of Visitors (2005) by Superflex and Jens Haaning – is right by the entrance to Tai Kwun Contemporary, apparently keeping tabs on the visitors passing through its doors.