Senior new staff appointed to re-energise controversial Central Police Station project
Senior appointments to focus on contemporary art and heritage at revamp of site in Central
The controversial Central Police Station (CPS) project has taken a new turn, with two senior appointments made on Friday to reboot the scheme following the collapse of last year's process to find a consortium to run it.
Tobias Berger, curator at West Kowloon Cultural District visual culture museum M+ and formerly the executive director and curator of Para Site art space, was named head of art. He will lead the contemporary art operation.
Sino Land heritage manager Winnie Yeung Wing-yin, who oversaw development of the Tai O Heritage Hotel among other projects, will be head of heritage.
Berger was praised by Dr Lars Nittve, executive director of M+, for making a "huge" contribution to the Kowloon project. Nittve said: "This is an exciting time for the visual arts in Hong Kong and it is fair to say the eyes of the art world are fixed on the city. Projects like M+ and the Central Police Station will help consolidate Hong Kong's position as the centre for visual art in the region and it is refreshing to see a vibrant ecosystem developing that allows creative and professional development within the sector."
Two working groups were also appointed. Bernard Chan, Executive Council member and chairman of the Advisory Committee on Revitalisation of Historic Buildings, will chair the art working group. Its four members include art critic John Batten and artist Stanley Wong Ping-pui.
Lee Ho-yin, director of Architectural Conservation Programmes at HKU, will chair the heritage working group which has six other members including former commissioner of police Dick Lee Ming-kwai and town planner Andrew Lam Siu-lo.