Anya Hindmarch’s ‘Chubby Hearts’ art installation arrives in Hong Kong on Valentine’s Day as couples tie the knot
- ‘It has long been a dream of mine to fly Chubby Hearts over Hong Kong as a surprise to this amazing city,’ Hindmarch says
- While couples venture out to smaller pop-up installations at spots around the city, others use the day to make their love official
Giant heart-shaped balloons popped up across Hong Kong on Valentine’s Day, creating a playful visual backdrop for couples celebrating their love as renowned British fashion designer Anya Hindmarch took her art installation outside London for the first time.
The day was also seized upon by 180 couples tying the knot, a 27 per cent drop from last year’s 246 and almost half the number who did so on Valentine’s Day in 2019 before the emergence of Covid-19.
A launch ceremony for the “Chubby Hearts” art installation, listed as one of the city’s mega events for the year, was held at Central’s Statue Square Garden on Wednesday morning, officiated by Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu.
His wife Janet Lee Lam Lai-sim also helped to mark the occasion, along with Deputy Financial Secretary Michael Wong Wai-lun, culture minister Kevin Yeung Yun-hung, actress Carina Lau Ka-ling and Hindmarch herself.
“I trust your hearts are all as chubby as mine on this splendid day, where romance is in the air,” John Lee said.
Hindmarch delivered a festive greeting and described her happiness at being back in Hong Kong, a city that helped launch her business empire.
“Happy New Year of the Dragon, and what a great pleasure it is to be back in Hong Kong, my favourite city, and in fact the site of my very first ever shop [outside Britain] back in 1993,” she said.
“It has long been a dream of mine to fly Chubby Hearts over Hong Kong as a surprise to this amazing city, with a very simple aim of putting a smile on people’s faces and spreading some love, so I’m delighted to gift this project to Hong Kong for Valentine’s Day.”
The showcase heart measures 12 metres (39.4 feet) in diameter and is said to be four times bigger than the one displayed in London. Other smaller ones were tethered to a handful of spots around Hong Kong, including beside the Wishing Tree in Tai Po.
Culture and tourism minister Yeung said that although the number of visitors welcomed over the Lunar New Year holiday was still “some distance” away from pre-pandemic levels, the figure still fell within expectations.
According to official statistics, 745,598 arrivals were recorded between Saturday and Tuesday, while locals made 1.3 million trips out during the same period. Provisional figures also showed that the city welcomed 3.83 million arrivals last month, 78 per cent of whom were mainland visitors, the Tourism Board on Wednesday said.
Hindmarch, known for her handbags and who has opened stores under her eponymous label across the world, previously displayed her Chubby Hearts project in London in 2018, 2019 and 2022.
Apart from Central, other smaller hearts, each measuring three metres, will make daily pop-up visits at various locations around Hong Kong until February 24, with details announced every morning at 7am.
In Mong Kok, a heart-shaped balloon tied to a cordoned off Mini Cooper was set up at 10am close to the junction of Flower Market Road and Yuen Ngai Street. Police and uniformed Road Safety Patrol officers were seen standing by.
Dior fashion show and ‘Chubby Hearts’ among events coming to Hong Kong
The Yau Tsim Mong district council joined the promotion by giving out roses and chocolates to people who took a photo with the display and uploaded it onto social media.
Local resident Billy Pang, a food and beverage industry worker in his forties, brought his seven-year-old daughter to see the display.
“I live nearby and noticed many police officers, so I decided to bring my daughter to come have a look on her way to a tutorial class,” he said.
But he also had some advice for the organisers, saying that given the area was already popular, they should move the attraction slightly farther away to areas needing an influx of foot traffic and use many balloons instead of one.
Enes Celikoz, who came to Hong Kong from Turkey two years ago, was rushing to the flower market before work to buy a bouquet of pink roses for his partner.
“I didn’t come here because of this display, I was unaware of it,” said the 29-year-old hospitality industry worker. “It helps create a romantic ambience for the day, but I don’t think it will attract more people or businesses to the area.”
But one florist with a shop next to the display said the heart had hindered business.
“There are people giving out flowers in front of my store. Will shoppers still buy mine?” said a staff member who declined to give her name. “I also had potential customers who were looking but were scared off by reporters sticking microphones into their faces.”
Other florists lamented that business was not as good as last year, with one saying that sales were down 40 to 50 per cent.
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They attributed the decline to the general economic climate and the fact that many residents had left the city for the holiday. Fewer people were travelling last year given the border restrictions, they also noted.
In Kennedy Town, married couple Patrick and Katie Wong, both in their thirties, went to the Belcher Bay Promenade to see the heart display perched on the harbourfront against a backdrop of the Ting Kau and Tsing Ma bridges.
“We took a day off today specifically to celebrate Valentine’s Day today when most have resumed work after Lunar New Year,” said Patrick, who works in banking and lives in the area with his wife.
“We were told by our neighbours about this so we came here to have a look,” Katie said. “It’s quite special, good for photographs.”
At the Tsim Sha Tsui Marriage Registry, among the happy newlyweds were saleswoman Jennifer Yeung and her husband Loi, who decided to tie the knot after a seven-year romance.
“Marriage to us is just a signature on the official document,” the bride said. “We have been living together like a married couple for quite some time.”
They said they hoped to welcome their first child soon, in the Year of the Dragon.
