- ‘Coach McNugget Art World’ at the West Kowloon Cultural District’s Arts Pavilion showcases works featuring the popular fast-food item
- Pieces from artists like Vandythepink, Jon Burgerman, and FrankNitty3000 can all be seen in the exhibit
Sculptures of VANDYTHEPINK’s “Team McNuggets” at the entrance to the “Coach McNugget Art World” exhibition.Ever since the humble chicken McNugget was first introduced to diners in 1983, its status as a fast-food classic has only grown. Today, it is one of McDonald’s most popular and beloved menu items.
These deep-fried snacks are also pop culture icons in their own right. In 2008, street artist Banksy created a display of animatronic, ketchup-drinking nuggets. During a Harry Styles concert last year, a fan threw a couple of chicken nuggets at the singer (who doesn’t eat meat) and went viral on social media.
Now, there’s a new addition to the line-up of McDonald’s moments. To celebrate the 40th anniversary of the McNugget, Hong Kong cultural entrepreneur Kevin Poon has curated over 20 nugget-themed artworks for the exhibition “Coach McNugget Art World” at the West Kowloon Cultural District’s Arts Pavilion.
This immersive, playful exhibit takes its inspiration from the motto “Please Share”, but its meaning is up for interpretation. The selection of works from five contemporary artists incorporates technology, traditional art, and tongue-in-cheek references to convey McNuggets’ cultural impact on the world.
Art aside, the exhibit includes a range of engaging attractions, from a photo booth to free temporary tattoos to a station where visitors can design their own McNugget in the metaverse.
Here’s a snapshot of what the exhibition has to offer:
Vandythepink’s dream team, reinvented
In front of the Arts Pavilion, you’ll be greeted by sculptures of “Team McNuggets,” characters designed by Korean-American artist Junghoon Son, also known as Vandythepink. The line-up is based on the original 80s McNuggets mascots and the four McNugget shapes: Boot, Bell, Ball, and Bone. They often reappear throughout the exhibit in branded merchandise and the neon-lit front hall, where you can learn about the history of the McNugget.
Jon Burgerman’s abstract nuggets
British artist John Burgerman contributed four large-scale paintings that juxtapose bright, fuzzy shapes with stark, sharp paint drippings. Deceptively simple, the figures’ faces often do not match the paintings’ upbeat titles (World of Fun 1, for example, appears both cheerful and anxious). Burgerman’s self-described “instant dopamine” style conveys the paradoxes of modern society through a range of complex emotions.
UFO907’s street-smart treats
American artist UFO907 has created a genre combining fine arts and graffiti concepts and tools with a generous dose of carpentry and fabrication. At “Coach McNugget Art World,” his hand-shaped canvases, named after McNugget sauces, play with elements of street art and freewheeling style.
Gyuhan Lee’s recycled light sculptures
Gyuhan Lee’s lantern-esque lights use recycled McDonald’s paper bags and traditional Korean Hanji paper to create a literal mix of tradition and modernity. Lee introduces a sense of balance into his art pieces and employs the iconic ‘M’ logo as a repeating pattern, using the lanterns to touch on themes like manufacturing and conscious craftsmanship.
FrankNitty3000’s McNugget Room (2023)
Dutch artist FrankNitty3000’s self-described “guerilla deconstructivist” video art toes the line between art and commercial advertisement. Here, he creates an interactive projection brimming with surrealist influences: a person with a half-eaten McNugget for a head floats across the screen alongside golden “M” logos and flying nuggets.
Tickets are available on the “Coach McNugget Art World’’ website for HK$20 each. Proceeds from the exhibit will be donated to Ronald McDonald House Hong Kong. The show runs until August 20, 2023.