Home to Asia’s largest French expat community, Hong Kong has for the last three decades celebrated its connection and love for France during French May. Now one of the largest cultural events in the region, this home-grown arts festival dominates the city’s cultural landscape for two months, showcasing Franco culture, cuisine, and diversity. Keen to reach beyond typical followers of arts and culture, the festival led by Xavier Mahé, has sought out venues, partners, performances, and collaborations that introduce fresh eyes to everything artistic that France has to offer. And it is in this vein, that Chinachem Group has hosted a number of events at both Central Market, and Nina Mall Tsuen Wan. Waterlight Graffiti, an artistic creation by Antonin Fourneau, drew crowds keen to interact with the remarkable invention of this innovative French artist. Fourneau, when in Beijing ten years ago, was fascinated to watch elderly gentlemen practicing the art of Dishu, a Chinese calligraphic practice which uses water painted on to the ground to temporarily depict characters and write messages. Charmed by its ephemeral nature and lack of permanency or record, he set about inventing an LED wall that mimics this form, using water painted on its surface to illuminate its thousands of bright white pixels. Invited to join Antonin in front of his Waterlight Grafitti wall in Central Market and subsequent Nina Mall, was renowned Hong Kong street artist, Bao Ho. More used to painting walls at scale with spray cans and rollers, Ho was excited to explore the possibilities of creating a work in water on the LED wall. So often inspired by nature, the water with which she was painting took on a role in the piece they collaborated upon. Siren’s Song, depicts a mythical female figure emerging from the ocean depths, her hands clasping a delicate bird, preserving and protecting the inhabitants of the marine world. Like so much of Bao Ho’s work, the work exists to remind us of the fragility of the environment in which we live, but also of the beauty that surrounds us. Alongside the art, beauty of a different form was also on display; this time for consumption, in the French Traditional Gourmet Market hosted by Chinachem in Central Market and Nina Mall. For the third year in a row, Hong Kongers flocked to see, smell, and taste the spectacular array of produce and delicacies presented by the dozens of specialist importers, retailers, and restauranteurs who focus on French cuisine in the city. 2023’s Gourmay theme of ‘Bubble Up’ was of particular appeal, being a showcase of Champagnes and regional sparkling wines the country is so famous for around the world. Treats like these, leaves Hong Kong wishing the French May was a year round affair.
