‘Rigid’ Hong Kong office turned into artists’ satire

Defiant art show in Hong Kong challenges power structures with creative office space subversion and political commentary.

At first glance, the office desk could belong to any Chinese executive — an ashtray, mini-flags, a golden sculpture inscribed with the character for "integrity", and a picture of a local celebrity.

Instead, it is part of a defiant art show challenging Hong Kong's stuffy power structures, held in an office tower at the heart of a finance district famous for its long hours and cut-throat competition.

The group exhibition — named "RE:URGENT" in mockery of corporate-speak — is meant to "subvert the office space that we are working in every day", said curator Renee Lui, managing director of Young Soy Gallery.

The exhibition mirrors a workspace, with four artists given a standard office cubicle to present their work in, and one displaying in the boss' office.

"This is sort of a really rigid space that people (wouldn't normally) see as being able to contain creative ideas," Lui told AFP.

The main office is occupied by artist Dominic Johnson-Hill, whose idiosyncratic desktop was inspired by his 28 years doing business in Beijing.

"I went to a lot of bosses' offices," he said. "I really wanted to sort of copy a lot of that paraphernalia."