ART CENTRAL AND ITS ESTEEMED PARTNERS PRESENT DIVERSE ARTIST PROJECTS AND EXCEPTIONAL HOSPITALITY EXPERIENCES
UOB SPOTLIGHTS LARGE‑SCALE INK INSTALLATION ARTEVOLVING FROM MICROSCOPIC LIFE IMAGERY Discover three Macao Artist Presentations by Sands China MTN Seni Budaya Showcases Eight Galleries Defining Indonesian Contemporary Art Black Sheep Sets the Table for Exceptional Hospitality at Eat Central HONG KONG, March 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Art Central, together with Lead Partner UOB, announces today details of the creative projects supported by its partners alongside hospitality presented at the Fair's eleventh edition. In addition to an exceptional showcase of 117 galleries and more than 500 artists from Hong Kong, Asia, and around the world, Art Central's expanded suite of artistic presentations, cultural activations, and visitor-focused initiatives together elevate the Fair experience across all touchpoints. A cornerstone of Hong Kong Art Month, Art Central 2026 will be held from 25 to 29 March, with a VIP Preview on 24 March, at its iconic Central Harbourfront location. Art Central 2026 is financially supported by the Mega Arts and Cultural Event Fund under the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government. Presented at Art Central 2026, UOB Art Space: Ling Pui Sze, White Mirror – The Vista of the Inner Worlds (2026), large-scale ink installation. Courtesy of UOB. ANNOUNCEMENTS UOB unveils a newly commissioned installation by Hong Kong artist Ling Pui Sze, White Mirror – The Vista of the Inner Worlds (2026). Sands China debuts a showcase of contemporary Macao artists, spotlighting the practices of Lei Ieng Wai, Leong Chi Mou, and Lio Hak Man. MTN Seni Budaya introduces 'Rising Currents', showcasing eight galleries at the forefront of Indonesia's contemporary art discourse. The Fair unveils its signature hospitality offerings from Black Sheep, Soho House Hong Kong, Kronenbourg 1664, and Illy UOB PRESENTS A CROSS-DISCIPLINARY ENCOUNTER WITH CONTEMPORARY INK PRACTICES Lead Partner of Art Central, UOB, presents a newly commissioned large-scale installation by Hong Kong artist Ling Pui Sze, titled White Mirror – The Vista of the Inner Worlds (2026). Drawing on Ling's visual study of cellular imagery and informed by recent scientific research conducted at the University of Cambridge, the work takes the form of an immersive sculptural garden. Ling's largest installation to date, it comprises a constellation of hand-made paper sculptures and moving images, reflecting her accomplished command of ink, paper and site-making practices. Conceived as a serene, meditative environment evoking both a cosmic landscape and a Zen-garden-like setting, the installation offers a moment of stillness amid the vibrancy of the art fair. The space is populated by abstract, radiating sculptural forms inspired by neurons — cells responsible for information transmission within the nervous system — interwoven with collaged cellular patterns and projected footage of cellular movement. By magnifying microscopic landscapes into a walkable environment, White Mirror – The Vista of Inner Worlds invites reflection on the interconnectedness of body, mind and external reality. Proposing a sense of kinship between the microcosmic and the cosmic, the work echoes the Daoist notion of "Everything as One", offering an imaginative yet contemplative site for introspection. Visitors can also explore dedicated exhibition spaces, featuring works from the 2025 UOB Art in Ink Awards Winners' Showcase and the UOB Painting of the Year Artist Showcase at the UOB Art Space. Together, these presentations underscore UOB's commitment to nurturing artistic talent across Hong Kong, mainland China, and Southeast Asia, while fostering cross‑cultural dialogue through contemporary ink and mixed‑media practices. Extending the experience beyond exhibitions, UOB, in collaboration with the UOB Art Academy, a registered charity in Hong Kong, will present a series of UOB Art in Ink Workshops. Led by established Hong Kong artists Eric Ho, Ling Pui Sze, Tony Ng Kwun Lun, Professor Tong Kam Tang, Professor Yau Wing Fung, and Stephanie Yeung Chung Nga, the workshops bridge traditional ink techniques with contemporary artistic expressions, guiding participants to explore the evolving language of ink art. Pre-registration is required via www.uobartacademy.com.hk/ws2026. At the Central Theatre, UOB will host the public talk 'Reading the Unreadable: When Words Become Images', an in-depth conversation examining how written language shifts into visual, conceptual, and interdisciplinary forms within contemporary art. Adaline Zheng, CEO of UOB Hong Kong, said, "Marking the 10th anniversary of UOB's partnership with Art Central, this programme underscores the Bank's long-term commitment to advancing artistic practice, supporting art education, strengthening cultural connectivity and contributing to social sustainability within Hong Kong's cultural ecosystem. Through our partnership with Art Central, we will continue to build a platform that evolves alongside Hong Kong's creative community and connects local artistic practice with the wider regional context." SANDS CHINA DEBUTS A SHOWCASE OF CONTEMPORARY MACAO ARTISTS Sands China makes its debut at Hong Kong Art Month as the Associate Partner of Art Central, marking the first participation of a Macao-based integrated tourism and leisure enterprise at the Fair. Sands Gallery presents works by three contemporary Macao artists, foregrounding the city's new wave of artistic talent: Lei Ieng Wai draws creative inspiration from the tension between light and shadow in everyday life. He draws on scientific theory as the foundation of aesthetics, transforming artificial spectra, proportional values, and geometric structures into repetitive and precise blocks of colour and surfaces of light, exploring urban changes and the lives of city dwellers. Leong Chi Mou's works span painting and installation. His practice interrogates shifting notions of value and the cultural interfaces that shape identity, informed by personal migration histories and Macao's post-colonial context. Through these inquiries, Leong's works examine the conditions of cultural survival and the intricate entanglements between artistic essence and value systems. Dor Lio Hak Man channels influences from Japanese manga and Western painting into a practice grounded in everyday observation. His work records daily encounters, emotional impressions, and imaginative associations with a relaxed sensibility. He shapes a refined, philosophically attuned visual language that bridges interior experience with an outward-facing openness. The Sands Gallery booth also incorporates aesthetic elements of Macao's century-old firecracker industry, enabling international audiences to trace the city's cultural development from vernacular craftsmanship to contemporary art expression, while experiencing the city's rich art and culture landscape shaped by its East–West cultural fusion. MTN SENI BUDAYA PRESENTS THE CURATED CONSTELLATION 'RISING CURRENTS' Contemporary art in Indonesia today unfolds as a manifold practice in motion, where historical reflection and material intelligence intersect with the complexities of contemporary urban life. Its ecosystem grows from critical discourse and emerging sensibilities that continually inform and reshape one another. Art Central partners with Indonesia's National Talent Management for Arts and Culture (MTN Seni Budaya) to present 'Rising Currents', a curated constellation of eight leading Indonesian galleries: EDSU house, Galeri Ruang Dini, ISA Art Gallery, Puri Art Gallery, RUCI Art Space, SAL PROJECT, SEWU SATU, and V&V. Rather than advancing a single narrative, 'Rising Currents' maps the multiple registers and interconnected dialogues that define Indonesian art at the present moment: from research-based and institutionally grounded practices to emergent experimentation and new visual languages shaped by younger generations. Together, these practices reveal an art scene in motion—deepening its discourse and asserting its position within global contemporary conversations. MTN Seni Budaya will also host the talk 'Rising Currents: Indonesian Contemporary Art in Motion' on 26 March. This conversation examines how Indonesia's contemporary art ecosystem evolves through diverse artistic practices, gallery infrastructures, and socially engaged perspectives, reflecting on how creative expressions from the region are expanding their presence and dialogue within the global art landscape. EAT CENTRAL BY BLACK SHEEP Black Sheep returns to Art Central for the third consecutive year as the Fair's hospitality partner, unveiling an expanded and much‑anticipated edition of Eat Central. This edition features a new, exciting lineup gathering five of Black Sheep's most beloved restaurants under one roof, including Cantonese signatures from Ho Lee Fook, a heart‑warming Greek taverna menu from Artemis & Apollo, French favourites from Jean‑Pierre, Neo‑Neapolitan fare and speciality drinks from FALCONE, and sweet scoops from Messina, Hong Kong's favourite gelato. EXCEPTIONAL BEVERAGES AT ART CENTRAL Soho House Hong Kong returns to Art Central with its pop‑up bar, set against a mural by Hong Kong‑based French artists Faustine Badrichani and Elsa Jeannedieu. The bar will serve a focused cocktail menu featuring classics such as the Picante and the newly launched Highball Fifty, created to celebrate the opening of Soho House Tokyo, the private member club's 50th House globally, alongside a selection of House favourites perfect for easy afternoons and post‑fair unwinding. Kronenbourg 1664 joins Art Central 2026 with 'The Blue Perspective', an immersive lounge that transforms the experience of enjoying a premium French beer into a curated sensory moment. With a bar concept shaped by 1664 Blanc and the liminal glow of the blue hour—the luminous threshold between day and night—the space invites visitors to slow their pace, settle into conversation, and savour 1664's crisp, citrus‑bright profile. The global coffee brand illycaffè marks its third year at Art Central, introducing the latest illy Art Collection by John Armleder. Armleder is renowned for his explorations of perception, reception, and the relationships between artworks and their surroundings, and brings this creative sensibility to 'Tastes', a series of cups and saucers that mirror the reflective, shimmering effects of his celebrated light fixtures. Motifs from Armleder's collection also adorn the illycaffè spaces at the Fair, where an atmosphere of art converges with the excellence of illy's signature blend, offering visitors a moment of pause and pleasure. SEAMLESS TRANSIT WITH UBER TAXI To further enhance the Fair experience, Art Central partners with Uber Taxi this year to offer guests a smooth and comfortable way to travel. With every ride just a tap away—whether crossing the harbour or moving between the city's cultural districts—visitors can enjoy seamless, point‑to‑point journeys and a stress‑free arrival at the Fair, setting the tone for an unhurried, fully attentive encounter with contemporary art. Tickets to Art Central are now available. Visitors are encouraged to book online in advance at artcentralhongkong.com/tickets/. Opening Dates and Hours Tuesday 24 MarchVIP Preview (by invitation) Wednesday 25 March Fair Hours 12 pm – 5 pm Night Central 5 pm – 9 pm Thursday 26 March Fair Hours 12 pm – 7 pm Friday 27 March Fair Hours 12 pm – 7 pm Saturday 28 March Fair Hours 11 am – 7 pm Sunday 29 MarchFair Hours 11 am – 5 pm Venue Central Harbourfront Hong Kong, 9 Lung Wo Road -END- www.artcentralhongkong.com Facebook: artcentralhk | Instagram: @artcentralhk |WeChat Public Platform: artcentral | Xiaohongshu: ArtCentralHK #ArtCentralHK #ArtCentralUOB #HongKongArtWeek For media enquiries, please contact:Chance Communications[Mandy Chan | mandy@chancecomm.com | 2509 3123][Tommy Yuen | tommy@chancecomm.com | 2509 3389] About Art Central Art Central, a cornerstone event of Hong Kong Art Month, presents the next generation of talent from Asia's most forward-thinking galleries alongside celebrated artists from across the globe. Since its inaugural edition in 2015, Art Central has established itself as a leading platform for innovation in contemporary art, advancing the profiles of artists and galleries and reinforcing their presence within the international art landscape. Today, the Fair is recognised for the strength of its curatorial programming and as a vital meeting point for discovery and exchange among collectors and curators representing private, corporate, and institutional collections worldwide. Fair Director Corey Andrew Barr joined Art Central in 2019 with over two decades of experience in the contemporary art world. He previously served as Director at a prominent Hong Kong- and London-based gallery focusing on contemporary Asian art, and as Specialist and Head of Sales at Phillips in New York, where he organised exhibitions featuring leading international artists. Barr has played a key role in expanding Art Central's platform and reinforcing Hong Kong's status as Asia's leading commercial hub for contemporary art. Based in Hong Kong since 2013, Barr is recognised for his commitment to fostering regional and global art connections. About UOB UOB is a leading bank in Asia. Operating through its head office in Singapore and banking subsidiaries in China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam, UOB has a global network of more than 470 branches and offices in 19 markets in Asia Pacific, Europe and North America. Since its incorporation in 1935, UOB has grown organically and through a series of strategic acquisitions. Today, UOB is rated among the world's top banks: Aa1 by Moody's Investors Service and AA- by both S&P Global Ratings and Fitch Ratings. For nine decades, UOB has adopted a customer-centric approach to create long-term value by staying relevant through its enterprising spirit and doing right by its customers. UOB is focused on building the future of ASEAN – for the people and businesses within, and connecting with, ASEAN. The Bank connects businesses to opportunities in the region with its unparalleled regional footprint and leverages data and insights to innovate and create personalised banking experiences and solutions catering to each customer's unique needs and evolving preferences. UOB is also committed to helping businesses forge a sustainable future, by fostering social inclusiveness, creating positive environmental impact and pursuing economic progress. UOB believes in being a responsible financial services provider and is steadfast in its support of art, social development of children and education, doing right by its communities and stakeholders. About Sands China Ltd. Sands China Ltd. (Sands China or the Company) is incorporated in the Cayman Islands with limited liability and is listed on The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited (HKEx: 1928). Sands China is the largest operator of integrated resorts in Macao. The Company's integrated resorts on the Cotai Strip comprise The Venetian® Macao, The Plaza® Macao, The Parisian® Macao and The Londoner® Macao. The Company also owns and operates Sands® Macao on the Macao peninsula. The Company's portfolio features a diversified mix of leisure and business attractions and transportation operations, including large meeting and convention facilities; a wide range of restaurants; shopping malls; world-class entertainment at The Venetian Arena, The Londoner Arena, The Venetian Theatre, The Parisian Theatre, the Londoner Theatre and the Sands Theatre; and a high-speed Cotai Water Jet ferry service between Hong Kong and Macao. The Company's Cotai Strip portfolio has the goal of contributing to Macao's transformation into a world centre of tourism and leisure. Sands China is a subsidiary of global resort developer Las Vegas Sands Corp. (NYSE: LVS). About National Talent Management for Arts and Culture The National Talent Management for Arts and Culture (MTN Seni Budaya) is a program managed by the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Indonesia, dedicated to identifying, nurturing, and promoting Indonesian creative talents. By facilitating sustainable talent development and international exposure, the National Talent Management for Arts and Culture works to elevate Indonesian creative practitioners and connect them with global opportunities. About Mega Arts and Cultural Events (ACE) Fund The Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government sets up the Mega ACE Fund to attract and support international or large-scale arts and cultural events which bring significant arts, cultural or economic values and can be recurrent and anchored in Hong Kong, or events which can bring exceptionally significant arts or cultural merit, as well as publicity and image building values to Hong Kong as an arts and cultural hub with a view to contributing to Hong Kong's development into an arts and cultural metropolis as well as a tourist destination, providing development opportunities for the arts, cultural and creative sectors, and facilitating arts and cultural exchange.
2026-03-23