The distinguished guests and judges join the award-winning young artists for a group photo

The inaugural “Art Futures Awards”, co-organised by the Academy of Visual Arts of Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU) School of Creative Arts and art organisations, namely art-at-all and IAE (HK), unveiled the winners at the Award Ceremony held on 20 December 2023 at HKBU’s Kai Tak Campus.

The “Art Futures Awards”, the first-of-its-kind international art event in Asia, is supported by the Simon Suen Foundation, Honorary Permanent President of the HKBU Foundation, and its Sun Museum; Chan Kwan Biu Memorial Foundation Limited, Honorary Director of the HKBU Foundation; and MOKIK. The event was established with an aim to nurture emerging outstanding artists and celebrate their achievements while honouring recent graduates who have achieved remarkable performance in the fields of visual and contemporary art. The Awards’ top prize goes to the entry themed There is our horizon, an artwork by Miss Erina Yoshimura, a highly talented young artist from Japan’s Kyoto City University of Arts.

Two prizes designated for Hong Kong artists were also presented at the ceremony. The "’Chan Kwan Biu Memorial Foundation’ Art Futures — Hong Kong Prize 2023” was presented to Miss Lau Jin Ki of Hong Kong Art School, while the “’Simon Suen Foundation/ Sun Museum’ Art Futures — Hong Kong Prize 2023” was bestowed on Miss He Chen from HKBU. To view the complete list of award winners, please click here.

The award ceremony was graced by the attendance of internationally renowned guests and judges, including Professor Raymond Fung Wing Kee, JP, Advisor of Art Futures Awards and Member of the Hong Kong Palace Museum Board; Dr. Frankie Yeung Wai Shing, BBS, MH, JP, Vice-Chairman of the Hong Kong Arts Development Council; Dr. Zoe Butt, Vietnam-based curator and writer from Australia; Mr. Yoshitomo Nara, internationally acclaimed Japanese artist; Ms. Tina Pang, Curator at M+ Museum; Dr. Michael Whittle, Japan-based artist and scholar; Professor Kurt Chan, Museum Expert Adviser of the Leisure and Cultural Services Department, artist and educator; Mr. Hou Hanru, former Artistic Director of MAXXI, National Museum of the 21st Century Arts in Rome; Professor Lyu Aiping, Vice-President (Research and Development) cum Dean of Graduate School of HKBU; and Dr. Albert Chau, Vice-President (Teaching and Learning) and Acting Dean of Arts of HKBU.

In his remarks, Mr. Kalen Lee Wing Ki, Acting Director of the Academy of Visual Arts and Associate Dean (Research) of School of Creative Arts of HKBU, said, “The Awards are an initiative that is unprecedented, a daring, creative and farsighted attempt to recognise the achievements of aspiring contemporary artists in Asia.”

To give the public an opportunity to appreciate the exemplary works of these young art talents, a selection of their exceptional pieces was showcased in Hong Kong from 21 December 2023 to 14 January 2024 in the Awardee Exhibition at the University’s Kai Tak Campus. 

The inaugural event received overwhelming support and attracted entries from over 70 colleges and institutions from across Asia, including Mainland China, Bangladesh, Hong Kong, India, Japan, Laos, Macau, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam. Moreover, the esteemed judges from around the globe convened at HKBU and delivered two public panel discussions, sharing their insightful perspectives and experiences in the realm of art creation.