Hidden Forests Opening Day | Asia Society

Hidden Forests Opening Day

James Prosek reading his book Bird, Butterfly, Eel to families in the Chantal Miller Gallery, where Sally Grace Bunker's botanical drawings are on view.
James Prosek reading his book Bird, Butterfly, Eel to families in the Chantal Miller Gallery, where Sally Grace Bunker's botanical drawings are on view.

Our summer exhibition,To See the Forest and the Trees, opened this Saturday to much fanfare. In response to Hong Kong’s devastating loss of trees caused by Typhoon Mangkhut in September 2018, this exhibition explores the role and significance of local trees to our environment, culture and history. Highlights of the environmental fun day included storytelling by the artist James Prosek, botanical drawing workshops with the artist Sally Grace Bunker, a gallery and nature tour led by our star docent Olivia Leung, and a special Ode to Trees (the first of a series) musical performance curated by PROJECT 21st. To view more photos from opening day, please see below.

Sally Grace Bunker, a participating artist, leads a botanical drawing workshop on July 6, 2019.
Sally Grace Bunker, a participating artist, leads a botanical drawing workshop on July 6, 2019.

The To See the Forest and the Trees artworks serve to address urgent environmental themes of local and global relevance, with new commissions created in consultation with local ecological scientists, including Dr. Gunter Fischer, Head of Flora Conservation, and Dr. Stephan Gale at Kadoorie Farm and Botanic Garden; Dr. Richard Saunders, Professor, Dr. Stefano Cannicci, Associate Professor, Dr. Billy Hau, Principal Lecturer and Dr. Chiu Chun Pang, Post-doctoral Fellow of the School of Biological Sciences, University of Hong Kong.  

Docent Olivia Leung leads a group through the Asia Society Hong Kong Center's heritage site to view special tree species.
Docent Olivia Leung leads a group through the Asia Society Hong Kong Center's heritage site to view special tree species.
Docent Olivia Leung points out tree species along the center's Yasumoto Bridge.
Docent Olivia Leung points out tree species along the center's Yasumoto Bridge.

On behalf of our team at Asia Society, we extend heartfelt thanks to the participating artists and collectives, including Allora & Calzadilla, Sally Bunker, South Ho, Vvzela Kook, Post Tree Lifestyle, James Prosek, Frank Tang, Natee Utarit, Haley Alexander van Oosten and Trevor Yeung, as well as Charles Kwong and Sharon Chan for curating and producing the music series in tandem with the exhibition. The exhibition is made possible with generous support from Burger Collection, Hong Kong and Boris Yeung and Amy Ng. Additional support is provided by Moiz Zilberman, Pegi and Michael Touff, and Rosewood Hong Kong. The project has also been enriched by our meaningful collaborations with education partners Lung Fu Shan Environmental Education Center and Shakespear4All; outreach partners AMMO and Hang Lung Properties; media partners ArtMap and ArtAsiaPacific; and airline sponsor United Airlines.  

Catch the exhibition from Tue – Sun from 11am through 6pm, and join a special guided tour on Thursdays at 11am (English and Cantonese), or Saturday and Sunday at 2:30pm (in English) and 3:30pm (in Cantonese).

To See the Forest and the Trees exhibition supporters and artists, named above.
To See the Forest and the Trees exhibition supporters and artists, named above.
Student artists from Hong Kong Christian Service Central Nursery School and artist Parry Ling who collaborated on Post Tree Lifestyle's Cloud (2019) installation in our exhibition.
Student artists from Hong Kong Christian Service Central Nursery School and artist Parry Ling who collaborated on Post Tree Lifestyle's Cloud (2019) installation in our exhibition.
Visitors viewing Vvzela's Kook's newly commissioned video Columbus of Horticulture (2019).
Visitors viewing Vvzela's Kook's newly commissioned video Columbus of Horticulture (2019).
Post Tree Lifestyle's Cloud (2019) artwork on our rooftop garden is made of woodblocks upcycled frompost-Typhoon Mangkhut tree debris.
Post Tree Lifestyle's Cloud (2019) artwork on our rooftop garden is made of woodblocks upcycled frompost-Typhoon Mangkhut tree debris.
Participating artist South Ho standing next to a work from his Whiteness of Trees (2018) photograph series.
Participating artist South Ho standing next to a work from his Whiteness of Trees (2018) photograph series.
Visitor next to Natee Utarit's paintings of oak tree trunks (left) and looking at Frank Tang's Pocket Park series of paintings (right)
Visitor next to Natee Utarit's paintings of oak tree trunks (left) and looking at Frank Tang's Pocket Park series of paintings (right)
Children of Trees Chamber Music performance with amplified paint materials, curated by PROJECT21st.
Children of Trees Chamber Music performance with amplified paint materials, curated by PROJECT21st.
Origami activity using recycled papers.
Origami activity using recycled papers.
Exhibition co-curator Joyce Hei Ting Wong.
Exhibition co-curator Joyce Hei Ting Wong.