(Hong Kong, May 8, 2014) In what is probably the largest single donation to the arts by an individual in Hong Kong, Robert W. Miller, founder of Duty Free Shoppers (DFS), will donate HK$100 million to the Asia Society Hong Kong Center to promote and celebrate Hong Kong’s emerging talent in the arts.

In recognition of this major transformative gift, the Asia Society Gallery - which has played host to six exhibitions including the recent Caravaggio exhibition that attracted more than 26,000 visitors and juxtaposed the work of four Hong Kong artists with the Caravaggio masterpiece Supper at Emmaus - will be re-named the Chantal Miller Gallery in honor of Robert Miller’s wife.

Robert and Chantal Miller have been a long time supporter of the arts in Hong Kong. This donation follows another major gift by the Millers to the Asia Society Hong Kong Center in 2004, when a generous US$3 million donation supported both the restoration of the Miller Theater – formerly a military magazine for storing ammunition - and the staging of its first series of programs to take place in this revitalized space in 2012.

Speaking at today’s announcement in which Robert and Chantal Miller were presented with a monograph by contemporary Chinese artist Xu Bing written in the artist’s signature Square Word Calligraphy, Robert Miller said, “There is an important place in the community for Hong Kong-based artists to play a more significant role in the global contemporary art dialogue. At the same time, there is also a need for Hong Kong artists to be exposed to international ideas and artistic best practices. With this gift, the Asia Society will be able to celebrate and nurture Hong Kong’s own talent by staging ongoing site-specific performance programs as well as commissioning major new works by local artists.”

Ronnie C. Chan, Co-Chair of the Asia Society and Chairman of the Asia Society Hong Kong Center said, “The Millers’ generous donation will enable the Hong Kong Center to actively engage local artists of different disciplines and to encourage their creative production within the Center’s two artistic incubators – the Miller Theater and now the newly named Chantal Miller Gallery. Our goal is to get Hong Kong’s emerging talent to collaborate with seasoned international musicians, designers, performers and artists in creating new and unique works.”

S. Alice Mong, Executive Director, Asia Society Hong Kong Center concludes, “It is with heartfelt thanks and appreciation that we receive this gift which will provide an unprecedented opportunity for local talent to have a platform to hone their skillset and collaborate with international artists, and ultimately reinforce Hong Kong’s position as a work-renowned creative hub.”