In Hong Kong Arts Month, Harbour City is delighted to present the striking Colourful Public Art Show “Planet Walala @Harbour City”, created by the renowned French artist Camille Walala, from 21 March to 2 June. The three major highlights include two large public installations and a solo art exhibition, all engaging with the public in unique ways.
As locals and tourists marvel at the breathtaking Ocean Terminal Deck, prepare to be enthralled by “Now You See It Now You Don’t” – the first-ever Hong Kong City Sign. This captivating installation, standing tall at an impressive height of 3 meters and stretching 6.5 meters wide, serves as a brand-new permanent artistic landmark. In addition, wander into the enchanting world of Camille’s first outdoor artistic maze “A-MAZE”. Spanning an expansive 3,500 square feet, this colourful maze beckons visitors of all ages to explore and engage in playful discovery.
Meanwhile, Camille will host her first solo art exhibition “Metropolis” at Gallery by the Harbour to showcase the charisma of colours with her 12 abstract paintings, all inspired by the city’s architecture style. In addition, Harbour City will organize thrilling art activations, including Family Art Jamming and Insta360 Photography Classroom, targeting a wide range of audiences throughout the campaign.
Camille Walala, a multi-disciplinary French artist, is well-known for creating joyful and whimsical public artworks in her unique Tribal-Pop style. Through bold colours and exuberant geometric patterns to stimulate the senses and inspire pure joy, her work encompasses full-facade murals, immersive 3D installations, street art, interiors, and set design. From streets, buses, and gas stations, to apartments, hotels, and factories, Camille incorporates colourful art into the community, making art accessible and an integral part of everyday life. Being in awe of the architectural aesthetics in Hong Kong, Camille incorporated geometrics found in the cityscape into the three art projects, bringing connectivity between people and the locality. More than just a photogenic spot, the installations inspire happiness and spark positivity with the design of joyful colours.
1. The first “Hong Kong” City Sign: A Captivating New Artistic Landmark and Tourist Destination
Numerous famous tourist destinations around the globe have their own city signs as an iconic landmark, such as “I Seoul U” in South Korea, “TORONTO” in Canada, and “HOLLYWOOD” in the U.S., all serving as popular photo spots for visitors and a highlight of their journey. This year, Harbour City invited Camille Walala to design the first-ever Hong Kong City Sign, titled “Now You See It Now You Don’t”, from the perspective of a foreign tourist, in the eyes of both an artist and a designer.
The “HONG KONG” city icon stands tall at 3 meters in height and spans 6.5 meters in width. Drenched in the captivating hues of Victoria Harbour’s ocean blue, it seamlessly blends Camille’s signature vibrant geometric patterns. Paying homage to the towering skyscrapers that define Hong Kong’s skyline, the City Sign is a complex interplay of overlapping geometric shapes of varying heights. And the tile-like texture is in parallel with the mosaic tiles found in old buildings.
Drawing influence from optical artworks by George Rousse, Camille adopted an anamorphic approach to the design of the art piece. Though each sculpture stands alone as a beautiful object, people can only read the letters of “HONG KONG” from a certain point of view, giving the City Sign its name “Now You See It Now You Don’t”.
Design highlights of “Now You See It Now You Don’t”
Hong Kong City Sign – “Now You See It Now You Don’t”
Date: From 21 March 2024
Time: 10am – 10pm
Venue: Ocean Terminal Deck
2. “A-MAZE”: The Colourful Art Maze for Rediscovering Childlike Wonder in a Vibrant Geometric World”
Dive into the explosively colourful world of Camille Walala, as she has transformed the Ocean Terminal Deck into an energizing and enlivening outdoor art maze called “A-MAZE” with geometric patterns and bold colours. The vivid installation instantly transports visitors away from the hustle and bustle of urban life and into a visually striking wonderland to elevate moods. A-MAZE is not only an art installation, but also a playground and a public open space, where people of all ages and genders can find their own little haven. Children can roam and play in the maze, while couples can capture romantic moments against the backdrop of explosively colourful geometric patterns. Additionally, the fascinating vibrant maze is equipped with seating, inviting people to linger, reflect, and soak up the spectacle around them under the panoramic view of Victoria Harbour.
Spanning an area of 3,500 sq ft, the fascinating vibrant maze resonates with the landscape of Hong Kong, just like the “Hong Kong” City Sign. Its predominant colours are inspired by the hues of blue and purple from Victoria Harbour, accentuated by vibrant geometric patterns. Camille not only incorporates the classic primary colours of red, yellow, and blue but also adds gentle tones such as mint green, lilac, and peach to harmonize with the stunning Hong Kong scenery. Unlike traditional mazes, the walls shift in height, adorned with a variety of cut-outs and windows. This thoughtful design offer glimpses of the path ahead, allowing visitors to navigate through the layered maze, enhancing interaction among visitors within the installation.
A-MAZE is an evolution of Camille’s “Walala X PLAY” immersive maze in London, and her first creation of an outdoor maze. Through “A-MAZE”, Camille hopes visitors can embrace the joy brought by colours, tap into the state of playfulness, joy, and discovery that we experienced as a child.
“When we’re babies and children, we experience the world in a whirlwind of colours and shapes. Everything is new and exciting. But as we get older, we become jaded, we take things for granted – even things as wonderful as colour. With A-MAZE, I want to take people back to a state where everything they see is new and surprising – to tap into that state of playfulness, joy and discovery that we leave behind as adults.”
– Camille Walala
Artistic Maze Installation – “A-MAZE”
Date: 21 March – 2 June 2024
Time: 10am – 10pm
Venue: Terrace, Ocean Terminal Deck
3. The First Solo Exhibition “Metropolis”: Camille Walala’s Evolution from Public Art Installation to Painting Creations
Known for her impressive large-scale public art, Camille embarks on a new venture by hosting her first solo art exhibition, “Metropolis” at Gallery by the Harbour in this art show. Showcasing her mastery of the Tribal-Pop style and bold geometric elements, Camille skilfully hand-paints 12 captivating new artworks. The exhibition is aptly named “Metropolis” because Camille draws inspiration from the architectural aesthetics found in cities, incorporating their textures, details, and building shapes into her creations, just like a melting pot.
With a love for vibrancy, dynamic energy, and layered building structures of Hong Kong, Camille incorporates these elements into her artwork with a fresh and unique creative direction. In her favourite painting titled “Rush Hour”, one can observe a heightened sense of depth and density compared to her previous works, mirroring the high-rise buildings that define Hong Kong’s skyline. Moreover, she chooses a rich and diverse colour palette for this painting, capturing the vibrant and lively essence of Hong Kong’s bustling atmosphere. This fusion of architectural influences and vibrant colours brings Camille’s artwork to life, offering a captivating representation of Hong Kong’s energetic spirit.
She expressed that this art exhibition is a highly challenging project for her, as the canvases are much smaller. She needs to carefully consider how to incorporate different perspectives and illusions into the limited space, staying true to her objective of bringing a sense of joy to the viewers.
Camille Walala’s Solo Art Exhibition – “Metropolis”
Date: 21 March – 21 April 2024
Time: 11am – 10pm
Venue: Gallery by the Harbour (Shop 207, Level 2, Ocean Centre, Harbour City)
4. Thrilling art activations to spark your creativity at A-Maze!
To enrich the overall experience of the vibrant A-MAZE, Harbour City is organizing two thrilling art activations, Family Art Jamming sessions, and Insta360 Photography Classroom to target a wide range of audiences throughout the campaign.
Family Art Jamming Session
Let the little ones unleash their creativity! The session is tailored for strengthening family bonding with your child by drawing together on a shared canvas. All materials are ready, and you can simply revel in the joy of painting. Children aged 5 to 12 are warmly invited to join, accompanied by their parents or guardians.
Date: 30 March ,31 March, 7 April, 14 April, 12 May, 19 May, 26 May 2024
Time: 11am – 12:30pm (Session 1), 2pm – 3:30pm (Session 2)
Location: Ocean Terminal Deck, Harbour City
Fee: HK$100 for 2 participants
Registration Link: https://www.harbourcityonline.com/
Insta360 Photography Classroom
Harbour City has partnered with Insta360 to host a photography classroom featuring the incredible Insta360 X series Action Camera. By simply registering as an Insta360 member, participants can enjoy a 40-minute free trial of the camera at Ocean Terminal Deck. Staff will provide guidance and share a variety of shooting techniques with the participants. Participants will be able to download their photos and videos after the session.
Take the opportunity to win a gift from Insta360! Participants who upload their finished videos on their public Instagram accounts, tag @harbourcity, @insta360, and include the hashtag #insta360, will have a chance to win a gift from Insta360 X series Action Camera. For further details, please refer to the Instagram of Insta360.
https://www.instagram.com/insta360tw/
Date: 13, 14, 20, 21 April 2024
Time: 12pm – 7pm
Location: Ocean Terminal Deck, Harbour City
