Czech and Hong Kong artists collaborate through residency pilot
A ten-week residency programme at Ma Wan 1868, Hong Kong, brings together artists from the Czech Republic and Hong Kong, culminating in over 40 newly created works that explore nature, heritage, sustainability and the relationship between humanity and the environment.
The West Kowloon Cultural District Authority (WKCDA or the Authority) launched the opening of ‘Undercurrents’, a new exhibition that marks the achievements of the first cohort of the WestK Artist-in-Residence Pilot Programme (AIR or the Programme), the inaugural initiative under the WestK Academy that was established with a vision to foster artistic exchange, collaboration and creative exploration between local and international artists.
The Programme is one of the most structured artist-in-residence initiatives in Hong Kong, connecting international artists and curators with Hong Kong’s artistic community.
Running until 2 August 2026 at Ma Wan 1868, ‘Undercurrents’ presents the creative outcomes of the first AIR cohort, organised in collaboration with The Chemistry Gallery from the Czech Republic, Art Memoh Limited from Hong Kong and supported by the Consulate General of the Czech Republic in Hong Kong.
Starting in late May 2026, the programme brought together five Czech artists and six Hong Kong artists for a 10-week residency at Ma Wan 1868, where the Czech artists lived, worked and exchanged with their local counterparts. The participants come from a variety of backgrounds, comprising a mix of established, mid-career and emerging young creators in multi-disciplinary areas, working across painting, drawing, sculpture, contemporary ink, neon light, jewellery and multimedia practices.
Co-curated by Petr Hájek, Artistic Director and Founder of The Chemistry Gallery, and Hong Kong-based independent curator Joyce Wong, ‘Undercurrents’ features over 40 newly created works by 11 participating artists.
The works invite reflection on the interconnectedness of people, place and ecology, while highlighting the creative dialogue, collaboration and cross-cultural exchange fostered through the residency programme at Ma Wan 1868.