Art Central Hong Kong 2021

An art fair identity inspired by Hong Kong’s architecture of density

Client

Art Central Hong Kong

Year 2020
Scope
  • Visual Identity
  • Art Direction
  • Campaign
  • Print
  • Digital
  • Motion

Art Central Hong Kong (ACHK) is a cornerstone event of Hong Kong Art Week, a dynamic annual art fair that brings together emerging talent from Asia’s most innovative galleries, alongside established international artists. In the lead-up to the 2021 edition, we were commissioned to develop the identity for this key fixture.

Translating diverse convergences
Developing the identity in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic presented a unique challenge—one that we turned into an opportunity. This allowed us to leverage upon digital-first communications, further cementing ACHK as a site for new media art and future technologies.

While ACHK boasts a global perspective, its roots are firmly planted in Hong Kong. This inspired us to draw from the city’s iconic (but increasingly rare) neon signage. The identity creatively repurposes the corner brackets found within the existing ACHK logo as subtly overlapping tiles, drawing reference to the city’s visual density and paying homage to the graphic language of Hong Kong’s iconic signage.

Dynamic design for a unique city
The overlapping tiles help to anchor the layout while simultaneously delivering information in a fresh and innovative way. Brought to life through animation, the tiles in motion suggest an overarching theme of convergence through its tessellating movement. These kinetic intersections echo Art Central’s position within the art world as the nexus between East and West, old and new; a hub for experimentation and cross-disciplinary expression across the eclectic mediums of art.

Practice Theory