Embroideries of East Kowloon

Installation

people standing in front of a museum exhibit

The proposed artwork consists of five separate circular layers each representing one of the five districts that the new East Kowloon Cultural Centre will bring together - Kwun Tong, Wong Tai Sin, Kowloon City, Sai Kung and Kai Tak. The chosen patterns of the layers are an abstract translation of the symbols of each of those districts that overlap one another to become one continuous fabric, serving as a memory of the textile industry that is an important part of the site’s industrial past.

Art/Installation

Project

Embroideries of East Kowloon

Location

Hong Kong

Year

2020

Status

Finalist, Competition

Client

Art Promotion Office

Team

Paul Tse, Evelyn Ting, Marleen Stokkeby, Nicola Ho, Gin Joen Yau

art installation in courtyard of building

side view of art installation in building courtyard

rendering of art installation in building courtyard

close up view of art installation in building courtyard with people

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The use of familiar motives makes the sculpture relatable and recognizable deepening the sense of community around the future East Kowloon Cultural Center. The design of the installation creates moments of density and openness, ambiguity and clearness, constantly changing the perception of the installation.

Architectural diagrams of installation mesh

Overlapping lines of the five flat planes create the illusion of an intricate 3 dimensional light cloud-like structure similar to a Moire pattern. The circular shape of the proposed installation is both a response to the specific architectural context in which it is placed, taking inspiration from the curved lines of the entrance area of the Cultural Centre, as well as a reference to traditional Chinese embroidery.

A new location for the artwork is proposed, shifted slightly from the original site to be carefully nested within the curve of the balcony and therefore strengthening the relationship between the architecture and the proposed art piece. Furthermore, the circulation into and around the building is improved as visitors will have more space to enter the building through the set of doors on the ground floor. The new location increases the visibility of the artwork from the square and enhances the dialogue between the installation and the entrance plaza. In the new location, the installation can clearly be seen from the inside both from the ground floor and from the first floor foyer of the building and becomes part of the views to the outside.

The artwork can be experienced from the outside and inside of the building, outside and inside of the installation itself and on the ground and balcony level. Five separate layers connected only by thin “fabric fibers” are seen from the side view of the installation allowing people to access the artwork and experience the created space from within. Intricate shadows created by the artwork will change throughout the day adding to the dynamic nature of the proposed installation.