I kind of snuck in. I did. They were actually closed and open for appointments only, but I slid…read morein to check it out. The question of "are they open to the public or are they only open for appointments to potential buyers" is a slippery slope around Hong Kong. "Are you just looking or are you buying?" is another slippery slope. Without a solid contemporary art museum to anchor from, I seek out art any way I can...even slipping into Gagosian. Do as I say and not as I do: I suppose it would be best to call first and simply ask to say "can I come by and take a look, not to buy, but just to look" to be on the up and up with their blessing versus the sneek in approach. If you love contemporary art, this is your church. Their is a fine line between public museum and private gallery in Hong Kong and access to see what is out there in the contemporary world can really only be viewed in the private gallery. I cant lie though. Between several places like Gagosian and Pace, these places are the holy grail of contemporary art and absolutely go if you have an opportunity to be in this space because without doubt whatever is on their walls is spectacular.

I am a fan of art. Contemporary art is my wheelhouse of understanding. So if I can go to a mall…read moreand also be exposed to contemporary art, then I am one to subscribe to the notion that this is a good thing. Too many people, art is not a worthy endeavor for daily consideration, so they would think differently. K11 Art Space is a break in the routine in the sea of shopping malls that blanket Hong Kong...yes it is a mall, but the niche is that it has a designated space to pause in this large urban landscape and contemplate contemporary art. Membership is free by simply signing up or a $20HKD admittance charge if you are not, you will be exposed too a small art space with an installation that seems rotate every few months. We visited while Urban Sense (March 3, 2016 thru May 15, 2016) was up. This exhibition looks at the features of contemporary urban life which shape our experiences - architecture, people, space, work, leisure, technology, sound, vision...elements that work together or compete against each other for our attention. When I am back in the K11 Art Mall (really a shopping mall with some art about), I will always pay a visit to the K11 Art Space. It is a quick stop versus a giant museum (which I would visit if Hong Kong had that...bring on M+!), it changes the narrative of a regular visit to the mall and it exposes me to different perspectives...all while buying an overpriced macaroon at a kiosk and buying a new pair of ballet flats on sale.

A historic police compound turned into a real-life Etsy market! Located in Central, PMQ 元創方 is…read morepacked with local artisan shops, unique design studios, and rich Hong Kong history. PMQ 元創方 stands for Police Married Quarters. It's a historic site turned vibrant creative hub in Central, Hong Kong. Rebuilt in 1951 as the Police Married Quarters, the compound reopened in 2014 for local designers. The architecture is beautiful, the vibe is incredibly artistic, and it is the perfect place to support independent creators. A truly unique spot for anyone looking for authentic local souvenirs.

This place is basically like a giant Etsy shop/Instagram photo opp…read more Came to take selfies in front of the koi staircase. Left with nearly a dozen pairs of cute and unique earrings crafted by HK-based jewelry maker @ashayatheone, for $8 to $15 (USD) a pair. Though I definitely spent more than I would have for souvenirs at the Ladies Market, it was worth it not to feel stressed out having to haggle on the streets of Mong Kok. Plus, I walked out with better quality stuff, supported a local business, and got to check out the current art exhibit ("LONG TIME NO SEE": a set of hand-drawn murals paying homage to the history of the PMQ building).

Contemporary urban art may not be everybody's cup of tea. Most of the time, it goes right over my…read morehead but every now and then, I would get an inkling of the artist's message. What I find interesting about Oi! is that it is not your conventional art gallery. Oi! is not big. It sits on the corner of Oil Street and Electric Road in Fortress Hill on the island. A century ago, the waterfront was right outside this property. It was logical for the Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club to set up base here and operate until the government took over thirty years later in the 1930s. The historic brick buildings are specimens of the post-Victorian Arts and Crafts Architectural Movement. On the day of my visit, the theme was to stimulate our audio, visual, and tactile senses. The artists encouraged people to actually touch their creations. I like when art can be approached from more than one dimension. There was one exhibition room that was stark empty except for a porthole in the floor; and another one in which I had to duck my head because a block TV set was hanging from the ceiling. I also got to interact with other eclectic and obscure art pieces. Unexpectedly, the co-op kitchen was offering visitors complimentary miso soup on site. I guess if wine and hors d'oeuvres are served at the traditional art openings, why not offer hot soup at Oi! The idea was "they cook, you clean" so people had to do the little chore of washing the bowls they had used. I thought that was pretty neat. Everything was cool. Before heading out, I decided to use the restroom. I really wish I hadn't. They were either understaffed or negligent to have left the facility in a ghastly state. It might have been the visitors. What a shame to end my visit this way. For me, Oi! was an experience. I enjoyed the history aspect. I didn't have a full grasp of the pieces I saw but art is subjective. New exhibits rotate in periodically. Maybe next time I'll make a connection with one of them. 3.5

As we were simply walking by, I knew that this was clearly an old set of buildings that had been…read morerestored, but I was not sure what this space was exactly. With the kind staff at the customer service booth that went the extra mile to show me key parts of the facility and pointed out the specifics of the art installation spaces and the Social Gastronomy experiment space, I think I am a bit of a fan of this place. Once an old boat yard and covered mostly by water, this is a perfect example of Hong Kong recycling, reusing and re-purposing public building space. Part museum (with two installations currently: North Point Dream Properties Limited and 7-Paperholic), part social experiment on food with XCHANGE (turning leftovers and seasonal ingredients from participants and neighborhood markets into mouthwatering dishes), part community service/social hub (with talks, lectures, workshops, etc), part historical venue (Oi! is a Grade 2 Historic Building and they provide daily tours at 2:30pm, 4:45pm and 6:30pm daily). Art is really the driving factor for me with Oi!, but clearly their aim is really to connect with the community on a socially conscious level much greater than just art. But if you are not driven by social matters, note that admission to Oi! is free. The space is not large, but there is intellectually a lot going on to absorb at Oi! Although I did not have time to really understand all pieces of this space, I took a Oi! newspaper to go and have visited their website to sign up for news and events going on here. I will absolutely return to discover a bit more.

Another historical site revitalized/remodeled into an artsy area! Formerly a slaughterhouse, it is…read morenow an area for art studios, workshops, and galleries. Unfortunately I didn't see a clear map of where particular studios with exhibits vs private art studios were so it was kinda confusing just walking around. I still had a good time overall because the red bricks and green-accented windows make it a great backdrop of pics! There were also lots of posters for hands-on artsy classes such as ring-making and hair accessory-making workshops. I wish I had learned about these cool activities earlier on so I'd recommend doing some research and planning ahead.

The Cattle Depot used to be a few blocks away from where I lived. When it was still used as a…read moreslaughterhouse till the 90s, locals seldom walk pass that area and avoided it like a plague, because of the intense smell of pigs and cows emitting from within (people who frequented locations next to the old times KCRC railway tracks would know what I meant, same thing as when the livestock carts pass by, only that for the depot, the smell STAYS). Around the year millennium, it ceased operation finally, and was listed as grade 2 historical building by the Antiquities and Monument Office. It was revitalized (well, revitalization is a new term, there was no such terminology back then, simply - kept and reused) as an Artist Village, aimed at providing studio space for the artists expelled from Oil Street Artist Village when the land was reclaimed by the government. During its early days as an Artist Village, it was managed like a private rental premise and wasn't opened for public visits, expect for the open day origanized for a few times, when the artists display their works like an exhibition. There was a guard at the gate, and back then architectural students had to reason quite a bit with the guard, showing student cards and all, to ask for permission to visit the place and take pictures for school projects, paper research etc. etc. (or sneak in when Mr. Guard was shirking somewhere). Coming to the present day, the depot outdoor area is finally open daily for free visits from 10 to 10. I'm truly glad about the change in policy and in the raised social awareness about historical sites in HK. It is most certainly beneficial for citizens to feel a sense of belonging when given more access to places of local history merits. One can't help but compare the Depot with recent revitalization-for-art projects like the PMQ in central (which I have a separate review) that generated much more buzz. The low-profile Depot had been repurposed for over 10 years but still seems to be lacking a 'business model' that can elevate it to the communal level, and explore its full potential in activating the district or the art-design scene. On the other side of the coin however, as it is not managed by a private group, it is less governed by commercial viability and the rent can remain low, for the benefit of artists to retain their independent stature.This give and take, how would you balance? More details about this heritage:- https://www.heritage.gov.hk/tc/conserve/cattleDepot.htm