LIANG Yi Museum has launched its latest initiative, Liang Yi Arts Corridor, aimed at bringing together Hong Kong’s art and design industry in a time of difficulty.
The new retail concept will provide opportunities for galleries focusing on design, craftsmanship, and heritage to open at a prominent location in Hong Kong.
It will also inject new vitality into Hollywood Road as the choice destination for local and international visitors looking for an integrated experience of Hong Kong’s dynamic art scene.
The second oldest street in Hong Kong, Hollywood Road has long been the must-visit spot for antique hunters, with establishments filled with exquisite artefacts running the length of the street.
Liang Yi Museum’s connection with Hollywood Road dates to more than three decades ago when the central collection of the Museum – one of the world's largest and best-curated collections of Chinese antique furniture – was sourced primarily from the dealers on this very road.
It was also a natural choice for the private museum to choose Hollywood Road as its home when it opened in 2014.
In recent years, however, Hollywood Road has witnessed rapid gentrification, becoming home to a shorter-lived group of coffee shops and trendy restaurants.
The pandemic last year brought substantial challenges to the street, with many of these newcomers unable to sustain themselves, and closing shop, thereby lending a ghost-town vibe to the neighbourhood.
The nine street-level retail spaces directly underneath the Museum have always been Museum property, and with the launch of the Liang Yi Arts Corridor, the Museum will reach out to galleries and design retail concepts that share the same core values.
It will charge these tenants half the market rent, alongside a short-term flexible lease. It hopes to not only alleviate the financial burden of the tenants, but also allow these galleries and the Museum to empower each other to thrive together despite the current challenges. To keep the integrity of the Corridor, applications are only open to tenants in arts-related fields.
"While the Covid-19 crisis has been tough on our neighbourhood, we can't help but see this as a silver lining," says Lynn Fung, director of Liang Yi Museum.
“We hope to be able to curate an exciting group of tenants that will offer visitors the opportunity to visit a world-class museum; go to an old-school antique shop, and see some contemporary art all in one afternoon. Rossi and Rossi were the first to sign on to this concept, and we are excited to see what galleries will follow."
Fabio Rossi, founder and director of Rossi & Rossi, said: “We are confident the Corridor will become a destination for art and design lovers in Hong Kong and beyond.
“In the new space, we aim to foster a dialogue between art and artists from wide-ranging backgrounds, continuing our commitment to presenting inspiring exhibitions.”
The launch of the Liang Yi Arts Corridor reaffirms the Museum’s unwavering commitment to presenting the best works of design, craftsmanship, and heritage; to forging partnerships with leading cultural organisations; and its dedication to its home city and the local arts community. – The Vibes, April 9, 2021
