‘Dare to Art’ launches with a bang at Taikoo Hui

Irish new media artist Alan Butler has debuted his first Chinese public art project at HKRI Taikoo Hui in Jing’an District, launching the mall’s “Dare To Art” public art season.

Entitled “Optical Earth: Reprogramming Nature as Art,” the project brings Yosemite National Park to life, blending art with the mall’s environment. Intricate line patterns transform the mall into a canvas showcasing Yosemite’s natural wonders. It’s on display until November 10.

To celebrate, twin cross-disciplinary artists YUSIO performed a dance and improvisational show on Saturday, blending natural rhythms with the urban setting. A forum on eco-urban-tech interplay and the beauty of nature in cityscapes was also held.

This multicultural public art season brings together artists, brands, and public spaces, creating a citywide event with installations, cultural exhibitions and fashion.

Shanghai Fashion Weekend, another highlight, runs from Saturday to October 20 at the mall’s north plaza. It merges culture with retail, offering unique experiences from brands adhering to the “new, unique, and special” concept.

H&M, for example, collaborated with emerging Chinese designer brand Garçon by Gçogcn for a pop-up store that showcases a new collection celebrating local fashion design.

Until October 20, the “Branding City Design” exhibition in the north hall brings together curators and brands from different fields to define the ideal lifestyle neighborhood.