Hong Kong Arts Centre has initiated CREATORS FOR TOMORROW since 2020, aiming to support the professional development of emerging artists, curators, creators, and researchers in Hong Kong. It provides resources including funding and venues to help participants unleash their creativity and bring their proposals to life. Through this programme, the HKAC curatorial team works closely with emerging creators, offering guidance and opportunities to gain valuable experience and establish their careers in the art field, enriching public life with innovative art.

This issue of "Artists' Voice" invites two grant recipients from CREATORS FOR TOMORROW 2023 research categories — independent curator André Chan and multimedia artist Chi Chi Cheng — to share their ideas below. 

A — Hong Kong Arts Centre

— André Chan 

— Chi Chi Cheng

A — Introduce yourself and the concept of your winning project. 

André Chan — I have been working as an independent curator for around 10 years. My recent exhibitions have mostly taken place at various institutions in Asia and my latest research focuses on video games, topics related to religion, and the fallacy of modern technologies. This research investigates how artists in Asia are using video games as their medium. I started this research because I found that many artists who had not previously been working with video games and new media have begun developing and creating new video games. I hope my research could expand the definition of video games as an artistic medium. My research focuses on the creative approaches of artists in Asia. These artists are using diverse digital production methods to create novel experiences. The most challenging aspect of the research is discovering new artist-initiated projects, as most of my subjects had not worked with video games prior to this study. Uncovering new projects involving mediums they are not familiar with or skilled in can be very difficult. My ultimate goal is for the outcome of this research to be presented as a comprehensive exhibition. My aspiration as a curator is to showcase artist-made video games around the world on a large scale. 

Chi Chi Cheng— I am a multimedia artist and a neuroscience student. My current research title is "Consciously Human Metaverse" upon which I developed and created a metaverse virtual world that explores the mind through Buddhism and science. There is growing research on the benefits of Buddhist practices like meditation and fasting for the brain and mind, helping to reduce our reliance on external material things. When I discovered that neuroscience could be used to understand this 2,500-year-old religion, I felt a sense of childlike wonder about the world and I wanted to transform the process of exploration into a playful, game-like metaverse space. The greatest challenge in my research is finding the right balance between the languages of art and science. Artists use ambiguous expressions to lead the audience into contemplation, while science relies on precise details and critical assessment. I hope to spark more interest in the neuroscience of Buddhism and perhaps even create a "Buddha Brain" experience.