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Press

2017-01-31

The Pitch of Tension – Hong Kong Comics Power
26th–29th January 2017 @The 44th Angoulême International Comics Festival (FRANCE)

【Hong Kong Arts Centre】(HKAC) and 【Comix Home Base】 (CHB), with sponsorship from Create Hong Kong (CreateHK) of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, will be represented in the Angoulême International Comics Festival from 26th to 29th January 2017 in the 44th Angoulême International Comics Festival. Using “The Pitch of Tension–Hong Kong Comics Power” as the theme, an exhibition will be held to showcase short action related comics, related creation and products by Hong Kong comics artists of different generations and styles. A total of 8 local comics artists, including Jerry CHO, Felix IP, Elphonso LAM, Kwong-shing LAU, LITTLE CLOUD, Pen SO, Sam TSE and Kent YUEN, as well as Hong Kong Comics Publisher YU YI are invited to travel to Angoulême and meet avid readers and professional practitioners from all over the world in this world-renowned festival!

It is the fifth time for the HKAC to participate in the Angoulême International Comics Festival l, including the participation by Hong Kong comics artists and practitioners in the Festival under the sponsorship of CreateHK in 2011, 2013, 2015 and 2016. Setting the centre stage of French comics, the Angoulême International Comics Festival attracts over 200,000 visitors worldwide including comic artists, publishers, distributors, comic fans and other tourists every year. The strong tie between the HKAC and the Angoulême International Comics Festival is exemplified by collaborations in the past, including the special feature of Kaleidoscope – History of Hong Kong Comics Exhibition at the Festival in 2011, participation of local comics artists at the Festival’s Concerts de dessins® in 2013, Hong Kong Comix BOOM!! on the theme of “Comix & the City” in 2015 and last year’s LI Chi-tak, Hong Kong Wizard, the first monographic exhibition of any single Hong Kong comics artist in the history of the Festival. This year, comic artists from Hong Kong and the rest of the world will gather again at the Angoulême International Comics Festival. On the theme of “Comix & the City”, the HKAC together with the CHB will start a novel foreign art and cultural exchange project, in order to promote Hong Kong action comics, with a view to further expanding the reach of local comics to the international market.

Power! Speed! Blood! Sweat! Hong Kong action comics (including genres such as martial arts, adventure and sports) has an important position in the local market, while their dynamics and explosive force have been bringing the audience to an exciting visual and sensual world! From 26th to 29th January 2017, using “The Pitch of Tension–Hong Kong Comics Power” as the theme, a group of Hong Kong comics artists and comics publisher/promoter is going to promote Hong Kong action comics, bringing this sensual excitement to the 44th Angoulême International Comics Festival in France! The exhibition will showcase short action related comics, related creation and products by Hong Kong comics artists of different generations and styles. There will also be videos, revealing the process of creating traditional Hong Kong comics. Apart from showcasing their comics and related creations, these comics artists will show their stunning comics “power” through delivering live drawing demonstrations! Besides, there will be talks and sharing sessions which will reinforce the exchange between artists and practitioners from Hong Kong and overseas, bringing Hong Kong action comics to the international arena!

Last but not least, The Pitch of Tension–Hong Kong Comics Power will return to the Comix Home Base in Wanchai, Hong Kong in July and August this year, so that comics artists participated in the project can share their exchange experience with the local audience. Professionals in comics sector from Europe will also be invited to Hong Kong for sharing and exchange! More details will be available at www.comixhomebase.com.hk and the Facebook page of the HKAC in due course.

The Pitch of Tension – Hong Kong Comics Power
Presenter: Hong Kong Arts Centre, Comix Home Base
Sponsor: Create Hong Kong of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
Supporters: Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Brussels, Alliance Française de Hong Kong
In Association with: Angoulême International Comics Festival, Hong Kong Comics & Animation Federation, Hong Kong Digital Entertainment Association
Date & Time: 26-29/1/2017 (THU to SUN) (Please refer to specific activity for details)
Venue: Le Monde des Bulles Hall 2 – Espace Asie, Angoulême International Comics Festival
Details: http://www.comixhomebase.com.hk/#/en//events/exhibitions/2602 
Participating Hong Kong Comics Artists: Jerry CHO, Felix IP, Elphonso LAM, Kwong-shing LAU, LITTLE CLOUD, Pen SO, Sam TSE, Kent YUEN
Participating Hong Kong Comics Publisher: YU YI
 
Programme Details: 
Networking Cocktail Reception – Meeting Hong Kong Comics Artists and Publisher!
Date: 28/1/2017 (SAT)
Time: 17:00-18:00
Venue: Le Monde des Bulles Hall 2 – Espace Asie, Angoulême International Comics Festival
 
Sharing Sessions/ Networking Sessions
Making Hong Kong Comics “Move”!
Date: 27/1/2017 (FRI)
Time: 12:00-13:00
Venue: Le Monde des Bulles Hall 2 – Espace Asie, Angoulême International Comics Festival
Speaker: Connie LAM (Executive Director, Hong Kong Arts Centre; Initiator of Comix Home Base)
 
Hong Kong comics practitioners are “extending their legs” to different media, promoting Hong Kong comics in ways other than publishing physical books! Recently, Ma Wing-shing’s Storm Riders and Chinese Hero have been adapted into dance dramas, and the coming Storm Riders musical theater, combining elements comics, dance, and music. These shows have set of an upsurge of comics once again. Apart from publishers, the Hong Kong Government is also leading important roles in promoting comics, such as providing financial support to industry players, as well as establishing ani-com landmarks Hong Kong Avenue of Comic Stars, and Ani-com Park @ Harbour FUN, and promoting Comix Home Base to general public. Among them, Hong Kong Arts Centre as the operator of Comix Home Base try to act as a communication platform for the practitioners, Hong Kong Government, and the commercial sector. Not only does it organise activities such as overseas exchange projects and licensing markets, it also gather comics artists together, providing space and channels for them to present their works. How effective are these projects and policies? In this sharing session, we have Ms. Connie Lam, Executive Director of Hong Kong Arts Centre and initiator of Comix Home Base, to talk about how we make Hong Kong comics “move”!
 
How the New Generation of Martial Art Comics Live
Date: 27/1/2017 (FRI)
Time: 17:00-18:00
Venue: Le Monde des Bulles 2 – Espace Asie, Angoulême International Comics Festival
Speakers: YU YI (Director, Creation Cabin Limited)
 
Martial art comics has been one of the cores of traditional Hong Kong comics. In the midst of changing local demand, some small to medium-scaled publishers show no fear by taking up martial art comics again, seeking another way out. How would these publishers define martial art comics? What kind of new elements, such as exploring the possibilities of cross-media development (movie and game adaptation), have they been injecting into martial art comics while maintaining the traditions of Hong Kong comics? In this sharing session, we have Yu Yi, the director of Creation Cabin Limited to share with the audience. Making use of Andy Seto’s City of Darkness (which won The 7th International Manga Award, Japan) and Felix Ip’s Blood and Steel (whose French version was published last year) as examples, he will talk about how to revive the new generation of martial art comics!
 
Tea Reception & Sharing Talk – The Recent Developments of Hong Kong Comics Industry
Date: 28/1/2017 (SAT)
Time: 12:00-14:00
Venue: Marché des Droits et du Licenses,
Angoulême International Comics Festival
Speakers: Elphonso LAM, Kent YUEN, YU YI (Director, Creation Cabin Limited)
Moderator: Connie LAM (Executive Director, Hong Kong Arts Centre; Initiator of Comix Home Base)
 
To publish comics in Hong Kong nowadays, is it possible to use the same tactics over and over again? Facing the ever changing market, Hong Kong comics practitioners have never stopped in learning from various “masters”, and equipping themselves with relevant knowledge! This time, we invite three practitioners from Hong Kong who publish and promote comics in different ways to share their experiences. While Kent Yuen has been exploring the non-physical book markets such as online comics in recent years, Yu Yi focuses on broadening the audience base through a multi-media approach. Not only does he publish physical books (novels and comics), he also develops moving images such as games and movies. Though Elphonso Lam values physical books similarly, he tries to make use of the celebrity effect to promote comics. Three persons with three different modes of promotion, which is the most effective one? And what kind of chemistry would they generate in the sharing session? Tea Reception will also be held after the Sharing Talk, Comics publishers and professionals are welcome to meet and share with the Hong Kong comics artists!
 
Live Drawing Performances of Hong Kong Comics Artists
Wanna experience the full stunning power of Hong Kong action comics? You must see how the comics artists split ink on the paper with the naked eye! In collaboration with Angoulême International Comics Festival, The Pitch of Tension – Hong Kong Comics Power presents a series of live drawing performances, allowing you to look at how the comics artists create a comics art piece line by line starting from scratch, as if you were inside an art studio. Let comics artists bring sensual excitement to you through their vigorous and fascinating strokes!
 
Live Drawing Performance
Venue: Le Monde des Bulles Hall 2 – Espace Asie, Angoulême International Comics Festival
Date & Time: 
26/1/2017 (THU) 13:00-14:00/ Felix IP; 14:00-15:00/ LITTLE CLOUD; 15:00-16:00/ Pen SO
27/1/2017 (FRI) 13:30-14:30/ Jerry CHO; 14:30-15:30/ Elphonso LAM; 15:30-16:30/ Sam TSE
28/1/2017 (SAT) 14:00-15:00/ Kwong-shing LAU; 15:00-16:00/ Kent YUEN; 18:00-19:00/ Felix IP, Sam TSE
 
Live Drawing Performance
Venue: Espace Manga’s Stage, Angoulême International Comics Festival
Date & Time: 
26/1/2017 (THU) 16:00-17:00/ Kent YUEN, Jerry CHO; 17:00-18:00/ Kwong-shing LAU, Elphonso LAM
28/1/2017 (SAT) 11:00-12:00/ Pen SO, LITTLE CLOUD
About the Presenter
Hong Kong Arts Centre
Established in 1977, Hong Kong Arts Centre (HKAC) is a self-funding organisation whose mission is to promote contemporary arts and culture within Hong Kong and beyond. The building of HKAC is equipped with facilities including theatres, a cinema, galleries, classrooms, studios, a café and office space. Home to artists’ creative exploration, HKAC features various art forms by showing local and overseas artworks through exhibitions, in addition to organising programmes ranging from performances, conferences, seminars, screenings, art festivals and public art projects. Always keeping up with our efforts, HKAC is committed to enhancing Hong Kong’s position as an artistically vibrant city and linking art to the community. In 2000, HKAC established its education arm, namely Hong Kong Art School. Offering a wide range of quality arts courses, the School aims to nurture creativity and a greater sense of art appreciation among the young generation. In recent years, HKAC has been taking initiatives in promoting comics and animation culture by organising numerous comics and animation-related programmes in Hong Kong, the mainland China, Taiwan and France. Since July 2013, HKAC has dedicated itself to operating Comix Home Base, Hong Kong’s first cultural and art quarter featuring comics and animation, with a series of programmes which boost the development of the comic and animation art scene of the city. 
Website: www.hkac.org.hk
 
Comix Home Base
Comix Home Base (CHB) is an iconic landmark and art community which cultivates artistic creativity, inspires creation of local comics and animation, and integrates cultural uniqueness of the city into contemporary art. Located between Mallory Street and Burrows Street in Wanchai, Comix Home Base is a cluster of pre-war Grade II historic buildings refurbished by the Urban Renewal Authority, and operated by the Hong Kong Arts Centre for the five years following its opening in July 2013. Through programmes like exhibitions, master classes, talks and drawing performances, local and international comics are promoted to audience in Hong Kong and all over the world. Revitalised from a historic architecture into the first art community featuring comics and animation in Hong Kong, CHB marks a milestone in the preservation of local history and promotion of comics and animation art culture. Not only is CHB a gathering point for comics and animation artists, it is also an important platform for interaction and exchange for comic and animation art Hong Kong and overseas countries
Website: www.comixhomebase.com.hk
 
About the Sponsor
Create Hong Kong
Create Hong Kong (CreateHK) is a dedicated office set up by the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) to spearhead the development of Hong Kong’s creative industries.  Set up in June 2009, CreateHK co-ordinates the Government policy regarding creative industries, focuses Government’s resources catering for the promotion and speeding up of the development of creative industries in Hong Kong, and works closely with the trade to boost the development of creative industries.
Website: www.createhk.gov.hk 
 
Disclaimer: Create Hong Kong of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region provides funding support to the project only, and does not otherwise take part in the project. Any opinions, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in these materials/events (or by members of the project team) are those of the project organizers only and do not reflect the views of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, the Communications and Creative Industries Branch of the Commerce and Economic Development Bureau, Create Hong Kong, the CreateSmart Initiative Secretariat or the CreateSmart Initiative Vetting Committee.