With events ranging from worldclass happenings downtown and performing arts programmes from around the world, to unique and exciting arts offerings in local communities, there is something to suit all tastes during the “Hong Kong Arts Month”. These are the highlighted international events and community programmes not to be missed.

The Hong Kong Arts Festival (HKAF) is the premier event to kickoff the “Hong Kong Arts Month”. The 46th HKAF will feature more than1,700 international and local artists in 130 performances until March 24. This year’s highlights include “Whipped Cream”, by the American Ballet Theatre, “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the NightTime”, by the National Theatre of Great Britain, and Debussy’s “Pelleas et Melisande”, staged by the Welsh National Opera.

Another highlight is Art Central Hong Kong, which will be staged in the Central Harbourfront Event Space from March 27 to April 1, with a VIP preview and inauguration event to be held on March 26. The fourth edition will return with 30 galleries participating for the first time and more than 100 international galleries, over 75 per cent of which are from AsiaPacific, making it the largest edition in scale by far. Art Central Hong Kong’s dynamic weeklong programme also includes interactive installations, performances and a panel discussion.

Art Basel in Hong Kong, now in its sixth edition, will take place at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre from March 29 to 31. The worldfamous international art fair will feature 248 leading galleries from 32 countries and territories, with 28 of them from AsiaPacific, Europe and the Americas participating for the first time. Art Basel will offer an expansive view of its diverse arts vision, historical materials and cuttingedge works by established and emerging artists.

Authentic and inspiring arts happenings in local Hong Kong neighbourhoods are also gems to be discovered. Sham Shui Po, a local neighbourhood that offers one of the most heritagerich experiences in Hong Kong, is one of the standouts in this edition. The HK Urban Canvas community art project, organised by the Hong Kong Youth Arts Foundation, has brought talented local artists and students together to create 10 shutter artworks that tell the stories of the local shops in the Sham Shui Po neighbourhood. Visitors are encouraged to join weekend tours from lateMarch to midApril to learn more about the art project and the neighbourhood. Free guided cultural tours conducted in Cantonese or Mandarin are available on a firstcome, firstserved basis. For details, visit the Facebook page of @HKUrbanCanvas.

If you are visiting Art Basel, consider gallery hopping in Wong Chuk Hang as well. The South Island district, which includes Wong Chuk Hang, has been an upcoming art hub in Hong Kong thanks to the opening of the MTR South Island Line in late 2016. On South Island Art Day on March 29, around 16 art galleries and studios in the South Island Cultural District will open their doors to host exhibitions and performances. Free guided tours are available for reservation at contact@sicd.com.hk, or onsite on the event day. For details, visit http://www.Sicd.com.hk.

Hidden within industrial buildings in the New Territories is Fo Tan, another upandcoming art neighbourhood that is less known to visitors. Since 2000, it has been transformed from a predominantly industrial district into a vibrant artistic community thanks to affordable rents in the area. From pottery, sculpture and Chinese calligraphy to contemporary art pieces, visitors can always find something of interest in the neighbourhood. On March 31, Fotan Open Studios will offer a great opportunity for those who are interested to meet and exchange ideas with, and be inspired by, local artists. For details, visit http://www.Fotanstudios.org.

There will be a lot more to explore in key art and cultural spaces, such as the PMQ, the Fringe Club, and various hotels and malls like K11 and Pacific Place. Special mention must be made of Hong Kong’s first international sculpture park — the Harbour Arts Sculpture Park — which will showcase museumquality sculptures at the Victoria Harbourfront until April 11. This admissionfree event will be staged at the Central and Western District Promenade and will feature sculptures by over 18 emerging and renowned local and international contemporary artists. The event offers a unique opportunity for visitors get up close with the art pieces at the edge of the iconic Victoria Harbour.

Another highlight is Notating Beauty That Moves – Music at an Exhibition at the ArtisTree of Taikoo Place until March 29, in which musical scores in the classical and contemporary hands of composers from the past and present, artworks of various forms as well as concerts by topnotch musicians will be presented.

Find out more by checking http://www.DiscoverHongkong.com/eng/seedo/eventsfestivals/highlightevents/hongkongartsmonth.jsp.

WHILE IT’S difficult to figure out what the show will look like and how much fun it actually is, from the PR materials of Jerome Bel’s “Gala”, performed here recently as part of the French Embassy’s “French Highlights #3”, most members of the audience at the Chang Theatre last Wednesday would probably agree that this conceptual dance work is indeed a special treat. And unlike many dance programmes for which the audience needs to have knowledge to judge the performers’ technical merits, “Gala” is for anyone who enjoys dancing.

The word “conceptual” usually scares people away – indeed, Thais sometimes joke that it’s “concept shua” or “bad concept” when only the artist and not the audience understands the concept, and not the audience – but that’s not the case with “Gala”. The piece delivers its concept –and entertainment –thanks in part to the work’s nature that leaves room for the local performers’ creative input – and the choreography and the music are certainly not forced on them by the French creative team.

The cast, from the very young to the very old, of 15 comprises professional dancers, ex-dancers and people with whom we don’t usually associate the word “dance”. Juxtaposing solo performances with group ones in different genres that range from Michael Jackson’s moonwalking, waltz, classical ballet, street dance, classical Thai dance, khon, rhythmic gymnastics, and so on, “Gala” began with the projection of images of theatres, ranging from proper, elegant and historic ones to a few rows of chairs surrounding a performance space in a park.

The work questions what’s stageworthy and not, and whether performing arts is only for people who have special talents and skills or if anyone can enjoy it. And that’s truly relevant for our country where the number of talent competitions and shows on TV and in department stores continue to rise.

The weekend before, Pichet and Bel restaged “Pichet Klunchun and Myself,” their most successful work, which has been seen around the globe since premiering at Bangkok Fringe Festival 2004 at Patravadi Theatre.

While this is a strong example of French-Thai artistic collaboration and cultural exchange, which we’ve been told is a current direction of “French Highlights” – La Fete as it was formerly known –the performance is not part of the current “French Highlights”.

Thanks to substantial support from the Office of Contemporary Art and Culture (OCAC), the show was free. That said, this could be a problem for those who are willing to pay but fail to book tickets in time as freebies usually fly off very quickly. And while we see works that are supported, either fully partly, by the culture ministries of other countries where admission is charged, their Thai counterpart does the opposite, citing as the reason that the support comes from taxpayers’ money. Many people are wondering if this policy needs to be revised.

For those who haven’t seen any of their works and can understand English, this dance dialogue is still a good introduction to the life and works of these two internationally renowned choreographers who have a lot in common as well as differences. For example, those who returned for “Gala” a few evenings later would enjoy it tremendously. On the other hand, those who have seen Pichet’s other works may already be too familiar with his opinions and his messages in “Pichet Klunchun and Myself” will probably sound repetitive. Also, as Pichet and Bel have known each other for more than 13 years now, it’s more and more difficult to convince the audience that they’ve just met for the first time as acted out in this seminal work.

And in a rare case for contemporary performance in Thailand, each member of the audience received a booklet with the theatre’s programme for the year at the ticket counter of both shows.

So now we can mark our calendars and plan our visits to this theatre in Thon Buri.

CHANG-ING PROGRAMMES

Pichet Klunchun Dance Company’s “Nijinsky Siam” is on April 20-22 and 27-29. Thanks to the strong support from OCAC, it’s free admission.

“Black and White” and “The Gentlemen” by the same company are coming in June and November respectively.

Not yet scheduled, but we know and hope that it’s some time this year, is their new work “About Kazuo Ono”.

Find out more at http://www.ChangTheatre.com.

Find about more about the French dance maker at http://www.JeromeBel.fr (in French and English).

As part of “French Highlights #3”, the “Ephemeral” exhibition by French expat painter Sylvie Coevoet and photographer Stephanie Noto is ongoing at Alliance Francaise Bangkok until March 29. For more, http://www.French-Highlights.com

LAST MONTH, while I was watching the first half of Dangkamon Na Pombejra’s new production of “The Merchant of Venice”, the same question I’d been asking myself for many years popped back into my mind – Why are Thai artists not having as much fun with Shakespeare as their foreign counterparts? Is it because we were not colonised and haven’t done enough Shakespeare to depart from the original?

The memory of “Venice” vanished as soon as I finished watching Shakespeare’s Wild Sisters Group’s “Blood and Rose Ensemble” at Esplanade Theatre Studio, as part of Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay’s “Huayi: Chinese Festival |of Arts”, held every year a week |after Chinese New Year.

PHOTO/TUCKYS PHOTOGRAPHY

A co-commission of the Esplanade and its Taiwanese counterpart National Theatre and Concert Hall, this work is a comic romp that seems to be based on the idea that Shakespeare cannot be our contemporary unless we find ways to show that his works are relevant to us, more than four centuries later.

Audiences who have been to the Durian know well that the use of mobile phone is strictly prohibited here. Even when one takes a photo of the curtain call, an usher will immediately approach him/her and ask for it to be deleted on the spot. The venues do not have wireless or phone signals. That wasn’t the case for this show as wireless signal was provided and audience members were not only allowed but also encouraged to take photos and share them with their friends elsewhere. That wasn’t the only inviting part of this show, performed in Mandarin and some Chinese dialects with English surtitles: the set with platforms that crisscrossed the studio also connected the play to audience effectively.

PHOTO/TUCKYS PHOTOGRAPHY

Adapted from “Henry VI, Parts I, II and III” as well as “Richard III”, the show’s narrative was clear – and the chronology was also printed in the programme booklet – and made every possible attempt to link, with dialogues, props, and songs, with the contemporary world. History was never this much fun. Many performers not only performed more than one role but also provided narration and extra comments, added sound effects and played some musical instruments – truly an “ensemble”. The atmosphere was occasionally like a concert or a party.

One could argue that it wasn’t Shakespeare’s play we watched here, but then he died more than four centuries ago, didn’t he?

The writer wishes to thank Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay’s See Ling Ling for all kind assistance.

UPCOMING ON THE TWO ISLANDS

Shakespeare’s Wild Sisters Group’s “Dear Life”, an adaptation of a short story by Nobel laureate Alice Munro, is from March 23 to 25 at the National Theatre, as part of the annual “Taiwan International Festival of Arts”. Visit http://www.TIFA.NPAC-NTCH.org; book tickets at http://www.ArtsTicket.com.tw. To keep track of this group, http://www.swsg95.com.tw http://www.swsg95.com.tw.

At the Esplanade—Theatres on the Bay American Ballet Theatre’s “Swan Lake”, is being staged Thursday to Sunday; and the National Theatre’s (UK) “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time”, from March 29 to April 8. For more details, http://www.Esplanade.com; tickets at http://www.Sistic.com.

YellowKorner, a France-based chain of “contemporary lifestyle galleries”, now has a branch on Level 4 at the EmQuartier, the first in Thailand.

YellowKorner provides a one-stop service. You can but limited edition landscapes, portraits and shots of cars, animals, architecture and much more.

There’s a catalogue for easy browsing, ideal for people just moving into a new home or apartment.

At the same time, YellowKorner provides a springboard for aspiring photographers while also promoting internationally renowned masters.

The latest edition is “Superheroes”, a series by Russian Ilya Nodia and Frenchman Benoit Lapray.

Nodia plucks from various sources of inspiration for his mainly cinematic portraits. He captures scientists deep in thought about artificial intelligence and ordinary people disguised as superheroes in masterfully lit, costumed and framed scenes.

“I’m attracted to people and their pasts, dramatic scenes and challenges,” he says. “I like cinematic style and try to create my works based on my feelings and experiences.”

Lapray studied photography in Lyon and worked in advertising in Lyon, where he spent time in the surrounding mountains. His 2010 series “The Quest for the Absolute” has superheroes from American comics pictured in grandiose landscapes.

“The Widlife” (2016) photos were taken in the business district of Paris, a concrete jungle here populated with terrifying dinosaurs.

Each format has its own specific limit (numbered editions of 50 to 5,000 copies). Customers can choose the size, format and finish in the online gallery, where images can be visualised from every angle and presented within the context of a room.

You can place an order in three clicks, upload your own photo to Zeinberg.com, choose format and finish, and finalise the purchase.

The gallery delivers your photograph from France by courier within two weeks. And a photo expert optimises the resolution and colours to ensure the final rendering is of the highest quality.

YellowKorner has more than 80 galleries from the United States to China.

UNLIKE THEIR German counterparts, most theatre productions in the French capital do not have English surtitles. Equally, when there’s a foreign production from a non-English speaking country, the surtitles are in French. As a result, non-French speaking performance-loving visitors have limited choices and those include the classic tourist shows like “Moulin Rouge” and “Crazy Horse” and hit comedies like “How to Become Parisian in One Hour” even though the poster for the show boasts “100% English”. Because of this, I have been watching more dance than theatre performances during my visits to the City of Light and before each visit I always check the programme of Theatre de la Ville and Centre National de la Danse (CND).

Anjelin Preljocaj’s “La Fresque” is inspired by medieval Chinese tale “The Painting on the Wall”.Photo/JeanClaude Carbonne

An invitation from a colleague I met at a dance festival in Hong Kong took me to the Theatre National de la Danse Chaillot, easily accessible from Trocadero station.

In a building that went up during the same period as the Eiffel Tower as part of the world expo as the 1800s gave way to the 1900s, it gives us the aura of a museum. With a high-ceilinged hallway and stairways adorned with visual arts works, plus historic escalators, the theatre’s cafe also provides one of the best and unobstructed views of Paris’s most iconic landmark.

But we should never judge a book by its cover and, in this case, inner cover. Chaillot is all about contemporary performance. And although dance, from around the globe, takes centre-stage, with its natural relation to other genres make categorisation increasingly difficult, theatre and music have some presence as well.

Recently opened after its renovation is Salle Fermin Gemier, a large and fully flexible black box playhouse.

Photo/JeanClaude Carbonne

Here Brazilian choreographer Lia Rodrigues presented “Pindorama” which provided a unique dance-going experience – with no seats for the audience, except for physically challenged members who really need one. It was like visiting a visual arts exhibition with dancers as moving sculptures and while it was a group experience, we could always choose our favourite angle from which to appreciate this work of art.

The following evening I returned to watch Anjelin Preljocaj’s new work “La Fresque” at Salle Jean Vilar, an even larger adjustable proscenium playhouse, and it was a totally different experience.

Dancers are like moving sculptures in Lia Rodrigues’ “Pindorama”.Photo/ Sammi Landweer

Inspired by medieval Chinese tale “The Painting on the Wall”, or “The Painted Wall”, from the collection, “Strange Stories from a Chinese Studio” by Pu Songling, the work looked and felt more contemporary with Preljocaj’s choreography, well accompanied by Nicolas Godin’s music and fitted right into the holiday spirit, very different from other Preljocaj works we’ve watched here in Thailand.

And now I can fill up most of my Paris evenings with contemporary performances Parisians are watching without having to take any French language classes.

The writer wishes to thank Theatre National de la Danse Chaillot’s Jarmo Juha Penttila for all kind assistance.

What’s on Now

Marc Laine’s “Hunter”, described as “an utterly pop modern-day tale about desire” with cinema fastastique is in Salle Fermin Gemier from Wednesday to March 16. In French with English surtitles.

San Francisco-based Alonzo King Lines Ballet’s “The Propelled Heart”, also featuring live singing by Lisa Fischer, is in Salle Jean Vilar from Friday to March 16.

Find out more at http://www.Theatre-Chaillot.fr (in French and English).

In a talk and discussion accompanying the exhibition, Tomasz Kulbowski, director and originator of the Eastreet project, will share insights into the process of curating the Eastreet project, ideas behind the selection of photos, as well as the documentary photography in Eastern Europe in general.

Four curators, namely Aleksander Bochenek, Joanna Kinowska, Kulbowski, and Grzegorz Ostrega, selected 100 photos taken in 20 countries to be presented in the form of the exhibition and a dedicated photo book.

The photographers are Basia Abramowicz, Semyon Aleschenko, Ana Alexandrescu, Andre Alves, Penelope Ambert, Bianca Benisch, Oliwia Beszczynska, Nik Brezginov, Tetyana Bunyak, Taras Bychko, Beatriz Calafell, Yulia Chervinska, Ewa Chodzicka, Magda Chodownik, Maciej Dakowicz, Nikolay Dutkin, Garry Efimov, Dmitry Ermakov, Baltazar Fajto, Andrey Gontarev, Anna B Gregorczyk, Daniel Gnap, Wojciech Grzedzinski, Clarisse Guichard, Dan Gutu, Diane Hion, Ihor Hora, Jamie Howard, Julie Hrudova, Alejandro Ilukewitsch, Dariusz Jasak, Pawel Jedrusik, Zisis Kardianos, Alexander Kazantsev, Ivan Kleymenov, Ania Klosek, Nikos Konidaris, Lukasz Kotecki, Vaggelis Kousioras, Marcin Lewandowski, Andrew Loochnikov, Jacek Lagowski, Dariusz Madzinski, Karol Malec, Tymon Markowski, Gregory Michenaud, Marcin Miroslawski, Dmitry Muzalev, Alex Naanou, Boris Nemeth, Konstancja Nowina Konopka, Paul Osipoff, Gabriela Popa, Maciej Rerek, Eleni Rimantonaki, Thomas Schell, Andrey Semenov, Anna Serkova, Leonid Shadevsky, Ilya Shtutsa, Vasilis Spagouros, Stavros Stamatiou, Ruth Stoltenberg, Elena Subach, Simona Supino, Adrian Svec, Jacek Szust, Karol Szymkowiak, Hajdu Tamas, Nikita Teryoshin, John Trifonopoulos, Darya Trofimova, Jakub Wysocki, Lukas Vasilikos, Roman Yarovitcyn, Eugene Yefremov, Jegor Zaika, Artem Zhitenev, and Peter Zeglis.

Find out more at http://eastreet.eu/, or http://luciefoundation.org/houseoflucie/.

 “Chandelier of Spirits” will be at Breeze Shelters area.

Inspired by the morning beverage habits of office workers and to symbolise Singapore’s workforce, cold brew coffee bottles were collected to create this installation, which lights up the city after sunset, the same way as they light up our energy during the daytime. “Chandelier of Spirits” not only shines brighter when there are more people around it, but it also sings and creates a harmonious chimes sound when the breeze blows.

“Chandelier of Spirits” by Living Spirits from Thailand is among 22 enthralling light art installations by international artists from 14 countries chosen to showcase their work at the festival.

Organised by the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) of Singapore, the sixth edition of the sustainable light art festival will feature installations created by artists from around the world. Designed with energy-saving lighting, recycled or environmentally-friendly materials, the light art installations reinforce Marina Bay’s position as a sustainable precinct, and serve as reminders to encourage festival goers and the public to adopt eco-aware habits in their everyday lives.

“i Light Marina Bay 2018” runs daily from 7.30pm to 11pm with extended hours to midnight on Fridays and Saturdays, around the Marina Bay waterfront.

Admission is free.

For more information, visit http://www.iLightMarinaBay.sg

The 10th anniversary of this annual competition recognised innovation and excellence in digitally printed work from users of Fuji Xerox solutions across the region.

This year, the “Best in Show” was awarded to Beijing Zhong Xian Tuo Fang Science and Technology Development for its submission of the Art Collections of Beijing Opera Master Mei Lanfang, using the Xerox iGen 150 Press.

“It is a great to see such a stunning reproduction in any format,” said Paul Callaghan, publisher and chairperson of the Asian Print Awards, and head of the 2017 PIXI judging panel. “The entries that we received showcased a high level of complexity in design, production and finishing and must be seen to be believed. Events like this truly help us understand the importance of having the right printing tools to bring a design to life.”

Thai winners in the Cards and Invitations category are Paperista Company and in the Magazine category, Neo Digital Company

The PIXI Awards 2017 attracted 236 entries in 26 categories, with the introduction of two new categories –the 5th Colour Award and the Digital Label and Packaging Award. In line with current digital-printing trends for image quality value-added, the 5th Colour Award evolved from the innovative use of 5th colour toner such as gold and silver. The Digital Label and Packaging Award category was introduced to recognise the remarkable work in this growing segment.

“Our two new categories this year have expanded the opportunities for our partners to showcase their outstanding work in 5th colour application and digital labels and packaging. It is inspiring to see how our latest technologies and services are manipulated to create such innovative offerings, especially for the label and packaging market. This remarkable work fuels our anticipation for continued strong market growth,” said Steve Ford, general manager, production sales and marketing, Fuji Xerox Asia Pacific.“

An independent expert panel of printing industry professionals selected winners of the PIXI Awards 2017, among them print industry veterans, Major Wong Wing Kwong and Alf Carrigan. Evaluation criteria included: print quality, appropriate use of digital technology, degree of innovation, business effectiveness and overall aesthetics. Importance was placed on the balance between quality of the digital prints and delivery of desired results with Fuji Xerox solutions.

Winners will be showcased in the Fuji Xerox Integrated Customer Experience Centre (ICEC) and regional Graphic Communications industry events.

Part of the permanent multimedia exhibition “Yamada Nagamasa (Okya Senabhimuk) and Thaothongkeepma”, the museum features an innovative showcase complemented by historic information about the former Siamese capital and the roles its Japanese residents played.

Tourism Authority of Thailand governor Yuthasak Supasorn explains that the museum is a joint undertaking with the Thai-Japan Association, Japan Chamber of Commerce Bangkok, and 20 other Thai and Japanese organisations designed “to deepen the meaningful relationship between the two countries”.

It “brings history into the 21st century”, he says.

A theatre equipped with the latest Virtual Reality Scope Technology offers a spectacular 360-degree view of historic Ayutthaya when it was one of the most important trading posts in Asia, connecting East and West by facilitating the exchange of culture, politics and diplomacy.

The advanced technology portrays an engaging story through 96-million-pixel-resolution computer graphics that depict the 17th-century trade mission of Yamada Nagamasa that established Japan’s relations with Siam.

Visitors can scan QR codes with their phones or tablets to view amazing images of the Japanese Village as it appears today and as it was 300 years ago. Audio guides also available in Thai, Japanese and English.

A replica market has been set up where visitors can enjoy Ayutthaya cuisine inspired by the recipes of Thao Thong Kip Ma (Marie Guimar), the Japanese-Portuguese cook in the court of King Narai the Great. The dishes on offer include thong yip, thong yot and foi thong.

The oil painting, around two metres long and 4.2 metres wide, was unearthed in the Louvre Museum in Paris in 2016 but the discovery had not been made public until now.

“The painting was recently returned” to the National Museum of Western Art in the Japanese capital, a spokeswoman told AFP.

The painting – entitled “Water Lilies: Reflections of a Willow Tree” – is dated 1916 and depicts bright flowers floating on a lake.

The museum said it was a study painting for his famous series “Water Lilies” but the work is severely damaged with half of it destroyed.

It will be necessary to restore the canvas “with extreme care”, the museum said in a statement.

“But the remaining painting is still very large. It has the potential to show Monet’s wonderful work if handled with the proper care,” it said.

The painting had belonged to Kojiro Matsukata, a businessman who collected Western art between 1916 and 1927 with the proceeds amassed from a shipbuilding fortune.

It is said Matsukata directly purchased the piece from Monet at his atelier in 1921, according to the museum.

His art collections including the painting were moved to Paris for safekeeping during WWII and later requisitioned by the French government at the end of the war as enemy property.

In 1959, the French government returned to Japan the majority of 400 pieces in the Matsukata collection.

“The existence of the painting might have been forgotten given the tremendous damage caused by bad storage conditions during the war,” the Tokyo museum said.

The museum plans to show the painting to the public in June 2019 following restoration work.