In the Mood for Art

A rare foray into the art world of Hong Kong since the city’s return to China, exploring the aftermath of an extended lockdown and a failed revolution, under the strictures of a rigorous security law. This documentary delves into the opening of the M+ Museum, designed by Swiss architects Herzog & de Meuron and enriched by the donation of Chinese contemporary art pieces from Swiss collector Uli Sigg. It examines the museum’s and the art scene’s contributions to the debate on Hong Kong’s future, unveiling a new generation of artists and offering an unprecedented perspective on this Asian metropolis in search of its identity.

About M+

The M+ building in the West Kowloon Cultural District is one of the largest museums of modern and contemporary visual culture in the world. Located at the southernmost edge of Kowloon overlooking Victoria Harbour, it is among Hong Kong’s most iconic landmarks, both monumental in its architectural form and radically open in its position in the urban landscape.
Designed by Herzog & de Meuron in partnership with TFP Farrells and Arup, the building is composed of a podium and a slender tower that fuse into the shape of an upside-down ​‘T’. The expansive podium cantilevers above ground and includes 17,000 square metres of exhibition space across thirty-three galleries, three cinema houses, the Mediatheque, Learning Hub, and Roof Garden that faces Victoria Harbour. The tower houses the museum’s Research Centre, offices, restaurants, and the M+ Lounge on level 11. The M+ Facade, facing the harbour, is embedded with LEDs for screening moving image works, which can be seen from the West Kowloon waterfront promenade and Hong Kong Island. Visitors can enter the museum from various points on the ground and lower floors, creating a highly accessible space that offers a continuity between indoor and outdoor areas.