Sun Museum has formally established Hong Kong Paintings in Sai Yuen Lane as a permanent biennial and its signature flagship event, building on the strong reception of its inaugural edition in 2024.
Open calls for the second edition launched in January 2026 drew over 700 submissions from local artists in three months, up by around 100 entries from the first edition. A total of 93 artists with 118 paintings were ultimately selected, underscoring the vibrancy of Hong Kong's local art ecosystem.
"The programme prioritises local art and newly created works, and encourages artists to keep innovating," said Dr. Lau Fung-ha, director of Sun Museum. "Sai Yuen Lane is evolving into an art landmark. This platform answers the needs of local creators and affirms our commitment to nurturing homegrown art."
Lau added that painting remains a vital medium. Though no theme was mandated, artists have gravitated toward everyday Hong Kong — from double-decker buses, neon signs and trams to old tenement buildings. Selected creators range in age from 22 to 88, spanning students, working professionals and retirees who took up painting as a quiet form of self-expression.
Staged in two themed phases to give visitors a fuller viewing experience:
• Phase I (26 June – 20 August 2026) centres on cityscapes and figurative works, capturing Hong Kong's streetscapes and daily life.
• Phase II (29 August – 18 October 2026) presents landscapes, flora and fauna, and abstract pieces, extending perspectives from nature to subconscious imagery and colour deconstruction.
Run as an open, inclusive community salon, the biennial accepts entries from Hong Kong permanent residents aged 21 or above, judged solely on work quality and creative concept, regardless of seniority. All exhibited works are originals created in 2024 or later and never before shown publicly in Hong Kong, spanning ink, oil, acrylic, mineral pigment, pastel, and printmaking.
A number of participating artists shared the stories behind their works.
Lo Pui-ki, who paints wet market scenery, uses still market scenes to reflect on the operational transformation of the real economy. "Many public markets have vacancies. I wanted to capture the quiet pause of a meat stall vendor waiting for customers — those unspoken moments of city life," she said.
Wong Tsz-yuet, a cultural architect, explores the glow of a switched-off television screen in ordinary Hong Kong homes. "TV screens shape so much of urban life. Architecture works with clear space, material, and scent, but painting speaks in softer, more ambiguous terms. It blends light and blur, and lets the viewer meet the work personally," Wong noted.
Other highlights include a realistic watercolour by artist Fu Man-yat themed around collective strength and shared purpose; a father-daughter duo's intimate portrait study of the parents; and an architect contributor bringing a distinct spatial sensibility to his pictorial practice.
The second edition of Hong Kong Paintings in Sai Yuen Lane opens on 26 June at Sun Museum, with the biennial format now set to become a regular highlight of Hong Kong's art calendar.
(Reporter: Liu Yu)
Related News:
Stray Kids confirm HK concert at Kai Tak Sports Park this December
Jason Mraz to return to HK for first concert in seven years, ticket sales begin June 23
Comment