HK counsel discover vibrant artwork on guided MTR tour

Association of Corporate Counsel Hong Kong (ACCHK) members were enthusiastically enlightened during a fascinating “art tour” of the city’s Mass Transit Railway (MTR).

The guided tour on 14 July explained artwork showcased at seven MTR stations along the Hong Kong Island line.

Andrew Mead, the MTR’s head of architecture, led the two-hour tour, explaining ideas and anecdotes behind the artworks to in-house counsel from various sectors including finance, consumer and industrials, luxury and regulators.

“The event received rave reviews,” said Kat Kukreja, ACCHK president and legal consultant at Lawyers on Demand.

“A strong theme across the artwork in MTR stations is its emphasis on local community spirit and collaboration in the artwork. As inquisitive lawyers, participants quizzed our host on artwork selection, designs and IP rights.”

The Art in MTR programme (www.artinmtr.com.hk) was launched in 1998, when the Airport Express and Tung Chung Line opened to Hong Kong’s new international airport, incorporating eye-catching works ranging from sculptures to roof hangings and mosaics into design of station architecture.

Since then, the programme has extended to all MTR railway lines, showcasing more than 80 works by established local and renowned international artists from Australia, mainland China, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, South Korea, Taiwan, the UK, US, Morocco and France.

Subways have been transformed into a kaleidoscope of colour at Quarry Bay station, an archival record of development at HKU Station and a community art gallery at North Point station.

“It is these variations that create the rhythms of Art in MTR, reflecting the diversity of our city,” said Mead. “These pieces continue to push artistic boundaries and add to the cultural capital of the city.”