EVENT DESCRIPTION
AIRSIDE is excited to announce the launch of WEIRD SENSATION FEELS GOOD: The World of ASMR in Hong Kong, to be held at AIRSIDE’s GATE33 Gallery between 14 March and 13 July 2025 – launching during the city’s most anticipated art month.
First showcased in Stockholm as a pioneering exhibition organised by ArkDes, Sweden’s National Centre for Architecture and Design, and later presented in collaboration with the Design Museum in London as the UK’s first ever exhibition to explore ASMR, Hong Kong will be first city in Asia to host WEIRD SENSATION FEELS GOOD: The World of ASMR.
Hong Kong’s First Exhibition Exploring ASMR Offers an Immersive Multi-Sensory Experience
Building on the acclaimed touring exhibition curated by James Taylor-Foster, this Hong Kong edition will feature newly commissioned works by Hong Kong-based artists that interpret the global phenomenon for today.
This marks Hong Kong’s first immersive exhibition dedicated to the culture, creativity, and community of ASMR, as well as the first time that AIRSIDE, Nan Fung Group’s flagship commercial development at the city’s former Kai Tak airport, collaborates with an international museum since its opening in late 2023.
The exhibition explores ASMR (Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response) – a physical sensation of deep calm and euphoria, often described as a “tingling” in the body. Across the internet, innumerable and ever-evolving works of ASMR garner billions of views. This cultural movement has grown into a global phenomenon that is, uniquely, rooted in kindness, empathy, and self-care.
Award-Winning Exhibition Environment Creates a Space for Collective Intimacy
Visitors embark on a five-part journey featuring over 40 works by ASMRtists, contemporary artists, and designers. Recognised for its iconic and immersive design, the exhibition was awarded the 2022 Dezeen Exhibition Design of the Year. At the heart of the experience sits the over 100sqm “ASMR Arena”, built from over a kilometre of woven pillow. This interactive installation invites visitors to engage with its softness while exploring a spectrum of audio-visual works of ASMR.
A dedicated room honours the late TV personality Bob Ross, affectionately known as the ‘Godfather of ASMR.’ On display are three original paintings and episodes from world-renowned The Joy of Painting, a prime example of ‘Unintentional ASMR.’
From the relaxing to the unsettling: the London-based Swedish artist Tobias Bradford presents audiences with a fleshy artificial tongue, dripping with synthetic saliva. This theme continues in a section dedicated to ASMR and Design, featuring the Artificial Skin for Mobile Devices by French artist and researcher Marc Teyssier.
Hong Kong-Themed Artworks Explore Global Phenomenon from a Local Perspective
Newly commissioned Hong Kong-themed artworks showcase the city’s unique auditory identity, offering a local perspective on this global phenomenon. Co-curated by Daisy Chu, Curator of Nan Fung Group (AIRSIDE), the installations include an on-site studio by local artists AK Kan and Kin Lam.
Here, visitors are invited to create their own ASMR experiences using everyday Hong Kong objects. The artists recreate scenes inspired by three of Hong Kong’s most ‘sleep-inducing’ forms of transportation, encouraging audiences to embrace the ASMR-like experiences found in the fabric of daily life. Additionally, the exhibition features Hong Kong-specific ASMR soundscapes, selected through an open call for submissions by local sound artists and field recordists.
