French May Arts Festival 2022

EVENT DESCRIPTION

French May Arts Festival 2022 will bring about a broad spectrum of arts under the theme “Art Unboxed”. In contrast to the ongoing limitations caused by the prevailing pandemic, French May Arts Festival, with the major support from The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust alongside other patrons and partners, invites you to unbox your expectations and explore a new dimension of art and culture in Hong Kong.

This year marks the 11th consecutive year of the support from The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust as the Festival’s Major Partner. The Trust continues to support various presentations and the new series French Rendezvous @ Tai Kwun. Echoing French May’s mission to reach out to the entire community, a series of Jockey Club Community Outreach and Arts Education Programmes like masterclasses, talks, and workshops for individual performing art and visual art events will be developed and presented every year for members of the public, in particular the youth, to enjoy the diverse education programmes.

As the bridge to promote French arts in Hong Kong, French May is committed to bringing joy and excitement through a diverse programme of performances across communities and venues, with “Art Unboxed” presenting an array of inspiring collaborations between Hong Kong and French artists. We are also thrilled to host a selection of heritage talks with a focus on cultural interactions between East and West, covering the rebuilding of the famous cathedral Notre-Dame de Paris.

Join us to unbox culture in Cities of Light, by renowned Hong Kong composer Leon Ko, pop diva Gin Lee and jazz vocalist Talie Monin, as well as a tribute concert to Serge Gainsbourg, the world- famous music icon influencing French culture and lifestyle. Unbox boundaries in the week-long Carte Blanche to Christian Rizzo in Freespace, the West Kowloon Cultural District, showcasing a unique collaboration with the French choreographer Christian Rizzo and Hong Kong dance artists, in addition to the online programme of the excellence in contemporary circus with French cirque specialists Barks Company & the Centre National des Arts du Cirque de Chalons-en-Champagne (CNAC).

Alongside French May Arts Festival, French GourMay will unbox the sensations of French gastronomy to celebrate the theme of Rhômantic Bistronomy with Côtes du Rhône as Wine of Honour from 1st to 31st May 2022.

Let’s explore the endless possibilities of arts and culture in Art Unboxed!

Highlighted programmes include:

• Cities of Light: A love affair between France and Hong Kong, an unprecedented Hong Kong- France cultural exchange concert by renowned Hong Kong composer Leon Ko, pop diva Gin Lee and jazz vocalist Talie Monin. The concert will present surprising gems and adaptations of the past, taking audiences on an extraordinary musical journey of Hong Kong and French pop music. The concert is exclusively sponsored by First Initiative Foundation.

• French Rendezvous @ Tai Kwun | French May is delighted to present Excellence in Contemporary Circus online shows; Moon, a series of 2 acts playing with gravity performed by Bastien Dausse from the Académie Fratellini thanks to 2 apparatus that Dausse conceived himself; and The Last Rendez-Vous, a show that will highlight 5 disciplines in a collective acrobatic work include bicycle, aerial rope and trapeze acts. French May are also thrilled to host a selection of heritage talks with a focus on cultural interactions between East and West, covering the rebuilding of the famous cathedral Notre-Dame de Paris with Tai Kwun. The programme is exclusively sponsored by The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust.

• Je t’aime… moi non plus, a tribute concert to Serge Gainsbourg, the world-famous music icon influencing French culture and lifestyle since 1960s till now. Curated by Hong Kong Jazz singer Angelita Li, together with local bands Alan Kwan’s quartet and The Majestic G, the concert aims at breaking the barriers of language, culture and arts. The concert is exclusively sponsored by BNP Paribas.

• Curated in full creative control by renowned choreographer Christian Rizzo, a full week of Carte Blanche to Christian Rizzo in Freespace, the West Kowloon Cultural District, will be packed with installation, dance film screenings, pop-up dance performance by local dance artists, creative dance workshop for families and online talk, dissecting contemporary dance from multiple perspectives.

• THÉÂTRE SANS ANIMAUX, eight seemingly independent sketches are strung together to form a vivid collage depicting the everyday lives of the common French people. The characters in the play are leading ordinary but absurd lives. THÉÂTRE SANS ANIMAUX premiered in France in 2001 and won three awards in the Molière Awards.

• Jockey Club Community Outreach and Arts Education Programmes | French May strives to contribute to the education of younger generations through the outreach and arts education programmes. Online play reading The Breast Man, adapted from the classic surrealist work “The Breasts of Tiresias”, is performed by Hong Kong and French actors; and forms part of the Jockey Club Community Outreach and Arts Education Programmes. Play reading is a process before the performance. Through this different performance style, the audience can learn more about the behind-the-scenes production. The Community Outreach and Arts Education Programmes are exclusively sponsored by The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust.

Gathering renowned French artists and Hong Kong local arts communities such as Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra, Hong Kong Sinfonietta, Jazz World and so on, French May will bring you to live performances ranging from orchestra, flute, cello, viola concert, to vocal firework, jazz show and opera. In addition, French May will unbox the community with various remarkable exhibitions with artists and galleries. Featuring photographer Chun Wai by University Museum and Art Gallery, The University of Hong Kong, renowned Chinese-French artist Zao Wou-ki by Alisan Fine Arts, French May will amaze the city with arts enjoyment and insight across May and June.

“French May is committed to promote Hong Kong-France cultural activities for everyone,” said Mrs. Mignonne Cheng and Ms. Pansy Ho, Co-Chairman of the Board of French May Arts Festival. “As an iconic arts festival intertwining both French and Hong Kong culture through a wide range of carefully curated art events, French May this year encourages art lovers and audiences to unbox art, and to find joy and excitement through arts amid the pandemic.”

“French May is the perfect arts festival for any art lover. Moreover, the backbone of this festival subtly reflects the French lifestyle and heritage. Join me to experience the ‘Art Unboxed’ journey through French May!” said Ms. Karena Lam, French May Arts Festival Ambassador and acclaimed Hong Kong actress.

ABOUT THE ARTIST / ORGANISER

Established in 1993, French May Arts Festival is one of the largest cultural events in Asia. With more than 100 programmes presented across 2 months, we showcase the most diversified art forms: from heritage and contemporary arts, paintings and design, to classical music and hip-hop dance, cinema and circus. It has become an iconic part of Hong Kong’s cultural scene reaching out to 20 million visitors since its inception.