Retrochronology

EVENT DESCRIPTION

MBow is delighted to announce the presentation of Retrochronology, a multi-layered exhibition and showcase marking the grand finale and final coda of the two-year project, MetaMaps. Supported by the Arts Capacity Development Funding Scheme of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, this cross-continental project concludes its global journey at Eaton HK from May 26th to May 30th. MetaMaps began as a series of workshops designed to foster collaborative relationships between local and international artists using “multimodal mapping”—a process where data from one performative discipline (such as light, sound, or movement) is measured and translated into another.

Over the past two years, this framework sparked a series of major international showcases. Retrochronology now gathers and reweaves fragments from these global milestones, including manτεία at Freespace in Hong Kong, Ground on Ground at Carriageworks in Australia, and 70AR at the Museo Interactivo da Historia de Lugo in Spain.

By blending past performance elements with intimate backstage memories, the showcase recontextualizes the entire two-year archive into three distinct presentations:

1. Exhibition Retrochronology – Diorama: A daily immersive media and sound installation mapping the cross-continental journey. Notably, the exhibition features the historic Hong
   Kong debut of Spanish sound artist and Ars Electronica winner Xoán-Xil López showcasing his solo work “Sereas” alongside “Colmeas”, a collaborative piece developed for 70AR with Taurin Barrera and Roberto Alonso Trillo. The collective lineup also includes works by Joseph Chan, Lazarus Chan Long Fung, and Fronte Vacuo.
2. Publication Retrochronology – Necromancy. A limited-edition printed magazine serving as a tactile archive of the project. It chronicles the underlying philosophies, structural
   challenges, and artistic memories shared between the hubs of Hong Kong, Australia, and Spain. Available directly on-site during the exhibition.
3. Documentary film Retrochronology – Contra Fantasias. The world premiere of an independent documentary directed by Alberto Gerosa. The film captures the raw unfiltered backstage reality, cross-continental struggles, and creative energy of the MetaMaps project.

Exhibition: Retrochronology – Diorama
Venue: Tomorrow Maybe, 4/F, Eaton HK, 380 Nathan Road, Yau Ma Tei
Date: May 26-30th, 2026
Time: 11:00-21:00 daily

Cinema: Retrochronology – Contra Fantasias
Venue: Kino, 1/F, Eaton HK, 380 Nathan Road, Yau Ma Tei
Date: May 30th, 2026
Time: Premiere at 16:00

This Project is financially supported by the Arts Capacity Development Funding Scheme of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. The content of this programme does not reflect the views of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.

ABOUT THE ARTIST / ORGANISER

MBow was founded by Roberto Alonso Trillo and Peter A C Nelson to explore technological approaches to media art and performance. Nelson has produced exhibitions and new media experiences in Hong Kong since 2015, including interactive computer games for the K11 Art Foundation and Art Mall, VR films for Videotage, and solo projects for HanArt TZ Gallery. Trillo has been working as a sonic artist and performer in Hong Kong since 2019, including projects for Freespace at West Kowloon, the Hong Kong Museum of Arts, the Cultural Centre, or Hong Kong's City Hall. Nelson and Trillo have been producing exhibitions and performances together in Hong Kong since 2020, their major highlight being the 2022 Machine Visions exhibition and performance series with the Osage Art Foundation. As founding directors of MBow, Trillo and Nelson combine their expertise as technology designers and manufacturers with their combined three decades of experience as artists, musicians, and curators to present intellectually and physically immersive experiences that use art and technology to weave stories of our changing times for audiences in Hong Kong and beyond.