In the age of digitalisation, technology is reshaping the cultural landscape with limitless possibilities. As technology progressively expands its roles in the emerging domains of cultural engagement, the 2023 Jiemian Fashion Summit brought together industry experts and influencers to share insights regarding this exciting new era.
Gusto Collective Founder and CEO, Aaron Lau was invited to speak on the thought-provoking panel “Under the new field, how will the new intersection of East and West radiate from Hong Kong to the whole country — Exploring Fashion, Culture, and Business”, along with Ms. Jean Qian, Managing Director of Sotheby’s China, Ms. Janice Wong, renowned publisher and author and moderated by senior journalist of Jiemian, Ms. Shan Huang. Aaron commented on the government’s effort to support local cultural development through various policies, and how Hong Kong’s public art museum spaces convey cultural meaning and brand stories while boosting people’s engagements and shaping Hong Kong’s narrative. Let us revisit some highlights from the Jiemian Fashion Summit.
Hong Kong, especially, has launched several large-scale developments as part of its mission to spotlight its positioning as an international art and cultural district. How do the latest Gusto projects for the likes of Hong Kong Museum of Art, M+, Rosewood Hong Kong, and Phillips Auction House reflect this?
Aaron: Recent world-class exhibitions and the expansion of Sotheby’s and Phillips in Hong Kong are strengthening the city’s position as an Asian art center. As the art world grapples with declining attendance rates, museums in Hong Kong are exploring innovative strategies to engage audiences. Embracing immersive technology and digitization has emerged as a key tactic to maintain visitor numbers.
Working with the Hong Kong Museum of Art, Gusto used AR-activated art accessible through the museum’s app to attract visitors successfully as we draw public awareness and interest into the newly renovated art space. The same approach applied with Phillips Auction House and Rosewood Hong Kong, where we employed metahuman technologies to create AI art collaboratively with the audience, showcasing the growing demand for tech-enhanced cultural experiences in art.
Aaron: We’re seeing a lot of innovation in terms of creative technology coming from the Mainland. In China, the spaces are much bigger than what is available in Hong Kong. Even if we are talking about the large 3D Naked Eye Billboards, Hong Kong has only a handful available whereas China is leading ahead of the game with its anamorphic billboard creations just based on sheer volume. In this sense, China has an edge for executing more large-scale immersive exhibitions, like the latest Arte Museum installation in Chengdu, as well as Teamlabs exhibition in Shanghai.
This trend is partly fueled by China’s selfie and “打卡” culture, where millennials and Gen-Zs avidly document their experiences on social media, including visits to cultural exhibitions and art shows, seeking to showcase high taste alongside their luxury possessions.
Branded exhibits in China are tailored for digital natives who seek immersive and shareable experiences from brands. An example is the Louis Vuitton and Kusama campaign, which used AR to embellish landmarks with Kusama’s polka dots. This approach engaged the public, educated them about the art, and encouraged social media sharing, blending art and accessibility effectively.
I think curators of artistic taste such as Sotheby’s and our cultural museums must embrace digitization and immersive technology to engage the digitally native next-gens. With China’s significant Gen-Z demographic, this approach can effectively boost participation and interest in art.
Aaron: Take the collaboration between MonoC and Philips Auction House as an example. We took over 100,000 data points from the live auction website to power the artwork through several pre-set algorithms. The number of bids, visitors and clicks during the 10-day auction period, all go to the creation of the piece. This is how art and technology can mutually reinforce each other, ultimately increasing participation. Trraditionally, art consumers had limited involvement in the art creation process but only participated during the buying process, but co-creation opportunities can significantly enhance their engagement and interest. With the advent of AI, this further pushes the boundaries of art since the final artistic creation is also unknown to the artist themselves but affected by the data inputs allow the art to arrive in unexpected and novel ways. The art can take on its own organic form and evolve over time as well. Aaron: In a world marked by peace and prosperity, people have accumulated wealth and shifted their focus from ownership to experiences. Art has evolved into a means of personal expression through various cultural forms like clothing, shoes, and artwork. Brands are increasingly targeting the intersection of commerce, art, and pop culture. This new cross-pollination of marketing and art frontier is driven by engagement and participation, responding to the growing demand for meaningful experiences. Aaron: The call is for Hong Kong to reshape its global image by telling a more compelling story internationally. Political issues have boxed Hong Kong into a corner and has necessitated a need to renew our city’s differentiation and the pursuit of excellence in a particular domain. This transformation begins with a focus on art and culture, prominently through museums. Hong Kong, akin to New York, boasts diversity and a resilient spirit, qualities that should be celebrated and harnessed. By embracing this diversity and rediscovering the motivation that propelled Hong Kong from a fishing village to a metropolis, it can return to its roots and excel in what it does best.
