Hong Kong Museum of Art

Hong Kong Contemporary Art Biennial Awards 2009

The "Hong Kong Art Biennial Exhibition" was first held in 1975. The aim of this competition is to provide an open platform for the exhibition of excellent works of art by Hong Kong artists. The Biennial carries out its mission by surveying the development of the Hong Kong arts scene every two years and exhibiting the latest works of local visual art to the public. From 1975 to 2005, fifteen Biennial Exhibitions were held. Many award winners from past Biennial Exhibitions have since become accomplished artists playing vital roles in both local and international art scenes.

Over the past ten years, many independently curated international biennial and triennial exhibitions have been presented around the world. With the aim to distinguish the unique nature and mission of the "Hong Kong Art Biennial Exhibition", our event will be named the "Hong Kong Contemporary Art Biennial Awards" (HKCABA) from 2009. In parallel, the Hong Kong Museum of Art launches a new exhibition series titled "Hong Kong Art: Open Dialogue" curated by local and international guest curators from May 2008 to 2010. We hope that the "Open Dialogue" exhibition series with its diversified curatorial concepts will complement the "Biennial Awards" and open up further dialogue within the context of local and international trends.

The "HKCABA" Mission Statement:
The "HKCABA" exhibition carries on the distinctive mission and identity of the "Hong Kong Art Biennial Exhibition". By combining its roots in the local art scene with global artistic pursuits, the "HKCABA" exhibition will serve as an open platform to showcase Hong Kong Art. Its main objectives are to:

‧	encourage local talent in artistic production and to showcase their accomplishments
‧	review the most recent developments in the local art scene as well as to explore the unique creativity of local artists and the cultural identity of Hong Kong as a cosmopolitan city
‧	serve as a major showcase for local artists both locally and internationally in order to keep pace with the globalisation of the arts
‧	present awards to recognize outstanding achievements of local artists

The Hong Kong Museum of Art will develop partnerships with other art establishments to explore the possibility of featuring award winners at international art exhibitions. It will also continue to cultivate partnerships with various local art groups and institutions, universities and public and private art spaces in organizing a variety of fringe initiatives — including exhibitions, education and outreach programmes — to make the "HKCABA" accessible to our entire community.

List of Adjudicators
Preliminary Selection