HONG KONG.- Tai Kwun Contemporary is proud to present Stay Connected: Supplying the Globe, the second chapter of the panoramic exhibition Stay Connected: Art and China Since 2008, curated by Dr Pi Li and Ying Kwok. Anchored in the new realities created by China’s unprecedented economic growth in the last four decades, artists re-examine the country’s role as the world’s centre for the production and logistics that sustain modern life. They give insight into the individual stories, family histories, and lesser-seen places impacted by globalization and economic transformation.
Since the first industrial revolution of the late eighteenth century, rapid economic transformations have impacted traditional social structures and the natural environment. In China, the economic reforms beginning in the late 1970s brought more than 800 million people out of poverty. Rapid growth improved lives but also left its mark on local ecologies and the social fabric of communities. Supplying the Globe showcases 40 contemporary artists working across China and internationally in a variety of nontraditional media — from installations to performance and participatory projects, to reflect on how we can overcome boundaries and divisions among dispersed people in order to “stay connected” in the era of rapid economic transformation. More than 70 artworks, including three commissioned works, are presented in four thematic sections that highlight subjects including ecological footprints, depictions of labour (including artistic work), networks of exchange, and the global realignments brought by the transnational flows of people, materials, and ideas.
Focusing on locally rooted and often untold stories, Supplying the Globe begins with a survey of the legacies of economic development on the natural and built environments before the national and global shifts toward more sustainable, twenty-first century green economies. It then portrays the stories of individual labourers from industries and regions across the country, who reveal their personal narratives, networks of friendship, and family histories. Throughout, these diverse perspectives on China and its diaspora map how people’s lives are intertwined with the transnational movement of goods, material, and cultures.
The multiyear research and exhibition project Stay Connected: Art and China Since 2008 began with chapter one, Stay Connected: Navigating the Cloud (Sep 26, 2025 - Jan 4, 2026), which was framed through the lens of digital technology. Throughout the two interconnected chapters, Stay Connected: Art and China Since 2008 encompasses curatorial talks and the launch of a companion publication in early 2026, produced in collaboration with Asia Art Archive (Hong Kong). Learning and engagement programs include Teachers’ Morning and Teachers’ Workshop sessions and Family Day at Tai Kwun Contemporary, which explore the narratives behind many artists’ works. The Guided Tour: Who’s Next? series provides invited guests to lead tours delving into the exhibitions’ key themes in greater detail. The Hi! & Seek Corner, an open space on the 2nd floor, will be open as usual for visitor dialogue, exploration, and interactive experiences related to the exhibition.
Stay Connected: Supplying the Globe
February 28, 2026–May 31, 2026
Curated by Dr. Pi Li, Ying Kwok / Associate curators: Jill Angel Chun, Shuman Wang
Participating artists: Xyza Cruz Bacani, Chen Ronghui, Chen Ruofan, Chen Wei, Chen Xiaoyi, Gordon Cheung, Luke Ching Chin Wai, Chow Chun Fai, Chu Yun, Mark Chung, Cui Jie, Dong Jinling, Foreign Investment, Han Qian, Joyce Ho, Ho Rui An, Hu Qingtai, Hu Yinping, Kwan Sheung Chi, Jaffa Lam, Lap-See Lam, Law Yuk Mui, Ocean Leung, Li Binyuan, Li Jinghu, Li Liao, Li Ming, Li Nu, Li Ran, Li Shuang, Li Yifan, Liao Guohe, Liu Sheng, Long Pan, Andrew Luk, Ma Qiusha, Musquiqui Chihying, Shi Qing, Sim Chi Yin, Samuel Swope, Tong Wenmin, Yang Guangnan, Zhang Ruyi, Zheng Yuan
