HONG KONG.- The two-part exhibition Stay Connected: Art and China Since 2008 presents twenty-first century art that addresses changes in social realities in China and their impacts on the world. Framed through the dual lenses of digital technology and the manufacturing supply chain, the two chapters, Stay Connected: Navigating the Cloud (September 26, 2025, to January 4, 2026) and the forthcoming Stay Connected: Supplying the Globe (February 27 to May 31, 2026), trace a constellation of innovative and alternative artistic practices as well as cultural transformations during this period.
Navigating the Cloud showcases 35 artists and groups active in China and internationally whose innovative and alternative practices reflect the integration of the internet, social media platforms, and digital technologies into all aspects of daily life. More than 50 artworks, including three commissioned works, are presented in eight thematic sections that highlight subjects such as information bubbles, artificial intelligence, communities formed through the internet, and the changing nature of human labour with the use of digital technologies. These sections guide the audience to reflect on how we can overcome boundaries and divisions in order to “stay connected” in a world where the digital and physical realms are already inseparable.
Since the emergence of the internet in the early 1980s, openness has been one of its defining features, enabling users to access a vast array of images, data, and ideas. With the rise of social media and short-form video platforms in recent years, people have gained ever more intimate glimpses into the private lives of others. In this image-dominated “cloud”, the world appeared on the verge of becoming more open to the free exchange of diverse perspectives. Yet this promise has been increasingly hampered by rapidly evolving technologies and the systems designed to govern online spaces.
In response to the specific conditions of the internet, artists have cultivated their own wild, unruly creativity. Digital technologies have not only given rise to new artistic forms but have pushed artists to continually re-examine existing limitations on the physical world. Alongside breakthroughs in artificial intelligence and blockchain technologies, many artists today are exploring ideas of community, solidarity, and mutual support as they seek to reconnect isolated individuals across expansive networks and to explore solutions for society’s many unfolding crises.
Along with 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: Navigating the Cloud
September 26, 2025–January 4, 2026
Curated by Dr. Pi Li, Ying Kwok / Associate curators: Jill Angel Chun, Shuman Wang
Artists: aaajiao, Cao Fei, Chen Chieh-Jen, Chen Zhe, Cheng Xinhao, Ge Yulu, Gong Jian, Guan Xiao, Guo Cheng, Hao Jingban, He Zike, Phoebe Hui, Jiang Zhi, Kong Chun Hei, Vvzela Kook, Lam Pok Yin, Lawrence Lek, Li Hanwei, Li Shuang, Li Yi-Fan, Lin Ke, Liu Xinyi, Lu Yang, Ma Lijiao, Miao Ying, Shao Chun, Sun Yuan & Peng Yu, Wong Kit Yi, Wong Ping, Xijing Men, Yao Qingmei, Ye Funa, Samson Young, Yu Guo, Zhang Yibei, Payne Zhu
JC Contemporary & F Hall Gallery, Tai Kwun
10 Hollywood Road, Central, Hong Kong
Tuesday–Sunday: 11am–7pm
Closed on Mondays, except public holidays—in which case closed the day after.
