HONG KONG .- Celebrating its 25th anniversary, Asia Art Archive (AAA) presents a programme series titled Archive for All: Growing with Communities, which includes a three-chapter exhibition, the launch of a publication on Hong Kong art history, residencies, educational resources, workshops, and a talk series on archiving. The initiative aims to address the urgencies and methodologies of art archives, promote public awareness of their importance, and foster connections with local, regional, and international archives.
Exhibition: 600 Marks
November 26, 2025–February 28, 2026 (Chapter I)
600 Marks is an interactive artistic intervention by Song Dong that looks back at AAA’s twenty-five-year history as a way to consider future possibilities. From 2011 to 2013, Song Dong developed his first solo exhibition in Hong Kong during his residency at AAA. This November, Song returned to create a series of 600 bookmarks at AAA’s library, inspired by twenty-four solar terms from ancient Chinese culture. Using the bookmarks, members of the public are invited to engage with the Library Collections, transforming 600 Marks into a display that explores the intersections between sociopolitical history, lived experiences, and art history.
Exhibition: At 25
March–June 2026 (Chapter II) and July–October 2026 (Chapter III)
At 25 invites eight leading contemporary artists from across Asia to respond to a seemingly simple question: What were you doing at the age of 25? Drawing on research into their works, archives, and diverse historical contexts, this exhibition recreates specific moments in time and uses them as anchor points in broader narratives of art history.
New Publication: Hong Kong Art (1987–2004): A Curator’s History
In spring 2026, AAA will launch the publication Hong Kong Art (1987–2004): A Curator’s History. This publication is the first illustrated art historical study of Hong Kong focusing on the period from 1987 to 2004. A fascinating insider account by curator, artist, art critic, art educator, and leading cultural figure Oscar Ho Hing Kay, the book will be published by Rizzoli International Publications and is supported by AAA in the areas of research, archival material gathering, and translation.
Residency and public talks on archiving
Through June 2026
In early 2026, AAA will host an international archivist-in-residence to address specific archiving challenges faced by the organisation and the broader field. The archivist-in-residence will also introduce their work to the public in a talk and lead a peer-sharing session with local archivists. In time for International Archives Day in June 2026, AAA will lead three public talks under the theme Memory Keepers, in collaboration with the Hong Kong Archives Society, to enhance public interest in archiving and its relevance to personal and collective memories.
Archiving Handbook and Workshops
Through June 2026
To support artists and independent practitioners in preserving their legacies, AAA consolidates its archiving expertise into the upcoming Archiving Handbook. Introducing fundamental preservation principles, the handbook will be activated through workshops engaging art schools and communities across Hong Kong, Chengdu, Macau, Hangzhou, and Riyadh, and will be made available as a free online resource in summer 2026.
Assembling Art Archives: Workshops for South Asia
Through May 2026
Asia Art Archive in India, in collaboration with Art South Asia Project, hosts Assembling Art Archives: Workshops for South Asia, a closed-door online programme to facilitate discussions on archival practices in the field of visual arts across South Asia. Made possible with support from the Hauser & Wirth Institute, the programme brings together a cohort of twenty archivists and researchers to deliberate on the conventions, methods, and context-specificities involved in working with visual art archives in the region.
Archive for All: Growing with Communities is generously supported by the Hong Kong Arts Development Council, as well as Mimi Brown & Alp Erçil and Wendy Lee & Stephen Li.
