Art Agenda

Exhibitions exploring the human body and ancient civilisations start the year with a bang By Zabrina Lo

Exhibitions to see this month

FLOWERS GALLERY

Self

Until February 27

New York-based Chinese artist Shen Wei is famous for making intimate selfportraits. In this solo show, his first in Hong Kong, he presents recent video and photography works that explore identity, memory and sexuality. Among the pieces on show are Self-portrait (Bent), which features his nude body in a bridge pose, and Broken Sleeve, inspired by the myth of “the passion of the cut sleeve”, the tale of the Chinese Emperor Ai of Han cutting off his robe in order not to wake his sleeping lover. flowersgallery.com

TAI KWUN

Way of the Sword: Warrior Traditions in China and Italy Until February 21

Curated by Roberto Gotti, an expert on Italian swordsmanship, and Hing Chao, founder of the Hong Kong Culture Festival and a prominent advocate for Chinese martial arts, this multidimensional exhibition presents more than 50 historic swords and pole arms, as well as 16th-century martial arts manuscripts and books. The show offers a glimpse into Chinese and Italian warrior and sword traditions from the early modern era to the 21st century, when there has been a resurgence of interest in swordsmanship in both countries. taikwun.org

KARIN WEBER GALLERY

Now Showing

Until February 6

This group show featuring 11 local artists celebrates the power of cinema. Each artist has selected one film that is especially meaningful to them and made a work inspired by it. The films reflect the technological advancement and social changes that have taken place during these artists’ lives. Accompanying this exhibition are talks with participating artists and professionals from the local film industry, who will discuss their creative processes. karinwebergallery.com

DE SARTHE

Double Fly Awkward Pay Until January 23 Nine-artist collective Double Fly Art Center makes paintings, performances and sculptures that critique society and, specifically, the art world. A highlight of this show is double love & flied currency, a series of paintings that were formerly one continuous 33-metre-long work. The gallery switches between normal and ultraviolet lights to show bank notes hidden in the work, signifying the mysterious ways in which dealers and collectors value artworks. desarthe.com