Design Trust Gala 2023 | The Art of Presence, Hong Kong

3. 4. 2023

First time placed at the start of Hong Kong Art Week, Design Trust Gala 2023 “The Art of Presence, Hong Kong” was successfully held on March 18th 2023 with over 360 guests from all over the world and Hong Kong. Design Trust would like to extend our sincere gratitude to our community: Creative Collaborators, Board Members, Benefit Committee Members, Table Patrons, Trustees, Sponsors, long-term dedicated Partners and Auction Lot Donors and for their generous patronage and moderators to champion our creative resilience and shape our culturally rich future together. We are so empowered by all of your contributions and supporting our growth.

 

“The Art of Presence, Hong Kong” curated by internationally famed designer and lead designer of Regent Hotel and also Design Trust Futures Studio 2022 master mentor, Chi Wing Lo, and Marisa Yiu, Co-Founder, Lead Curator and Executive Director of Design Trust, celebrated the alluring power of both presence and absence as a philosophical gesture, artistic and material manifestation of humanity, and optimism that restores community connection and collaboration. The poignant curatorial theme was brought to life at the event through scenographic design,  site-specific performances and installations by a host of creative collaborators including local creatives Xiaolin, Stephanie Teng and Henry Chu, and Design Trust designer-mentees and grantees including Batten & Kamp, Niko Leung, Xavier Tsang, Adelaide Tam and Zheng Zhou.

 

Design Trust was honoured to present Design Trust Legacy Award 2023 to Dr. Victor Lo for his longstanding championing of the creative industries and his critical role in shaping the cultural landscape of Hong Kong. Mr. Chi-Wing Lo was presented the Design Trust Heritage Innovator Award 2023 for his pursuit of timelessness. The inaugural Design Trust Arts Prize was awarded to Ms. Cao Fei for her contemporary artistry.

 

With both Live Auction and Silent Auction, the charity event featured an extensive collection of 46 art, design, and experience lots, each donated by patrons, including blue-chip galleries, collectors, and luxury lifestyle purveyors. This year’s auction included works by Tsang Tsou-choi, William Lim, anothermountainman (Stanley Wong), Zaha Hadid, Jaffa Lam with Axel Vervoordt, Danh Vo with White Cube Gallery, Brian Rochefort with MASSIMODECARLO as well as many other leading artists from Hong Kong and abroad, with Phillips Auction House as auctioneer.

 

“My excitement of being able to host and realize this year’s gala is beyond words and humbling to see so many collaborators come to support us,” says Marisa Yiu, Co-Founder and Executive Director of Design Trust. “It has been a very challenging years and months for so many people and organisations, and I would like to thank everyone’s support from the bottom of my heart to make this year’s gala possible. We believe in design and the positive impact it brings to our daily life. This year’s theme ‘the ART OF PRESENCE’ is a collective testament to our community to gather and support the ongoing inspirational research, projects and ongoing granting projects to connect various generations, and which impact our city with optimism, energy and vibrancy of shaping our cultural community.”

 

All fundraising proceeds go towards ongoing design research, community projects and cross-cultural programmes, such as DESIGN TRUST FUTURES STUDIO micro-parks programme that is ongoing with key projects recently opened in the neighbourhoods in Hong Kong; future partnership programmes in Greater Bay Area, education, design development projects, and grants for the DESIGN TRUST, focusing on the community, sustainability and Hong Kong’s forefront role in design and creativity. Please continue to support Design Trust.

A special Design Trust Pledge event video was created involving the Board and Leadership team members and various creative collaborators

 

For further information, please visit: https://designtrust.hk

#DesignTrust2023

#DESIGNTRUSTAUCTION2023

#theArtofPresenceHK

@designtrust

 

The Design Trust Gala 2023 Benefit Committee

Co-Chairs: Yama Gaw, Marisa Yiu, Kamsen Lau and Jonathan Cheung.

Alan Lo, Denise Lau, Ivan Pun, Desiree Au, Elizabeth Chu, Lars Nittve, Alfred Lam, Aric Chen, Krizia Li, Alia Al-Senussi and Leslie Tsang.

 

The Design Trust Gala 2023 Organiser and Sponsors

Lead Organiser: Design Trust

Venue & Hotel Partner: the REGENT

Special thanks to Mr. Goodwin Gaw and Mrs. Yama Gaw

Gold Sponsor:  Sino Group and Ng Teng Fong Charity Foundation

Curators: Chi Wing Lo and Marisa Yiu

Creative collaborations with Henry Chu, Batten & Kamp, Xiaolin & Stephanie Teng, Adelaide Tam, Niko Leung & Xavier Tsang and Zheng Zhou.

With local crafts artisans Fanson Lam, Nathan Wong & Hazel Lee.

Auction Partner: Phillips

Champagne & Wine Partner:  Ruinart and Minuty

Gala Production Partner: The Ad Region

Media Partner: Tatler Hong Kong

Vogue Hong Kong

Media Relations & Communications Partner : Rubison

Trophy Design Partner: AE Folio

 

Table Patrons

Creative Anchor Table Hosts: Yama Gaw, Victor Lo, Kamsen Lau, Jonathan Cheung, Alan Lo & Joyce Tam, Bosco Law, COLOURLIVING, Kwai Fung Hin Art Gallery, VOGUE HK.

Brilliantly Centered Table Hosts: Victor Lo, Kamsen Lau, Jonathan Cheung, Ivan Pun, Krizia Li, Elizabeth Chu, David Zwirner Gallery, Emelda Wong & Sheldon Trainor, Kenetic Capital, Ming Foundation, Yvette Yung.

Brilliantly Centered Table Co-Hosts: Leslie Tsang & Alfred Lam, Joanne Chow & Vanessa Cheung, Lawrence Chu & Jackson Law, Stefan Rihs & Shane Akeroyd, Michelle Ying Ying Hsieh.

 

Art, Design & Lifestyle Lots Donors

Chi Wing Lo, Batten & Kamp and Novalis Art Design, Henry Chu, Adam Hudec, A'Driane Nieves and Galerie Marguo, Afa Annfa and JPS Gallery, Alan Chan, Alfred Lam, anothermountainman, b.wing and JPS Gallery, Bob Pang and Kevin Mak, Brian Rochefort and MASSIMODECARLO, Caroline Walker and Stephen Friedman Gallery, Charles Lai, Charlie Roberts and WOAW Gallery, Cynthia Sah, Danh Vo and White Cube, Daphné MANDEL, DRIFT, Elaine Chiu and JPS Gallery, Elizabeth Chu, Erwin Wurm and LITO, Freeman Lau and DBA Audio, He Xiangyu and LITO, Jaffa Lam and Axel Vervoordt, Ji Xin and Hive, Jia Group, Joyce Wang Studio and Black Sheep Restaurants, Julie & Jesse, Lalique Asia and Zaha Hadid Design, Lau Hiu Ting and Flowers Gallery, Laura Cheung, Laws Knitters, Lucie Chang Fine Arts and King of Kowloon Culture & Art Foundation, Phyllida Barlow and Hauser & Wirth, Regent Hong Kong, Rocco Yim, Sabine Marcelis, Su Chang, Tai Ping, Upper House, Walter Koditek and Blue Lotus Gallery, Wang Jiajia and De Sarthe, Wang Yuyang and LITO, William Lim, Wilson Shieh and JPS Gallery, YOUNG-HAE CHANG HEAVY INDUSTRIES and Tobias Berger, Zhu Jinshi and Tang Contemporary, ZS Hospitality Group.

 

Design Trust

Co-Founder and Executive Director

Marisa Yiu

Board of Directors

Kamsen Lau (Chairman), Elizabeth Chu, Denise Lau, Gabriela Kennedy, Ivan Pun, Jonathan Cheung

Individual Trustees

Victor Lo, Yama Gaw, Alan Lo, Daryl Ng, Joyce Tam, Joanne Chow, Yvette Ho, Vanessa Cheung, Angelina Kwan, Desiree Au, Ariel Shartkman, Bosco Law, Justin Ng, Jo Soo Tang, Stephanie Lo, Charmaine Ho, Kristine Li.

Corporate Trustees

Chinachem Group

Chuang’s Consortium International Limited

 

International Advisory Council

Eva Franch, Beatrice Leanza, Liu Xiaodu, Rodman Primack, Thomas Heatherwick, Lyndon Neri, Lars Nittve, Zoë Ryan, Tom Dixon, David Gianotten, Giovanni Alessi Anghini, Liza Chong.

Greater Bay Area Design Council

Arnault Castel, William To, Eric Schuldenfrei, Aric Chen, Stephanie Poon, Winnie So, Ole Bouman, Tat Lam, Cole Roskam, Suzy Annetta, Keith Tam, Kate Jones, Marc Cansier, Clara Brito, Rong Zhao, Human Wu, Keith Lam, Helen So, James JJ Acuña, Manfred Yuen, Yoko Choy.

 

About Design Trust (https://designtrust.hk)

Design Trust was established in 2014 by Hong Kong Ambassadors of Design, a registered charity in Hong Kong since 2007, as a grant funding and community platform. Design Trust supports creative projects that develop expertise, build research initiatives and content related to Hong Kong and the Greater Bay Area. Working across a multiplicity of design disciplines from graphics, media, architecture to the built environment, Design Trust aims to actively accelerate creative research, design and development of meaningful projects that advocate for the positive role of design.

 

About Design Trust Futures Studio (https://designtrust.hk/DTFS/)

Design Trust Futures Studio (DTFS) is a long-term flagship programme that makes visible the processes and positive role of design in the culture of contemporary design and production. The programme stems from a project-studio concept that promotes life-long collaborations through a mentor-mentee programme. DTFS is a cross-disciplinary initiative created and conceptualised by Marisa Yiu, Co-founder and Executive Director of Design Trust. Experts from different fields will contribute to the mentor-mentee teams in the exploration of materials, production, and put forth the positive value of design of public spaces in Hong Kong, the Greater Bay Area and internationally. In 2017 we examined the theme of smallness in Hong Kong and how it can be harnessed to create meaningful change with the theme “Small is Meaningful”. The 2018 edition continued this momentum with a new theme “Play is for The People” in designing and creating new micro-park designs for Hong Kong. In 2019, the theme and concept is focused on “Heritage is Innovation”, exploring the difficult yet animated definitions of Hong Kong identity, what it means to be a tourist or touring, shaping conversations on "Conservation", and finding new ways to open up heritage sites to build new narratives of the role and place of heritage – not as a static subject but a dynamic living and inspiring process. In collaboration and partnership with Project Twelve and Hong Kong Palace Museum, the 2022 edition “Heritage is Creative Generation” was an accelerated version of DTFS, looking into how the act of collaboration and experimentation can creatively passed on to future generations, to generate and inform new material techniques whilst respecting tradition.