Fotanian Open Studios/Diesel Party

Friday night I went to a massive art opening in Fo Tan. For the past few years, HK artists have realized the abundance of empty (and cheap) warehouse-space in this old industrial district, and have begun setting up studios here. They now number over 20. I just got to see a few on Friday, but it was enough to make me a fan. The feel of the place is so exciting-- raw walls, industrial elevators, aching neon corridors and then softly lit interior studios, that have been molded into human form. I like it when people take an inhospitable space and turn it liveable. Tailoring the world to human scale. I must say the place itself was more exciting than much of the art, but some pieces were quite fresh, like a chair with cut-out holes in the seat, and a little loft area (accessible by scary, swaying, freestanding staircase) that was a dream-evocation of a diorama interior. For some reason the opening only lasted two hours (not nearly enough time to see all the blocks), but I'm planning to go back soon.



Not nearly as exciting was the party for Diesel clothing I went to afterwards. My journalist friend Robin invited me since he was supposed to cover it for the newspaper, and it sounded appealing for one reason: it was on a helicopter pad. The location was pretty sweet-- the West Kowloon HeliPad right by Victoria Harbor, with an amazing view of the Central skyline (and all the new, gaudily festive Christmas lights adorning the buildings). But the party and fashion show was kind of ridiculous. Highlights included: bright green cocktails that tasted like Strepsils, brownies cut into the shape of stars and served on long wooden toothpicks, drag queens, capoeira dancers, ugly clothes, badly dancing models, space-ship sound effects (?) and thousands of blue balloons set free into the night sky with "wishes" attached to their strings.