‘In today’s fast-paced world, especially in Hong Kong, we are inundated with information from the internet,’ says Philip Tinari, the deputy director and head of art at Tai Kwun Arts. ‘In the hustle and bustle, we can forget to feel, communicate, and connect with our bodies, [which can] guide how we respond to and interact with the world.’

For this reason, Tinari and his team have selected ‘embodied knowledge’ as the focus of Tai Kwun Contemporary’s Artists Night 2026, an annual event being held in collaboration with Art Basel Hong Kong for the third time. ‘We have deliberately chosen this theme to examine how our physical bodies serve as vessels of experience and mediums of communication and expression,’ Tinari explains. 

Aiming to nurture regional talent from multidisciplinary backgrounds, the Artists’ Night program will feature performances, music, and installations by five artists. Hailing from Australia, South Korea, the Philippines, Vietnam, the Tibetan Plateau, and Hong Kong, each brings a distinct perspective, yet all converge around the same central theme.

One of the headliners, Sydney-based artist and storyteller Justin Talplacido Shoulder, will draw on queer and ancestral myths to inform their solo performance delving into the complexities of human existence. According to Tinari, Shoulder’s work ‘cultivates an intimate dialogue that interlinks identity and the environment.’

Fellow headliner, the Seoul-based cross-media artist Geumhyung Jeong, is approaching the theme of embodied knowledge through a conceptual lens. Her performance Fire Drill Scenario is a choreographic reimagining of safety instructions that explores the inherent risks for audiences and artists alike during live performance. When Tinari first saw the work, he was struck by how Jeong ‘transformed a routine safety briefing into an exploration of the exhilarating unpredictability of performance.’

It has been performed elsewhere, but in this edition, Fire Drill Scenario responds directly to Tai Kwun’s architecture. While much of the institution is housed in a former 19th-century prison and police station, this performance will take place in JC Cube, a modern space designed by Swiss architects Herzog & de Meuron and added to the complex in 2018. Jeong ‘will walk the audience through JC Cube’s floor plan, showcasing fire safety equipment and evacuation tips,’ says Tinari. ‘The presentation oscillates between professional seriousness and wicked humor, referencing our fire drill protocols at Tai Kwun.’

Jeong’s not the only one taking a site-specific approach. Philippines-born, Vietnamese-American sound artist Lydo will set up a sonic installation in Tai Kwun’s historic air raid shelter, which will be opened to the public for the first time. ‘As a non-binary trans artist, Lydo’s work not only serves as a sonic exploration but also as a space of care for queer, trans, and nonbinary people of color,’ says Tinari. He first encountered the artist’s music at a rave in Manila: ‘It felt not just like a dance party, but a communal safe space.’ Similarly, at Tai Kwun, Lydo will aim to cultivate an environment of safety, introspection, and transformation along the subterranean tunnel, with the installation functioning as a kind of secondary body.

The selection of artists for Artists’ Night mirrors Tai Kwun’s broader programming, which Tinari says aspires to ‘transcend geographical and cultural boundaries, transforming our historic site into an epicenter of artistic dialogue.’ This is reflected throughout the Tai Kwun Art Week program, a seven-day celebration of which Artists’ Night is just one part. ‘Tai Kwun Art Week offers audiences an opportunity to experience our diverse offerings, from JC Contemporary to live art programming during Artists’ Night and Art After Hours,’ says Tinari.

Tai Kwun Art Week will intersect with the organization’s SPOTLIGHT festival, dedicated to the performing arts. All of Tai Kwun’s galleries will present special exhibitions during Hong Kong’s Art Month, and many of its dining destinations will have special happy-hour offers throughout the week. ‘[We want to make] Tai Kwun a destination for both local audiences who follow the cultural scene and international guests visiting Hong Kong,’ says Tinari. ‘Our collaboration with Art Basel Hong Kong strengthens this momentum, adding an international dimension that elevates the discourse within our arts community.’