Living in a metropolis like Hong Kong we sometimes resent and sometimes enjoy the unrelenting pace and energy of people and events around us. The buzz, the noise, the speed, are integral parts of our daily lives. We tend to see stillness and intensity of life as opposites. But for artist and choreographer Maria Hassabi, the idea of the “paradox of stillness” is at the centre of her practice.

The group exhibition, “Human Silk” in Kwai Fung Salone features three artists from Italy: Paola Angelini, Thomas Braida and Nebojša Despotović. The exhibition title refers to Marco Polo’s voyage along the Silk Road and the long tradition of cultural exchange ever since. And Marco Polo isn’t the only connection with Venice. Not only did all three artists study there, it’s also the home base for the two guest curators Aurora Fonda and Sandro Pignotti.

For her concert later this month in Tai Kwun’s Prison Yard Festival, pianist Shelley Ng is splitting the programme into two parts. The first half takes its inspiration from November’s full moon, the last before the Winter Solstice. The second half is more related to earthly matters.
But what does that mean in terms of classical music?