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The creative side of Sha Tin
Deep in the heart of an industrial building, Vicky Chung and her friends are deciding where to go. They aren’t lost — just indecisive. “We come here every year because there are so many art studios to see,” says the second-year university student.
Sha Tin isn’t a district that most people would normally associate with Hong Kong’s creative side. But there is plenty to explore just beyond the surface of its concrete industrial blocks and multi-storey housing estates.
Every January, dozens of artists open the doors to their studios in Fo Tan, a neighbourhood in Sha Tin District whose factories have become home to hundreds of artists who paint, sculpt and create thought-provoking installations. Some of the city’s most renowned artists work here, including illustrator Wilson Shieh and painter Chow Chun-fai, along with many young graduates of the nearby Chinese University of Hong Kong art school.
But you don’t need to visit Sha Tin in the winter to take advantage of its cultural offerings. Whatever the season, you’ll find unexpected exhibitions, workshops and galleries hidden in the back streets and scenic hills of this laid-back suburban district.
For more than 10 years, sculptor and oil painter Winnie Siu Davies has run the Joy Art Club in her Fo Tan studio. “It's relaxing. We're enjoying art and having the chance to make it,” she says. Every Saturday, there is a workshop for anyone who wants to try their hand at oil painting, followed by a live nude drawing session.
Fo Tan was developed as an industrial area in the 1970s, but many of its businesses relocated to Mainland China in the 1990s. By the early 2000s, there were enough vacant spaces that rents had become quite affordable, which drew a pioneering group of artists who had studied at Chinese University. Within 10 years, they had been joined by nearly 200 artists.
The appeal wasn’t limited to artists. Leung Kwok-hung began collecting Chinese ceramics in the 1970s. He now runs The Story House of Ancient Chinese Culinary Ware, a Fo Tan studio where visitors can learn about the history of Chinese tea cups and dishware.
Leung is particularly fond of chicken bowls, a quintessential product of the Chaozhou region painted with a cockerel, a banana tree and a peony — all symbols of prosperity and good fortune. "The body is handmade, the pattern is hand-painted with mineral colours and fired in the dragon kiln by burning wood,” he explains. A century’s worth of chicken bowls are on display in the studio.
A short journey away from Fo Tan will take you to some of Sha Tin’s other cultural highlights. One train stop to the north is the Art Museum, CUHK, which focuses on historical art and antiquities from around Asia. If you're interested in jade carvings, calligraphy and historic bronze objects, the museum's four galleries are worth a stop.
There’s another reason to visit the museum, too. Every year, it plays host to works by students from the university’s Department of Fine Arts, whose alumni include Pak Sheung-chuen, known for his focus on the ephemera of daily life, and Lee Kit, whose domestic-themed installations and hand-painted fabrics have won him international acclaim.
One stop south of Fo Tan is Sha Tin’s City Art Square, one of Hong Kong’s largest collections of public art. Some of the highlights include Engagement, a pair of giant wedding rings by American sculptor Dennis Oppenheimer, Night Watch, which fills the bed of a reflecting pool with illuminated animal eyes, and a contemplative ceramic installation by Hong Kong artist Sarah Tse called 'Collecting Flowers — Dress no. 240-252'.
From there, it’s a short walk along the Shing Mun River to the Hong Kong Heritage Museum, which is known for its eclectic programming. The permanent exhibitions cover ancient Chinese art, Cantonese opera objects and a lively exploration of the martial arts world created by legendary author Louis Cha, also known as Jin Yong.
Outside, on a weekend evening as the sun dips beneath the nearby mountains, you might come across a group of local residents ballroom dancing or singing karaoke on the riverfront promenade. It’s typical Sha Tin: culture hidden in plain sight.
The Hong Kong Tourism Board disclaims any liability as to the quality or fitness for purpose of third party products and services; and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy, adequacy or reliability of any information contained herein.
Information in this guide is subject to change without advance notice. Please contact the relevant product or service providers for enquiries.
While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information in this guide, the Hong Kong Tourism Board and LUXE City Guides accept no responsibility for any obsolescence, errors or omissions contained herein.
