Form Follows Failure, The Shophouse
Unlike most ceramicists, Kansai Noguchi (b.1982) doesn’t pursue perfection, because he finds more meaning in the irregular and fractured. The idea took root when he discovered that around 80 per cent of farmed pearls from the Japanese jeweller Tasaki are discarded because they fail to meet the strict standards for roundness. Noguchi began sourcing these pearls and grinding them into powder, mixing them into his ceramic slip, giving his ceramics a slight pearlescent glow. The same ethos applies to his specific ink, which is a mixture of soot from the chimneys of his ceramic kiln and natural gelatin glue derived from wild deer in Japan—an animal that is overpopulated and culled in Japan, where their non-meat parts are largely discarded as waste. To Noguchi, fractures signify experimentation, risk, and a willingness to break established aesthetics. Yet, not every break is meaningful. “I have kept only the pieces that broke in an interesting way,” Noguchi writes. Several works in the exhibition are visibly repaired with gold nails, referencing the traditional Japanese repair technique of kasugai, which binds broken pieces of pottery back together with metal staples or clamps. In another, it is bamboo’s natural tensile strength that binds broken pieces together. In this exhibition, Noguchi showcases an expansion of his practice with lime-glaze chawans and ceramic panels.
When: Until August 9, 2026
Where: 4 Second Ln, Tai Hang
John Ho Exhibition: 100 Corners of Hong Kong, Ztoryhome
Hong Kong-born, Yokohama-based artist, picture book illustrator, and graphic designer John Ho imbues Hong Kong’s cityscape with his dreamy art style. In his version of the city, humans become curious animals, and the city takes on a soft, gentle hue. Committing to the project gave the artist a reason to explore districts and corners he had never ventured. It was also an opportunity to revisit sites of nostalgia—the harbour that saw him through his first heartbreak, the paths strolled with his lover in tow, the places visited with his parents…Rediscover the wonder of exploration and the charm of Hong Kong through Ho’s 100 paintings.
When: August 6- August 23, 2026
Where: 118 Queen’s Road West, Sai Ying Pun
Nature Abstracted, Ben Brown Fine Arts
Nature Abstracted unites eleven artists whose keen attentiveness to the natural world translates into evocative abstract works. Curator Sean Zhang applies Gerhard Richter’s (b. 1932) understanding of nature and abstraction as the premise. “I believe that every detail from nature has a logic that I would also like to see in abstraction,” the artist previously expressed. From the imperceptible nails and fishhooks of Yoan Capote’s (b. 1977) dark seascape to Jennifer Guidi’s (b. 1972) vibrant swirls, and Richter’s chaotic colouration, the exhibition is a deep engagement with the logic of the world around us.
When: Until August 29, 2026
Where: Unit 201, The Factory, 1 Yip Fat Street, Wong Chuk Hang
Agoraphilia, White Cube
Japanese artist Shigeo Otake (b. 1955) combines his deep interest in parasites and Cordyceps with a recent fascination with agoras. ‘Agora’ is the Greek word for ‘gathering place’, which is a public site used for assemblies and markets in ancient Greek city-states. Otake views the exchange of commodities in these spaces as the externalisation of belief structures and value registers. For this exhibition, his first solo exhibition in Hong Kong, Otake presents new works in egg tempera, painting on wooden board, and one fresco transfer. Dating back to the Egyptians, the first medium is made by mixing pigment with water and egg yolk, creating a translucent finish. Throughout Agrophillia, Otake fuses rich art historical techniques and references into his paintings—from Western art-historical techniques, to Balthus’s The Street (1933) in Myco-Market Day (2026), to secular paintings of the Japanese parade, Hyakki Yagyō, in Parade of One Hundred Fungi (2026).
When: Until August 29, 2026
Where: 50 Connaught Rd Central, Central
RUNWAY 51, JPS Gallery
American artist Barminski (b. 1962) returns to JPS Gallery and gives it a radical makeover. Runway 51 is a life-size, immersive cardboard installation that transports visitors to the airport—a site of transit, strict geopolitical boundaries, and heavily regulated borders. Rather than routine checkpoints, the four sections of this cardboard airport reveal an intergalactic edge. Barminski posits that extraterrestrial beings are omnipresent “old friends” who have shaped the course of civilisation, evident in the architectural marvels of the world. Visitors are invited to consider this possibility.
When: Until September 19, 2026
Where: G/F, 88-90 Staunton St, Central
Why the Butterflies, MASSIMODECARLO
For this exhibition title, American artist Nicole Wittenberg (b. 1979) took inspiration from Prince’s Piano & Microphone album—one continuous 34-minute recording of 24-year-old Prince recording in his home studio. It includes snippets of the artist talking to his sound editor, honest moments in between songs, and unreleased tracks. The final track is precisely Why the Butterflies. While the whole album was repeatedly played during her painting of this show, the real resonance lies in the parallel creative process: each painting was made in single sessions, never touched again. As the artist puts it, she captures the “immediate sensation”, putting paint to “the way things look when my eyes are closed.” Using a broom for big and small canvases alike, Wittenberg makes quick, stirring gestures, bringing to life trees blown by the wind, flowers steadying their place and the natural world in its vibrant glory.
When: Until October 7, 2026
Where: Shop 03-205A & 205B & 206, Second Floor, Barrack Block, Tai Kwun, No. 10 Hollywood Road, Central, Hong Kong
At 25 Part II, Asia Art Archive
As Asia Art Archive steps into its 25th year, they celebrate with a special anniversary programme series, Archive for All: Growing with Communities. Building on the guiding question, “What were you doing at 25?”, Part II of the exhibition directs this question to artists Salima Hashmi (b. 1942), Holly Lee (1953–2024), Bahc Yiso (1957–2004), and Raqs Media Collective (formed in 1992). By chronicling early life trajectories, showcasing rare archival materials and commissioning new artworks, this exhibition highlights how artistic practices extend into areas such as education, writing and advocacy.
When: Until October 31, 2026
Where: 11/F, Hollywood Centre, 233 Hollywood Road, Sheung Wan
Editor
Karrie LamCredit
Lead image: @theshophousehongkong via Instagram
