A giant goldfish perched on a Rolls-Royce immediately captivates guests at The Peninsula Hong Kong, China marking this year's edition of Art in Resonance, an annual programme that invites artists to create site-specific works in luxury hotel spaces.
From the start of Hong Kong Art Week through early May, works by Angel Hui, Albert Yonathan Setyawan, and William Lim transform familiar hotel spaces into immersive artistic experiences.
Angel Hui's Swimming in Light draws inspiration from the city's iconic goldfish sold in transparent plastic bags. Collaborating with skilled artisans, Hui embroidered goldfish imagery onto plastic bags, while the installation also extends across glass façades and the hotel's historic awning. The bright colors of the fish contrast strikingly with the hotel's understated exterior, creating a playful yet contemplative visual spectacle.
Ceramics Reimagine Interior Space
Inside the hotel lobby, Albert Yonathan Setyawan's Metamorphic Modulation fills a semi-enclosed circular structure with 700 small ceramic elements—leaves and flowers, each individually slip-cast and left unglazed. Curated by Louis Copplestone of the Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A), the installation immerses visitors in intricate patterns that encourage reflection.
Setyawan emphasizes that “repetition and balance creates a sense of order in our life,” noting how the rhythm of crafting each element in his compact Tokyo studio translates into the final work. By assembling countless small components, the artist blurs the boundary between craft and monumental art, inviting visitors to experience a “space within the space.” This installation is part of an ongoing collaboration with the V&A and is slated to travel to London later, where it will adapt to a new architectural context.
Textile Art Meets Architecture
The third commission, Walking on a Bright Future, comes from Hong Kong architect, artist, and collector William Lim. Installed at The Verandah Café, the piece combines textile and spatial design, transforming one of Lim's paintings into a hand-tufted wall tapestry produced with artisans from Tai Ping Carpets. Extending onto the floor with checkerboard distortions in the carpet, the installation invites visitors to physically move through the work, connecting architecture, design, and image-making into one cohesive experience.
A Fusion of Surprise and Scale
Together, the three commissions disrupt familiar hotel spaces, turning everyday environments into interactive moments of wonder. Art in Resonance demonstrates how luxury venues can support large-scale, site-specific artistic development while engaging audiences in unexpected ways. Each work challenges the boundaries of scale, medium, and perception, leaving visitors with a lasting impression of creativity in motion.
This initiative underscores the power of art to transform ordinary environments into immersive experiences, reminding us that even familiar spaces can surprise when artists dare to reimagine them.
