Phoebe Hui debuts newly comissioned installation work "Observer" at Hong Kong Arts Centre.
Dates: 3 - 17 September 2025
Location: G/F Lobby, Hong Kong Arts Centre
Stepping into the exhibition space of Observer, you are not simply viewing art—you become a part of it. Here, every gaze is an indispensable part of the artwork.
This technology-driven artwork begins with the artist’s own face as its foundation. As each visitor participates, their facial image is instantly blended into the piece and is never saved or recorded. Through an “eigenface” algorithm, the facial features of every passerby are continuously merged and layered, ultimately generating a unique and ever-evolving “portrait landscape.” This living image evolves day by day with every encounter, reflecting the connections between viewers and the artwork. This process of blending not only records these moments of meeting, but also blurs the boundaries between individual and creator, converging into a collective identity that belongs to everyone.
Composite faces are then rendered by a robotic arm as a magnificent landscape painting, capturing the fleeting intersections between audience and artist. This painting presents a “portrait landscape” as seen through the eyes of the machine—transcending age, gender, and labels, leaving only pure existence.
Observer invites you to participate and experience how personal identity flows and dissolves within the collective in the digital age. This is a journey that transcends the senses and imagination, encouraging us to reconsider the invisible connections between people through technology.
Learn more --
https://www.hkac.org.hk/en/calendar_detail/?u=_laE9x1OAtM
