Art Basel to present ‘Twenty-Five Minutes Older’ by Hong Kong artist Kingsley Ng during its Hong Kong show in March 2017

Kingsley Ng’s ‘Twenty-Five Minutes Older’ will turn two of Hong Kong's iconic public trams into moving camera obscuras, creating an altered reality and allowing passengers to experience Hong Kong in a new way – in reverse. Moving images of Hong Kong's city life will be accompanied by spoken extracts from Liu Yichang’s popular novella ‘Tête-bêche’. The project is free to the public and will be presented during the show. Art Basel's Hong Kong show, whose Lead Partner is UBS, takes place at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre from March 23 to March 25, 2017.

Capturing images of Hong Kong's passing street life, the scenes displayed inside the tram will flow alongside texts from Liu Yichang’s famous stream-of-consciousness story. The poetic incantations will blend with street signs and scenery familiar to Hong Kong residents, inviting the audience to re-experience the city in a completely new way.

‘Twenty-Five Minutes Older’ was first presented as part of ‘Human Vibrations: The 5th Large-Scale Public Media Art Exhibition’ celebrating the 20th anniversary of the Arts Development Council in Hong Kong in 2016. Art Basel is delighted to bring ‘Twenty-Five Minutes Older’ back to the city for an extended period and to provide both international visitors and local residents the opportunity to engage with this project by an exciting local artist.

A popular mode of transport since their inauguration in 1904, trams hold a special place in the heart of Hong Kong citizens and are affectionately known as the city’s ‘ding dings’. They are considered a ubiquitous landmark, classified as one of the legendary tramways by National Geographic. More than a century after their maiden voyage, the tram remains a pivotal part of the city's infrastructure, continually transporting visitors and residents alike through the heart of the city.

‘Twenty-Five Minutes Older’ is commissioned by Art Basel and supported by MGM Resorts

Art & Culture. Art Basel is grateful for the support of Osage Art Foundation and Hong Kong Tramways.