Category: 2022
Art Basel, Treasure or Trash
After a two-year absence, courtesy of covid Art Basel returns as a physical event… Although with travel quarantine measures still in place many of the regular Art Basel participants are not here.
If we’re being honest – among art aficionados, the amount of hot air often overpowers the strongest aircon – this year’s Art Basel was simply boring.
While art is very subjective and personal and what you like I may not. Art Basel usually has a fair number of pieces that even if you don’t like them they get you thinking or stimulate discussion. This year it was a bit like walking through Ikea it was all so bland, safe and derivative. Not to mention that most participating artists were of the idea that big, bigger and biggest will be ‘more better’ (and profitable).
Here are a few pieces that were less ordinary than the rest, more can be found here:
https://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2022/20220526-Art-Basel/i-wnPCBkm
https://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2022/20220526-Art-Basel/i-r5RN4cF
https://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2022/20220526-Art-Basel/i-mh9PWSW
https://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2022/20220526-Art-Basel/i-Q4K6J29
https://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2022/20220526-Art-Basel/i-JzdkgxJ
David Bowie – Imagine, Live in Hong Kong 1983
The final concert of David Bowie‘s Serious Moonlight Tour was in Hong Kong at the HK Coliseum on 8 December 1983. It was also, sadly, the third anniversary of John Lennon’s murder and after performing Fame Bowie and spoke to the audience about Lennon.
“I co-wrote that song with John Lennon.And I asked him one day ‘How do you write your songs’, and he said ‘lt’s easy, you just say what you mean, and you put a back-beat to it’.
I said ‘What do you think of my kind of rock & roll’. He said ‘It’s great, but it’s just rock & roll with lipstick on’”.
Bowie pauses for a moment, as the audience cry out, “Last time I saw John Lennon was in Hong Kong, we went to a Hong Kong market and there was a stall that sold old clothes, and there was a Beatles jacket on the stall, and I did something that is not usually in my character – I asked him to put it on so that I could take a photograph, I took a photograph, and I’ve still got the photograph. The jacket doesn’t fit properly, it looks like John had outgrown it”.
Bowie then performs a beautiful version of Imagine in honour of his late friend. An upgraded 4K version of this iconic performance has been uploaded to Youtube – enjoy.
There’s also an audio bootleg of the whole concert.
image: screenshot
Ghost Bikes Memorial
James Ockenden’s “ghost bikes” project remembers the nine cyclists who lost their lives on Hong Kong’s roads last year. White painted bikes with white silk flowers and a memorial card with details of the person who died were placed at each of the fatal accident spots.
Ockenden, who organised the ghost bike memorial after the annual Ride of Silence 2022 was made a virtual event, said of the people who died – I think it is important to remember that these accident victims were not racing, but just getting around in an easy and environmental-friendly way, and we should be supporting that as a community.
The Ride of Silence is an annual international bicycle ride that pays tribute those killed or injured when cycling on public roads. The ride had been held in Hong Kong on the third Wednesday of May for the last 16 years.
After the 2021 memorial ride organised by the Hong Kong Cycling Alliance, the police accused riders of violating Covid-19 social distancing rules and ticketed everyone.
The Ride of Silence 2022 livestream https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9NBihAt2Pao
Ride of Silence 2022
Date: 7pm, 18 May, 2022
Venue: Hong Kong
Tickets: Free
images: hkghostbikes
Press Freedom Plunges….
Hong Kong’s ‘press freedom’ has plunged 68 places to 148th (out of 180) since the implementation of the National Security Law as government critics are jailed and publications silenced.
The 20th World Press Freedom Index published by Reporters Without Borders (RSF) reveals a large increase in polarisation amplified by information chaos – that is, media polarisation fuelling and feeding divisions within and between countries.
The spread of ‘opinion media’ and disinformation are amplified by the way social media functions and are creating extreme polarisation of views with an unrepresented and unlistened to middle ground.
“At the international level, democracies are being weakened by the asymmetry between open societies and despotic regimes that control their media and online platforms while waging propaganda wars against democracies.”
Reporters Without Borders defines press freedom as “the effective possibility for journalists, as individuals and as groups, to select, produce and disseminate news and information in the public interest, independently from political, economic, legal and social interference, and without threats to their physical and mental safety.”
In order to reflect press freedom’s complexity, five indicators are used to compile the Index: the political context, legal framework, economic context, sociocultural context, and security.
image: The Korea Herald
World Rugby Announces Upcoming Locations of Rugby World Cups
At its Annual Meeting in Dublin, World Rugby confirmed the locations for the next three women’s and two men’s Rugby World Cups:
- England to host Rugby World Cup 2025 (women’s)
- Australia to host Rugby World Cup 2027 (men’s) and 2029 (women’s)
- USA to host Rugby World Cup 2031 (men’s) and 2033 (women’s)
World Rugby also confirmed a new partnership approach towards hosting the Rugby World Cup that looks to as they put it “stimulate the dynamic development of rugby globally and increase investment in the women’s game”. It was also confirmed that the 2025 Women’s World Cup will expand to 16 teams.
After the announcement, World Rugby Chairman Sir Bill Beaumont said: “Today, we have approved three exceptional Rugby World Cup host nations – England, Australia and USA – providing unprecedented certainty and an unparalleled opportunity to accelerate the growth and impact of rugby globally. It is great for rugby, for fans and for the host nations.”
“Today is a landmark moment for the sport and exciting development for fans. I would like to congratulate everyone involved in making this dream a reality as we look to deliver a truly global sport for all.”
“We are thrilled to be hosting Rugby World Cup 2025, it is going to be incredible,” said RFU Chief Operating Officer, Chief Finance Officer and former England captain Sue Day. “As we have seen from other home World Cups in cricket, hockey and netball, a Rugby World Cup will further advance all women’s sport.”
Rugby Australia Chairman Hamish McLennan said: “This is a historic day for rugby in Australia. We’re beyond thrilled to be welcoming not one, but two Rugby World Cups to our shores. It’s a game-changer for rugby in this country, a once-in-a-generation opportunity to revitalise and secure the future of the sport here and see the game we all love grow and thrive for years to come.”
“I speak for the rugby community and fans across the United States when I express our sincere gratitude to World Rugby for their trust and endorsement of our vision to grow this incredible sport exponentially across our country.” added USA Rugby Chief Executive Ross Young. “USA Rugby will now venture into a new era and ensure the sport’s most treasured event is a springboard for creating lasting, sustainable enthusiasm and passion for rugby from coast to coast.”
The postponed women’s Rugby World Cup 2021 will take place in New Zealand later this year with the final held at the iconic Eden Park in Auckland on xx November 2022.
If readers are interested in news and ticket information about future Rugby World Cups the sign up here www.rugbyworldcup.com/newsletter.
additional reporting, images: World Rugby
Hangzhou Asian Games Postponed to 2023
The 19th Asian Games, due to be held in Hangzhou in September, have been postponed to 2023 due to rising COVID-19 cases in China, the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) announced on Friday. The new dates have yet to be confirmed.
“The Hangzhou Asian Games Organising Committee has been very well prepared to deliver the Games on time despite global challenges. However, the above decision was taken by all the stakeholders after carefully considering the pandemic situation and the size of the Games,” the OCA said in a statement.
Hong Kong’s sports sector lawmaker, Kenneth Fok, said it’s a pity that the Asian Games have been postponed, pointing out that athletes have been training for years for the games, “Hopefully, a new schedule can be announced soon so they can re-arrange their training.”
Image: Asian Games
European Tour Sevens Squads Announced
Ahead of a two-month-long European Tour the Hong Kong Rugby Union has announced the men’s and women’s Sevens squads.
The tour includes tournaments in England and Portugal, (the squad’s first international competition since last November) and offers HKRU sevens coach Paul John a chance to restart Hong Kong’s rugby journey ahead of a busy international season which includes the Rugby World Cup Sevens in South Africa, the Asian Games (Hangzhou, Sept.), Rugby World Series qualifiers (Aug.), and the Hong Kong Sevens (Nov.).
Training in the United Kingdom also offers the opportunity to enter both squads into two events on the upcoming UK Super Sevens Series and the international sevens warm-up tournament in the Algarve in Portugal.
The squads feature most of Hong Kong’s top sevens players – including Max Woodward, Melody Li, Natasha Olson-Thorne, Max Denmark, Chong Ka-yan and ex-Hong Kong sprinter Hui Manling – as well as uncapped players looking to make an impact.
After months of no rugby, there is an essential need among both squads for warm-up games with international opposition to prepare and get match fit for the demanding upcoming tournament schedule which culminates (hopefully) with Hong Kong Sevens in early November.
HKRU Mens’s Sevens training squad (European Tour, Spring Summer 2022)
HKRU Women’s Sevens training squad (European Tour, Spring Summer 2022)
Additional reporting and images: HKRU, Asia Rugby