Grand Opening, Sept 22nd @ Studio Rouge, HKG “Ruby, Roxy, Rhino, Rouge, Rock Hong Kong”

Ruby, Roxy, Rhino, Rouge Rock Hong Kong! on 22 Sept 2012

studio rouge opened in Hong Kong with its trademark sizzle, shimmer and sparkle on Saturday, 22 Sept 2012. Ruby, Roxy, Rhino, Rouge Rock Hong Kong is studio rouge’s Hong Kong sequel to Shanghai’s Ruby, Roxy and the Flaming Lambourghini, launched with great fanfare on the Bund in December 2011.

studio rouge is a long-time friend and partner-in-crime of island6, having collaborated several times in the past. In The Flaming Lambourghini, island6 put up the scintillating interactive piece, “Nordic Vibe”. This time in Hong Kong, island6 was part of the show with “ Anthology of Labia”,a multimedia artwork that combined blood-red lips with old-school Chinese magnifying glasses.

"Anthology of Labia", Liu Dao 2012

The party was an especially significant for studio rouge, as it celebrated not only the gallery’s 8th anniversary but also a much-anticipated move into Hong Kong, developing rapidly as one of Asia’s most important contemporary art platforms. The profile of visitors who came to see the show reflected this – besides art collectors and gallerists, the event also attracted a wide range of art professionals including artists, art students, and several consultants and curators. Oyster shots flowed alongside a Australian jazz band Black Caviar and cabaret act Ms. Virginia Hyam, specially flown in for the event.

Guests throng the gorgeous space

Black Caviar at work

island6 HK manager David Muggli with guests puzzling over "Anthology of Labia"

The artworks selected for Ruby embody the studio rouge ideal, captured in the show’s intriguing title. Bold, edgy, powerful and provocative, studio rouge has consistently exhibited young contemporary artists who push their creative boundaries and challenge artistic norms. A battle-hardened veteran of the Shanghai art scene, founder George Michell put together a stunning celebration of the individuality and originality of studio rouge’s 28 artists.

The ethereal white space of studio rouge HK

George gave his show its intriguing name to reflect his experiences, curatorial style and philosophy. Ruby and Roxy are the Laurel and Hardy-type curators who balance the show’s sense of fun and irreverence with thoughtful commentary. Rhino is no other than the well-loved, kneeless ungulate whose day is celebrated worldwide on – of course – 22 September. George attributes the success of studio rouge to the rhino-like tenacity for surviving its precarious situation. Hunted down by poachers, driven out by land developers, the fragile existence of the rhino is reminiscent of the gallery in its youth – having to navigate the path of creative freedom within a tangle of media pressure, financial challenges and other obstacles.

Rouge – passion, life, glamour – has clearly triumphed over all that, as the gallery gets ready to Rock Hong Kong with more fresh, cutting-edge art.

island6 debuts its solo show at studio rouge HK in October 2012. Ooh La La Hong Kong is planned to be a bolder, brassier sequel to this spring’s Ooh La La on the Bund. Watch this space for more updates!