Those who stay: the Hong Kong artists fighting for a brighter future
about 7 months ago (02/05/2024)
Those who stay: the Hong Kong artists fighting for a brighter future Art market Museums & heritage Exhibitions Books Podcasts Columns Technology Adventures with Van Gogh Search Search Hong Kong analysis Those who stay: the Hong Kong artists fighting for a brighter future Despite governmental intimidation of arts entities, the high cost of living and the lure of better opportunities abroad, many artists are choosing to remain in the city Lisa Movius 5 February 2024 Share The satirical cartoonist Wong Kei-kwan, who uses the pen name Zunzi, had his comic strip in the Hong Kong newspaper Ming Pao cancelled following government pressure, but he continues to live in the city Photo: Reuters/Tyrone Siu Some call it the great exodus: the family company owners, the bankers and the expatriate businesspeople departing Hong Kong in droves during and since the Covid-19 years. But departing cultural workers have been more motivated by mainland China’s growing controls over free expression and education than by lifestyle inconvenience. The numbers of Hong Kong departees are climbing in the hundreds of thousands by most estimates.