WestK FunFest Opens in Hong Kong

The third WestK FunFest (FunFest) (19 March – 12 April) will officially open on 19 March. Spanning the Easter holidays, this year’s FunFest brings together top arts groups and performers from Australia, Spain, the UK and Hong Kong to present more than 120 diverse programmes at West Kowloon Cultural District (WestK). A key highlight is the large-scale interactive art installation The Cats that Slept for a Thousand Years, created by renowned UK creative studio Air Giants, which is open to the public free of charge at the Harbourside East Lawn of WestK’s Art Park from tomorrow until 7 April.

The centrepiece of this year’s Festival, The Cats that Slept for a Thousand Years, from the renowned UK creative studio Air Giants, makes its Asian debut on WestK’s Harbourside East Lawn. Following its commission by Manchester Museum in the UK, this marks the installation’s first exhibition outside Europe. Specifically for FunFest, the Air Giants team has expanded the installation from the original single 10-metre-long giant cat into a cat family consisting of two big cats and a kitten.

Blending sound, light and interactive elements, the artwork features giant inflatable cats with gently swaying tails. Visitors are invited to cuddle up to the cats or softly stroke their bodies to hear and feel their soothing purrs and rhythmic heartbeats. The work aims to create a tranquil oasis amidst the bustling city, fostering warm connections between people. It explores themes of care and empathy while allowing visitors to rediscover their childlike wonder through interaction with the cats.