‘Phygital Art’ Exhibition in Hong Kong Opens a Door to the Metaverse

A portmanteau of the words’ physical’ and ‘digital,’ ‘phygital’ interactive artworks by local and international artists are the main draw at Symphony of the Future, a public art program combining art, lifestyle, and technology.

Unveiled by K11 Art Mall in Hong Kong on June 23, the exhibition will be displayed at Avenue of Stars and Salisbury Garden in Kowloon Central until November or December 2022.

‘HΞXAVΞRSΞ,’ one of the exhibition’s highlights, was created by Dutch artist, DJ, and musician Don Diablo in partnership with fine arts giant Sotheby’s.

Described as a “portal into the metaverse,” the phygital piece embodies the artist’s vision of the future. It serves to connect the public with the metaverse, which many still deem a mystery.

Blurring the boundaries between the physical and the digital, ‘HΞXAVΞRSΞ’ invites audiences to peek past its virtual doors for a glimpse of constantly changing multimedia art made up of sculptures and music.

In addition to the showcase in Hong Kong, monumental screens are projecting rotating videos onto the walls of the K11 Art Mall in Shanghai.

No stranger to non-fungible tokens, Don Diablo is also vending his ‘HΞXAVΞRSΞ’ videos as NFT art, making the project a one-of-a-kind ‘NFT sculpture.’

Located in Salisbury Garden in Hong Kong, ‘Looking Up’ by Tom Friedman is another phygital piece at Symphony of the Future. Simply whip out your smartphones to scan the QR code attached to the augmented reality piece.

Last but not least, check out ‘A Prelude for the Future,’ a musical performance by local musician Olivier Cong. Accessible via QR codes planted along Hong Kong’s Avenue of Stars, the online concert is also a collision of the digital and the physical.

All images courtesy of K11