Former Police Married Quarters Until March 13

On the site of the former Police Married Quarters, the long-abandoned, dilapidated capsules of constabulary life have been reborn as a creative hive in the heart of the Central and Sheung Wan district. Workshops, cultural tours, exhibitions and installations combine to display a comprehensive investigation of the cultural and artistic heritage of the area, incorporating galleries, shops and tradespeople of all disciplines from the locale. 

The first two floors of the now-skeletal building offer a unique space where the highly polished commercialism, so often associated with the art on display in the area, is ignored. A feeling of interaction and inclusiveness means that the formal atmosphere of a traditional gallery or art space is completely absent. Instead, each room surrounding the open courtyard is filled with individual installations and exhibitions. Some display architectural models and photographic records of buildings and businesses in the area, while others use the space for artistic projects, many of which are interactive.

While the content and art on display is not especially avant-garde or conceptually challenging, it does reveal an intelligence and thoughtfulness about the community it represents, and a sense of care and deliberation in creating an exhibition that, instead of feeling amateur or thrown together, feels relaxed and, most importantly, fun. Mary Agnew