Creative Capital – Hard Power or Soft Power?
VIEW EVENT DETAILSEvening Dialogue with JOHN HOWKINS, author of “The Creative Economy”; YAT SIU, Founder & CEO, Outblaze; CHAN KOONCHUNG, cultural critic & author, and KAI-YIN LO, international designer, art & cultural consultant
Drink Reception at 6:30 pm
Dialogue at 7:00 pm
Close at 8:30 pm
The Asia Society Kai-Yin Lo Distinguished Program Series creates a platform to discuss and explore the role, application and power of art, design, culture and innovation in contemporary society, relationship between the individual and community, the link between heritage and modernity, as well as the key role of creative enterprises in fostering social and economic change. In this series, drivers of creative enterprises share their experiences and vision in work and private imaginations.
Since its inauguration in 2004 in New York, the Series has featured distinguished speakers including Bright Sheng, Shen Wei & Douglas Young (2004), Edwin Chan (2005), Han Feng (2006), Xu Bing & Ji Yunfei (2007), Eric Chan & Calvin Tsai (2008), Tan Dun & Gu Wenda (2009), and Edward Uhlir, Hugh Hardy & Rocco Yim (2010).
The Series supports the compelling links between the featured participants’ heritage, work and vision, the beauty and wonder engendered by exploring new possibilities, and reinforces that it is through creativity, ideas and innovation that culture and man’s best endeavors are able to move from past to present and into the future. The Series will debut at Asia Society Hong Kong Center in October 2014 with John Howkins, “father of the creative economy”, and Yat Siu, notable Hong Kong serial technology entrepreneur joining forces to discuss the subject of “Creative Capital – Hard Power or Soft Power”. Also featuring an introductory overview on Hong Kong’s’ culture, identity, change and adaptations in the global order given by cultural critic and author Chan Koonchung, the program will be opened by Miss Susie Ho, Permanent Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development (Communications and Technology), HKSAR Government.
John Howkins is a business leader and author who has pioneered new ideas on creativity and innovation. After working in journalism, TV, film and online media, including with HBO and Time Warner, he published the definitive book on the creative economy in 2001, showing how people in the arts, culture, design, media and innovation are developing new ways of working with new values and asset, and creativity combines personal pleasure and social well-being. Since 2000 he has been invited by many global organizations, corporations and governments to advise on how to be creative and how to make and sell ideas. He has given talks and workshops in over 30 countries including China, Taiwan, Korea, Thailand, Malaysia, Japan, and Russia. In 2006 the Shanghai city established the John Howkins Research Centre on the Creative Economy. A new edition of his classic book "The Creative Economy” was updated in 2013. His follow-up book, "Creative Ecologies", describes the conditions for sustaining creativity and innovation, and is based on the latest research on sustainable eco-system.
Yat Siu is one of Hong Kong’s most notable serial technology entrepreneurs. He is Founder and CEO of Outblaze, a conglomerate specializing in gaming, cloud technology, and smartphone/tablet software. In 2009, he sold Outblaze’s messaging division to IBM and successfully pivoted Outblaze from B2B messaging services to B2C digital entertainment. He is a director for TurnOut Ventures, a partnership between Outblaze and Turner Entertainment, co-founder of Animoca and Animoca Brands which is listed on the Australian Stock Exchange. In 2012 he set up ThinkBlaze, the research arm of Outblaze dedicated to investigating socially meaningful issues in technology. Yat has earned numerous accolades including Global Leader of Tomorrow at the World Economic Forum, and Young Entrepreneur of the Year at the DHL/SCMP Awards. Viennese born Yat is a supporter of various NGOs and serves on the board of directors for the Asian Youth Orchestra.
Chan Koonchung is a sinophone writer from Hong Kong now living in Beijing, will speak on the culture, identity and creative adaptations of Hong Kong in the global economy. His novel “The Fat Years” is translated into 14 languages. “The Unberable Dreamworld of Champa the Driver” is now available in English. Non-fiction books include “My Generation of Hongkongers”, Marxism and Literary Criticism”, and “Chinese Celestial Imperialism and Hong Kong”.
Kai-Yin Lo is an internationally recognized designer of jewelry, accessories and objets d’art, as well as an art and cultural ambassador. She was awarded “World’s Outstanding Chinese Designer” by the Hong Kong Design Centre in 2007. She has organized important business forums, curated art and cultural exhibitions at the British Museum, the China Institute, Asia Society as well as the official Hong Kong Design Exhibition at Shanghai Expo in 2010, and was a featured artist of Asia Society Hong Kong Center’s “Imminent Domain: Designing the Life of Tomorrow” exhibition in 2013. Kai-Yin has edited or co-edited five well-regarded books ranging from Chinese white ceramics, furniture, architecture, vernacular living patterns in China as well as design culture. She is currently a member of the Global Council of the Asia Society; Global Council of Museum of Arts and Design, New York; Principal Guest Lecturer, Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design, London; Visiting Professor of Central Academy of Art, Beijing; Asia-Pacific Art Acquisition Committee, Tate Modern London; Board member of Hong Kong Design Centre, and member of M+ Museum Committee, West Kowloon Cultural District Authority, Hong Kong.