Does heritage only serve to record a bygone era and feed the nostalgia of those living in changing times? How can we collectively learn from the past and forge a better future?

In spring 2024, CHAT celebrates its 5th anniversary with the group exhibition Factory of Tomorrow. Featuring CHAT’s own contemporary art collection and newly commissioned works, it endeavours to critically examine the past and evoke imagination for what is to come. From textile works and sculptures to immersive installations and videos, it brings together creations by 19 artists and collectives of Asian backgrounds, reflecting their takes on textile technology and materials, diversity, climate change and our future. The exhibition is roughly divided into two parts. The first part showcases works of contemporary art collected by CHAT over the years and explores the role of textile in Hong Kong’s industrial past through the artists’ eyes. The second part then looks to the present and future, using new mediums and technologies to address various issues and perspectives.

Factory of Tomorrow is in the genealogy of CHAT’s curatorial journey over the last 5 years. Through heritage, it invites visitors, artists and designers to learn from history and build a better path forward.