The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST), in collaboration with the Center for Metaverse and Computational Creativity at HKUST(Guangzhou), has launched the SURREALITY Mixed Reality (MR) × Artificial Intelligence (AI) Digital Art Cross-City Exhibition. As part of HKUST's 35th-anniversary celebrations, an exclusive media preview of what organizers call the world's first large-scale, cross-regional MR × AI digital art exhibition was held at the university's Clear Water Bay campus.
The exhibition showcases selected works by renowned international and Chinese Mainland digital artists, as well as faculty and students from both campuses, integrating creativity with Virtual Reality (VR), MR, and AI technologies. It transforms the campus into a global hub for arts innovation and technological excellence. The exhibition will open at HKUST(GZ) tomorrow and run through July 31, 2026, before returning to Hong Kong for public engagement.
Prof. Nancy IP, President of HKUST, remarked, "This event signifies a major milestone for HKUST in its pursuit of integrating technology, humanities, and cross-regional innovation." She noted that the national 15th Five-Year Plan released this year explicitly supports Hong Kong in deepening its development as the East-meets-West centre for international cultural exchange. In 2024, the HKSAR Government also introduced the Blueprint for Arts and Culture and Creative Industries Development, outlining plans to develop diverse arts and culture industries with an international perspective.
Prof. Lionel NI Ming-Shuan, President of HKUST(GZ), stated, "'SURREALITY' is not only the world's first large-scale MR × AI art exhibition, but also a powerful showcase of the strengths of HKUST and HKUST(GZ) in interdisciplinary studies and computational creativity." He emphasized that the two campuses have welcomed artists and young creators from 23 countries and regions, redefining the boundaries of knowledge production and artistic expression through the seamless fusion of the virtual and the real.
The exhibition features nearly 50 works by more than 70 digital artists from the United States, Germany, Russia, Australia, Bolivia, Singapore, Korea, the Chinese Mainland, and Hong Kong. At the Clear Water Bay campus, 19 selected works premiered, with MR-enhanced creations transforming the campus into an immersive, technology-driven art space. Visitors wearing MR headsets can explore three exhibition areas: Living Currents, Future Fables, and Beyond Mind.
Several projects created by HKUST(GZ) faculty and students stand out as highlights, with "The Gate"—built on a metaverse concept—emerging as the centerpiece of the exhibition. As the armillary sphere slowly turns and the portal comes into view, visitors can step inside and instantly traverse the virtual spaces of both campuses, experiencing a groundbreaking sense of cross‑campus, seamless connectivity. Another featured work, "Kunpeng," symbolizes a spirit of boundless freedom, with a giant fish leaping from Port Shelter in Sai Kung and transforming into a soaring roc. The piece "The Twinworld Tree" creates a dynamic living system formed by the World Tree and virtual life.
The exhibition also features an MR recreation of "GFP Bunny," a classic work by internationally acclaimed contemporary artist Prof. Eduardo KAC. Since its debut, this piece has sparked global reflection on genetic modification, bioethics, and the boundaries of art. Mr. ZHANG Yishuai, a PhD student at HKUST(GZ), presents "Echoes of Earth 2.0," offering a forward-looking perspective on AI and interstellar civilizations.
Several VR digital art pieces are also on display, including "Astra" by Ms. Eliza MCNITT, Venice Immersive Grand Prize winner, and "Mother's Body Remembers" by Mr. Benedict YU from Singapore. The HKUST XRIM Lab's work, "Unfolding Touch," enables a soft-robot-mediated handshake between the Clear Water Bay and Guangzhou campuses, integrating sensing and tactile replication to create a shared touch experience across distance.
Prof. Pan HUI, Chair Professor of Emerging Interdisciplinary Areas at HKUST and Director of the Center for Metaverse and Computational Creativity at HKUST(GZ), introduced the core concept of SURREALITY. He explained that as technologies such as AI, spatial computing, and MR rapidly evolve, digital worlds are transcending screens into real spaces and becoming deeply integrated into people's daily life. SURREALITY explores a new form of reality that may emerge in the future—a scenario where the virtual and the physical are no longer distinctly separate but collectively form the environments in which we perceive, interact, and live.
The exhibited works come from numerous internationally renowned artists, showcasing the remarkable fusion of creative arts and digital technology. Several prominent participating artists joined today's event to introduce their works, fostering cross-regional cultural and arts exchanges. They include Prof. Benjamin SEIDE from Nanyang Technological University, Ms. Katerina SEMENKO, a Russian conceptual phygital artist, and Dr. Adam NASH, an Australian digital virtual artist.
