Stephen Cheng

Founder, The Empty Gallery, Hong Kong

The white cube has had its day. So thinks Stephen Cheng, who in 2015 founded The Empty Gallery, a ‘black cube’ space in Hong Kong’s South Island District for the display of sensory, ephemeral, and time-based artworks. It’s part of Cheng’s bid to bring more nuance to the Hong Kong contemporary art scene, moving away from works that are determinately commercial and introducing art that is immersive, mysterious, and affective. Since opening, the space has hosted exhibitions and performances by a diverse range of artists and performers including Edward S. Curtis, Rolf Julius, Peter Brötzmann, and Keiji Haino.