The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST), in collaboration with the Center for Metaverse and Computational Creativity at HKUST(GZ), has launched the SURREALITY Mixed Reality (MR) × Artificial Intelligence (AI) Digital Art Cross-City Exhibition. As part of HKUST's 35th-anniversary celebrations, the world's first large-scale, cross-regional MR × AI digital art exhibition debuted at the university's Clear Water Bay campus, with an exclusive media preview held on June 16, 2026. The exhibition will open at HKUST(GZ) on June 17 and run through July 31, 2026, before returning to Hong Kong for public engagement.
The exhibition integrates creativity with Virtual Reality (VR), MR, and AI technologies, transforming the campus into a global hub for arts innovation and technological excellence. It showcases selected works by renowned international and Chinese Mainland digital artists, as well as faculty and students from both campuses. According to Prof. Nancy IP, President of HKUST, this event signifies a major milestone in the university's pursuit of integrating technology, humanities, and cross-regional innovation. She noted that the national 15th Five-Year Plan explicitly supports Hong Kong in deepening its development as the East-meets-West centre for international cultural exchange, and the HKSAR Government's 2024 Blueprint for Arts and Culture and Creative Industries Development outlines plans to develop diverse arts and culture industries with an international perspective.
Prof. IP emphasized that HKUST's Strategic Plan 2031 identifies the integration of innovation and the humanities as a key direction. In line with this vision, the university established Hong Kong's first Division of Arts and Machine Creativity, committed to creating an innovative platform that fosters the fusion of technology and art while nurturing a new generation of creative talent with strong interdisciplinary perspectives. Hosting initiatives such as SURREALITY and the HKUST AI Film Festival exemplifies this direction and is poised to develop into prominent international platforms that foster arts and cultural exchanges between China and the rest of the world.
Prof. Lionel NI Ming-Shuan, President of HKUST(GZ), stated that SURREALITY is not only the world's first large-scale MR × AI art exhibition but also a powerful showcase of the strengths of both campuses in interdisciplinary studies and computational creativity. Under the 'One HKUST, Complementary Campuses' framework, 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 digital 'Portal' connecting Clear Water Bay and Nansha represents a forward-looking model of educational collaboration, where engineering converges with aesthetics, algorithms with poetry, and global vision with local engagement.
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. Nineteen selected works premiered at the Clear Water Bay campus, with MR-enhanced creations transforming the campus into an immersive, technology-driven art space. Visitors can explore three exhibition areas: Living Currents, Future Fables, and Beyond Mind. Highlights include The Gate, a metaverse concept piece that allows visitors to traverse the virtual spaces of both campuses; Kunpeng, a giant fish leaping from Port Shelter and transforming into a soaring roc; and The Twinworld Tree, creating a dynamic living system symbolizing interdependence.
The exhibition also features an MR recreation of GFP Bunny by internationally acclaimed contemporary artist Prof. Eduardo KAC, which has sparked global reflection on genetic modification and bioethics. Other notable works include Echoes of Earth 2.0 by HKUST(GZ) PhD student ZHANG Yishuai, offering a forward-looking perspective on AI and interstellar civilizations; Astra by Venice Immersive Grand Prize winner Eliza MCNITT; and Mother's Body Remembers by Singaporean VR visual artist Benedict YU. The HKUST XRIM Lab's Unfolding Touch enables a soft-robot-mediated handshake between the two campuses, creating 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), explained that SURREALITY explores a new form of reality where the virtual and physical are no longer distinctly separate. Through artistic creation and immersive experiences, the exhibition offers audiences a glimpse into this transformative vision, prompting reflection on how technology is reshaping humanity's understanding of reality. The implications for business and technology leaders are significant, as this exhibition demonstrates how MR and AI can drive cultural mobility, foster international exchange, and create new opportunities for interdisciplinary innovation in the Greater Bay Area and beyond.
