In the summer of 2025, two of our Honours Academy (HA) students, Marvis from HA’s 5th cohort and Icey from 6th, took a bold step beyond the classroom, and straight into the heart of one of the world’s most celebrated outdoor art festivals: the Echigo-Tsumari Art Field 2025 in Japan.

As part of a curatorial internship at Hong Kong House, Icey and Marvis joined a team of 12 selected HSUHK students to support The Whispers of Stone, an exhibition in Japan curated by the Art Promotion Office of the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD). The experience was all about immersing themselves in a living, breathing conversation between art, people, and place.

And they absolutely shone.

From the moment they arrived, Icey and Marvis brought their full selves to the experience. They helped introduce the artworks to local residents, guided international visitors, and supported artist-led workshops. They were cultural ambassadors, bridging languages and building connections through the universal language of art.

The internship also offered them a taste of real-world curatorship. They worked closely with artists Chris Cheung and Sim Shum, learning about the vision behind the exhibition and the day-to-day realities of maintaining an international showcase. Sim praised the students, saying they “played a key role in bringing the artwork to life for the public”.

Both Icey and Marvis stepped into unfamiliar territory (literally and creatively), and came back with new perspectives, deeper confidence, and a renewed passion for using creativity to make a difference.

Their story is a beautiful reminder of what HA is all about: not just academic excellence, but bold exploration, meaningful contribution, and the courage to step into the unknown with curiosity and heart.

About the Festival

The Echigo-Tsumari Art Field is one of the largest and most influential outdoor art events in the world. Since 2000, it has transformed the rural landscapes of Japan’s Niigata Prefecture into a canvas for global artists, blending art, nature, and community in extraordinary ways. The Whispers of Stone is its latest chapter, and we’re so proud that our students were part of writing it.