Using innovative technologies to promote cultural mobility and global exchange
Hong Kong SAR – Media Outreach Newswire – 16 June 2026 – The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST), in collaboration with the Center for Metaverse and Computational Creativity at HKUST (Guangzhou), presents Surrealism Mixed Reality (MR) × Artificial Intelligence (AI) Digital Art Cross-City Exhibition. As part of HKUST’s 35th anniversary celebrations, an exclusive media preview of the world’s first large-scale, cross-regional MR×AI digital art exhibition was held at the university’s Clear Water Bay campus.
Showcasing selected works by renowned international and Chinese Mainland digital artists, as well as faculty and students from both campuses, the exhibition integrates creativity with virtual reality (VR), MR and AI technologies. This transforms the campus into a global center for arts innovation and technological excellence.
The exhibition opens tomorrow at HKUST (GZ) and will run until July 31, 2026, before returning to Hong Kong for public engagement. The exhibition exemplifies HKUST’s visionary commitment to promoting cultural mobility and international exchange through innovative technologies.
Professor Nancy Ip, President of HKUSTcommented, “This event represents a major milestone for HKUST towards integrating technology, humanities and inter-regional innovation. The national 15th Five-Year Plan released this year clearly supports Hong Kong in deepening its development as an East-meets-West center for international cultural exchange. In 2024, the HKSAR Government also launched Blueprint for arts and culture and creative industries developmentThe plan outlines how to develop diverse arts and culture industries with an international perspective and establish international platforms that promote East-West-West arts and cultural exchanges. Local universities play an important role in leading these initiatives.
“HKUST’s strategic plan 2031 Identifies innovation and the integration of the humanities as a key direction for the future development of the university. In line with this vision, we established Hong Kong’s first division of Art & 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 a strong interdisciplinary approach. “Hosting initiatives such as SURREALITY and the HKUST AI Film Festival exemplify this direction and are set to grow into the leading international platform that promotes arts and cultural exchange between China and the rest of the world,” he said.
Professor Lionel Nie Ming-Xuan, President of HKUST(GZ)said, “‘SURREALITY’ is not only the world’s first large-scale MR×AI art exhibition, but also a powerful demonstration of the strengths of HKUST and HKUST (GZ) in interdisciplinary study and computational creativity. As a major initiative under the ‘One HKUST, Complementary Campus’ framework, the two campuses have welcomed artists and young creators from 23 countries and regions, re-pushing the boundaries of knowledge production and artistic expression. A seamless fusion of the virtual and the real. At a time when the nation is strategically pursuing future industries and the Greater Bay Area is accelerating the development of new quality productive forces, the digital ‘portal’ connecting Clearwater Bay and Nansha represents more than a technological breakthrough – it embodies a visionary model of educational collaboration, where engineering converges with aesthetics, algorithms with local engagement, HKUST remains young Inspired by this founding aspiration, HKUST (GZ) will continue to move forward in step with HKUST, writing a new chapter of integrated innovation and talent development in the Greater Bay Area.
Surrealism demonstrates the integration of AI-generated artworks with physical campus environments, creating an immersive experience through spatial computing and real-time rendering technologies. Across both campuses, approximately 50 works by more than 70 digital artists from the United States, Germany, Russia, Australia, Bolivia, Singapore, Korea, the Chinese Mainland and Hong Kong are displayed. Presented in innovative and engaging forms, these extraordinary works from around the world highlight HKUST’s strong commitment to advancing interdisciplinary integration.
Today, 19 selected works premiered on the Clear Water Bay campus, where MR-enhanced creations transform the HKUST campus into an immersive, technology-driven art space. Wearing an MR headset, visitors can freely explore three exhibition areas: living streams, fables of the futureAnd beyond mind. Several projects created by HKUST (GZ) faculty and students stand out as highlights door– built on the Metaverse concept – emerging as the centerpiece of the exhibition. As the Armory Field slowly turns and the portal comes into view, visitors can step inside and instantly traverse the virtual spaces of both campuses, experiencing the unprecedented sense of cross-campus, seamless connectivity that embodies the vision of “one HKUST, complementary campuses.” Another special masterpiece, kunpengSymbolizes the feeling of limitless freedom. At Sai Kung a giant fish leaps from the nearby port shelter and transforms into a tall rock that soars powerfully into the sky. Its majestic presence presents a wonderful sight. Piece Twinworld Tree The world forms a dynamic living system formed by the tree and virtual life, symbolizing the interdependence of all things like the tide.
The exhibition also includes a MR recreation of a classic work-gfp madeCreated by internationally acclaimed contemporary artist, Professor Eduardo KacJoe is also Professor of Art and Technology Studies at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Since its debut, the piece has sparked global reflection on genetic modification, bioethics and the limits of art. Mr. Zhang YishuaiPhD student in the Thrust of Computational Media and Arts at HKUST (GZ) and a computational artist, presents Echoes of Earth 2.0Provides a forward-looking perspective on AI and interstellar civilizations. This work enriches the exhibition with a visionary reflection on humanity’s aspirations for the future.
Several VR digital artworks are also on display, including astracreated by Ms Eliza McNitt– Venice Immersive Grand Prize winner and renowned American writer and director – which offers visitors a unique journey of exploration into the universe. Mr. Benedict U.UA VR visual artist from Singapore presents Mother’s body missesUsing LiDAR to capture activities and combining VR with tactile interactions to rekindle visitors’ memories of family relationships. HKUST XRIM Labwork of, opening touchClear Water enables a soft-robot-mediated handshake between the Bay and Guangzhou campuses, integrating sensing and tactile replication to create a shared tactile experience across distance. Other tasks include my flowerwhich invites viewers to experience the daily challenges faced by people with Alzheimer’s disease. a short animation, cat ghostwhich tells of the relationship between ancient Chinese people and cats of the Western world, has also been screened.
Professor Pan Hui, Chair Professor of Emerging Interdisciplinary Fields at HKUST, Acting Head and Chair Professor of the Computational Media and Arts Emphasis, and Director of the Center for Metaverse and Computational Creativity at HKUST (GZ)Introduced the basic concept of “surrealism”. He pointed out that as technologies such as AI, spatial computing and MR are rapidly developing, the digital world is moving screens into real spaces and deeply integrated into people’s daily lives. Surrealism explores a new form of reality that may emerge in the future – a landscape where the virtual and the physical are no longer clearly separated but collectively create the environment in which we experience, interact and live. Through artistic creation and immersive experiences, the exhibition offers audiences a glimpse of this transformative vision, inspiring consideration of how technology is reshaping humanity’s understanding of reality.
The works displayed are from a number of internationally renowned artists, showcasing a remarkable blend of creative art and digital technology. Many prominent participating artists also joined today’s event to introduce their works, promoting inter-regional cultural and art exchanges. they include Pro. benjamin sedeyMedia artist, VFX specialist, and associate professor in the School of Art, Design and Media at Nanyang Technological University; Ms. Katerina Semenkoa Russian conceptual phygital artist and international design award recipient; And Dr. Adam NashAn Australian digital virtual artist and Honorary Fellow of RMIT University.
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About Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) (https://hkust.edu.hk/) is a world-class university known for its innovative teaching, research excellence and impressive knowledge transfer. With a holistic and interdisciplinary pedagogy approach, HKUST was ranked 6th in the QS Asia University Rankings 2026, 3rd in the Times Higher Education’s Young University Rankings 2024 and 19th globally and 1st in Hong Kong in the Times Higher Education’s Impact Rankings 2025. Eleven HKUST subjects were ranked in the world top 50 in the QS World University Rankings. Topic 2026. Furthermore, in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings by Subject 2026, HKUST’s computer science discipline which includes areas such as artificial intelligence and machine learning, has been ranked No. 1 in Hong Kong for ten consecutive years. Our graduates are highly competitive, consistently ranking among the top 30 most sought-after employers in the world. In terms of research and entrepreneurship, more than 80% of our work was rated “Internationally Excellent” or “World Leading” in the University Grants Committee of Hong Kong’s Research Assessment Exercise 2020. As of May 2026, HKUST members have founded more than 1,900 active start-ups, including 11 unicorns and 22 exits (IPOs or M&As).
