The message behind Peninsula's neon heart

Art Basel has seen a dramatic merger between the a traditional hotel brand and contemporary art.For the past week the Peninsula has ran its boldest execution on its iconic tower, with a neon installation launched in partnership with contemporary British artist Tracey Emin to celebrate Art Basel Hong Kong.This move marks the first time a work of art has been projected onto The Peninsula Tower and will be a highlight of the hotel’s “Love Art at The Peninsula” initiative - a series of projects that reflect the hotel’s commitment to supporting contemporary artists, and celebrating Hong Kong’s burgeoning art scene.The collaboration is born out of a wish "to work with a globally renowned contemporary artist who had never created a public work of art in Hong Kong before," as Rainy Chan, regional vice president of The Peninsula Hotels and general manager of The Peninsula Hong Kong, told Marketing."The Peninsula Hong Kong is committed to creating meaningful art experiences for our guests and the public alike, such as the projection of animated spectacle on The Peninsula Hong Kong’s façade to celebrate our 85th Anniversary last year," she said."Through our cultural programmes, we seek to engage both the hotel’s guests and the community of the city at large. With 85 years of storied heritage, Hong Kong’s Grande Dame pays homage to her beloved Hong Kong with a standout public art collaboration," said Chan."We were very open minded in our selection of the artist and believe that Tracey Emin was a perfect match, as her neon works fit with the urban landscape of Hong Kong, and echo a strong element of the city's visual identity."With the opening of the M+ Museum for Visual Culture, which is a pivotal part of the upcoming West Kowloon Cultural District, Chan said the group is committed to making an important contribution to the art dialogue taking place in Kowloon and the city at large."We felt that Emin was the right artist to collaborate with to showcase My Heart is with You Always – a totally unique laser animation on the Tower for the collective enjoyment of Hong Kong.”The project, running nightly from 7:00 pm to 12:00 am until this Sunday, follows on from Emin’s highly acclaimed project - I Promise to Love You, 2013 which lit up the billboards of New York’s Times Square, with digitally rendered neon Valentine’s messages.