The Karen Leung Foundation: The ExtraOrdinary Exhibition Returns to Overcome Female Disease Stigma through Art

Featuring artists such as Claudia Chanhoi, Polo Bourieau and Sophia Hotung to promote women’s health and holistic well-being.

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach – 10 September 2021 – The Karen Leung Foundation, the first and only registered charity dedicated to fighting gynaecological cancers in Hong Kong, are pleased to announce its second-year edition of its flagship health awareness campaign, ‘TheExtraOrdinary Exhibition.’

Unveiling to the public on 14 September, the exhibition will be kicking off with a capsule collection at Eaton HK. In an effort to shift social stigmas into positive empowerment, the Foundation devised an innovative strategy that leveraged art to raise awareness on gynaecological cancer and promote women’s health.

“Sadly, in Hong Kong, women are not checking their bodies and understanding what health risks there may be. We need to make sure that it’s not too late when we find something wrong,” said Narcisa Pheres, Founder and Creative Director of PHERES. “As a woman, CEO, and mother of two girls, through supporting this event I hope that people talk more about women’s health and become unashamed to talk about their bodies and the mechanisms behind it.”

This year, over 40 art pieces will be showcased in various venues across Hong Kong. With a gambit of wider variety and scope, this year’s exhibition brings forth a greater diversity of artworks including sculptures, three-dimensional installations, texturized paintings, and a Non-Fungible Token (“NFT”).

To increase longevity and accessibility, the exhibition will also live digitally via an online catalogue for those interested in purchasing the art work. 50% of all proceeds will be donated back to the Foundation. Dipping into the impressive world of digital art, the catalogue will also feature its first NFT art, “Olympia,” designed and produced by experiential art producer, Vox Vanguard.

“The curated performance piece titled, ‘Olympia’, exemplifies how a woman uplifts a man,” says Matthew Tosca, Founder & Artistic Director of Vox Vanguard. “The ExtraOrdinary Exhibition has purpose and meaning and we are proud to stand alongside the Karen Leung Foundation, finding that ‘more ExtraOrdinary you.”

Sharing an aligned vision that has the power to be socially impactful, the Foundation welcomes back an arsenal of retuning artists: Basil Pao, Jenny Lam, Kim Robinson, Simon Birch, and Tanya Bennet, and supports young, local newcomers: Bobby Yu, Bowie Ho, Clair Chan, Claudia Chanhoi, Irving Cheung, Karen Chan, Lily So, Polo Bourieau, Sophia Hotung, Toby Sun Yuen, Tomorrow Girls Troop, Wing Po So, Wong Ka Ying, and Yiska Wong.

Jonathan Crockett, Chairman of Phillips, Asia says, “I admire the Karen Leung Foundation because it’s a relatively young charity here and I want to support them to grow and flourish as a cancer foundation. And we align by brining clients who buy art from us to support them and their charitable work.”

Phillips will be hosting a special art pop-up at Soho House in October, supporting both the Foundation and promoting female artists in the industry.

KEY DATES:

Eaton HK (Capsule collection) | 14- 29 September 2021
Soho House (Full exhibition) | 1 – 31 October 2021

WOMANBOSS (Capsule collection) | 1- 30 November 2021
The Hari Hotel (Capsule collection) | September – 30 November 2021

EXHIBITION PARTNERS

Eaton HK, Hologic, Kiara Naturals, Kim Robinson, Narcisa PHERE, Malca-Amit Fine Art, OSCO, Phillips, Soho House, The Hari Hotel, Vox Vanguard, WomanBoss

ONLINE CATALOGUE

Catalogue – Extra Ordinary Exhibition 2.0 by Karen Leung Foundation – issuu

ABOUT THE KAREN LEUNG FOUNDATION

The Karen Leung Foundation (KLF) www.karenleungfoundation.org is working to save lives in Hong Kong by raising awareness of gynaecological cancer, educating women to increase rates of early detection and ensuring that women in treatment have access to optimal medical care. Founded in 2013, we are the first and only organization in Hong Kong solely devoted to women’s gynaecological cancers. To date, the Karen Leung Foundation has raised more than HK$27 million to fight gynaecological cancer and help Hong Kong girls and women. The Karen Leung Foundation honors the memory of Karen Leung, a hedge fund trader, who died at age 35 following a diagnosis of metastatic cervical cancer.