The Indra and Harry Banga Gallery celebrates 10th anniversary with “Prototyping:” exhibition, showcasing interdisciplinary collaboration and artistic innovation

As technology continues its rapid advancement, it has become an integral part of our daily life. To celebrate its 10th anniversary, the Indra and Harry Banga Gallery of City University of Hong Kong (CityUHK) proudly presents its latest exhibition, titled “Prototyping:”, which blends innovative technology and art, echoing the University’s strategic direction of encouraging interdisciplinary collaboration. The exhibition connects CityUHK experts from various disciplines and local artists, showcasing 23 technological inventions presented through artistic mediums.

The exhibition, jointly curated by the Indra and Harry Banga Gallery and CityUHK’s Academy of Innovation, features exhibits invented by experts and scholars from numerous faculties and State Key Laboratories, including the College of Biomedicine, the College of Computing, the College of Engineering, the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences, the College of Sciences, the Jockey Club College of Veterinary Medicine and Life Sciences, the School of Creative Media, the School of Energy and Environment, the State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Health and the State Key Laboratory of Terahertz and Millimeter Waves. The exhibition will run until 26 April at the Indra and Harry Banga Gallery.

The exhibition features four immersive scenarios: Garden, Kitchen, Living Room and Bedroom. It showcases prototypes of future living shaped by innovation, inviting the community to experience firsthand how technological developments are transforming our urban lifestyles through rich immersive experiences and unique innovative exhibits.

Garden

Upon entering the Gallery, visitors are greeted by the Garden scenario. This greenhouse-like space features inventions such as polygonal ecological seawalls, artificial mussels and i2Film, an energy-free cooling material.

The polygonal ecological seawalls were developed by a team led by Professor Kenneth Leung Mei-yee, Director of the State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Health, Chair Professor of the Department of Chemistry and Associate Dean of the College of Science at CityUHK. The seawalls are coastal structures designed with eco-engineering principles to reduce wave impact while providing habitats for marine life. Featuring biomimetic surfaces and textured cavities, these polygonal units encourage the growth of algae, molluscs and fish, restoring ecological balance and aesthetic harmony along urban shorelines.

Kitchen

Next, visitors enter the Kitchen. This space is designed like an Omakase restaurant, with inventions such as smart sponges resembling small tofu bricks, dual colour 3D-printed porcelain bowls, and a Syngular Mixed Reality Platform placed on the bar.

The smart sponge, invented by a team led by Professor Vincent Ko Chi-chiu of the Department of Chemistry at CityUHK, is a biodegradable, photochemically modified material that is superhydrophobic and oleophilic. It selectively absorbs oil while repelling water, and can be reused by simply squeezing, enabling efficient oil recovery in aquaculture, waste-oil treatment and oil spill cleanup. It won a silver medal at the International Exhibition of Inventions Geneva.

Living Room

The Living Room scenario invites visitors to sit in a space resembling a living room, featuring inventions including a lighting fixture incorporating new-generation thin-film solar cells, tablecloths using smart food labelling technology, and Cloud Rock I, which blends natural eroded stones with stainless steel 3D printing technology.

The new-generation thin-film solar cells, including perovskite-organic thin-film technology, are the creation of a team led by Professor Alex Jen Kwan-yue, Lee Shau Kee Chair Professor of Materials Science at CityUHK. With superior mechanical flexibility and adjustable optical properties, this new type of solar cells can generate electricity under weak indoor light, and collect the surrounding lighting for electricity generation.

Bedroom

The final scenario, the highly futuristic Bedroom, showcases antenna designs developed over the past decade by the CityUHK State Key Laboratory of Terahertz and Millimeter Waves and visualises antennas and electromagnetic waves across Hong Kong. It also displays innovations such as a wireless inductive power transfer system and an AI-driven intelligent portable ultrasound device.

The latest high-power terahertz radiation source chip was developed by a team led by Professor Chan Chi-hou, Vice-President (Community Engagement), Director of State Key Laboratory of Terahertz and Millimeter Waves and Chair Professor of the Department of Electronic Engineering at CityUHK. With its compact footprint and scalability, the chip is expected to play a vital role in the future of ultra-high-speed 6G communications.

The Indra and Harry Banga Gallery recently held an opening ceremony for the “Prototyping:” exhibition, along with celebrating its 10th anniversary. The ceremony was officiated by the Honourable Paul Chan Mo-po, Financial Secretary of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region; Professor the Hon Michael Ngai, Council Chairman of CityUHK; Mrs Indra Banga, Honorary Chairperson of the Indra and Harry Banga Gallery Advisory Committee; and Professor Lee Chun-sing, Provost and Deputy President of CityUHK.

In his address, Mr Chan said, “This exhibition vividly illustrates how technology developed in Hong Kong can be translated into real-world applications, and how artists and scientists can co-create works that engage a broader audience. This spirit of enterprise and collaboration is precisely what Hong Kong needs to strengthen both our art and innovation ecosystem, and to nurture the next generation of versatile talent.”

Professor Ngai said, “At CityUHK, we are committed to industry–academia collaboration. The ‘Prototyping:’ exhibition is a perfect showcase of our market ready innovations and university spin offs. Entering its second decade, the Gallery will continue to serve as a window to industry and the community, promoting Hong Kong’s unique culture and innovations.”

Mrs Banga noted, “It’s hard to believe that 10 years have passed since the Gallery first opened its doors. I have had the privilege of witnessing remarkable achievements that connect culture from East to West and the interdisciplinary technology presented in this exhibition. What sets the Gallery apart is its commitment to engage — from students and faculty members to policymakers and industry leaders. I am proud to support its continued growth and inspiration.”

Since its establishment in 2016, the Gallery has become a vital platform for interdisciplinary research and the integration of art and technology, bridging East and West cultures while inspiring local and international innovation. Over the past decade, the Gallery has presented influential exhibitions, including “The Grand Gathering of the Century: Zodiac Heads from the Yuanmingyuan and Important Treasures”, "Might and Magnificence: Ceremonial Arms and Armour across Cultures", "Central African Art - Invocation of an Unseen World" and “Leonardo Da Vinci: Art & Science, Then & Now”, which have shaped Hong Kong’s cultural and creative landscape.

“Prototyping:” exhibition details:

Exhibition period:	Now until 26 April
Opening hours:	11am – 7pm (Closed on Mondays)
Venue:	The Indra and Harry Banga Gallery 18/F, Lau Ming Wai Academic Building, CityUHK
Admission:	Free, prior online reservation required at https://www.cityu.edu.hk/bgvisits/ or on-site registration (please register with your ID document at any CityUHK entrance to enter the campus).