Hong Kong officials remove political countdown artwork from ICC tower exhibition

Hong Kong authorities ordered the removal of 'Our 60-second friendship begins now' (2016) from the International Commerce Centre tower. Created by Sampson Wong and Jason Lam, the work featured a countdown to July 1, 2047—the expiration date of Hong Kong's 'One Country, Two Systems' framework. The piece was part of 'Human Vibrations,' an exhibition organized by the Hong Kong Arts Development Council. After the artists disclosed the political meaning behind their countdown, city officials intervened to take it down. Curator Caroline Ha Thuc and HKADC film and media art group chair Ellen Pau claimed the artists altered the work after agreeing on its title and content. Wong and Lam have contested these allegations. The Art Newspaper first reported the incident in May 2016.