M+ Chief Curator Doryun Chong on Museum Learning, Digital Integration, and Preserving Hong Kong's Visual Culture

Doryun Chong, chief curator at M+ in Hong Kong, discusses the museum's educational philosophy and operational strategies in an interview with Mark Rappolt. M+, which opened in 2021 during the pandemic, integrates learning across all curatorial departments, viewing pedagogy as a lifelong activity. The institution developed robust children and family programs in response to school closures. Its collection includes salvaged Hong Kong neon signs, Shiro Kuramata's Kiyotomo sushi bar from 1988, and a large LED media facade. Exhibitions like 'Yayoi Kusama: 1945 to Now' feature succinct labels and digital extensions, such as an online swipe show. Chong emphasizes balancing preservation with sustainability, citing neon sign conservation challenges. The museum's digital initiatives include M+ Magazine and interactive sites, aiming for a porous relationship between physical and online spaces. M+ holds over 50,000 items, with ongoing digitization efforts. The interview highlights M+'s role in redefining visual culture through diverse objects, from CD covers to digital art by Cao Fei and Ian Cheng.