The Hong Kong Arts Development Council, or the art watchdog, has asked for the large scale lighting display to be removed.
The exhibit which is part of an interactive show featuring architectural LED lighting designs on the exterior wall on Hong Kong’s tallest building at the International Commerce Center tower, was supposed to run from May 18-June 22, 2016.
The artists Lam and Wong changed the display’s name last minute to Countdown 2047, without receiving the council’s approval.
Hong Kong’s arts watchdog has ordered a light show on the countdown to 2047 removed for an unauthorized name change.
The six minute lighting show features LED lights lighting up on different floors of the 108 story building every minute, and counts down to 2047 when the “one country, two systems” political system expires.
The current political system was the basis for Hong Kong’s 1997 handover to China, added the report.
The artists expected the lighting project would be rejected by the council, due to the political undertones, said Wong.
He had decided to name the lighting installation “one-minute friendship” so it could pass censorship, and the meaning of the countdown was intended to be implicit.
The artists expected the display to be dismantled by the government after they unveiled the concealed meaning to media last week.
