The experimental arts collective Zuni Icosahedron was founded in 1982 amid Hong Kong’s geopolitical shifts, named after a polyhedron signifying multi‑faceted, non‑hierarchical creativity. Over four decades, Zuni's trajectory has not just mirrored but interrogated the city’s transformation. In this talk, founder Danny Yung outlines a parallel history:

• The 1980s Inception: How the birth of Zuni coincided with the Sino-British Joint Declaration, sparking a search for a distinct “Hong Kong identity”;
• Institutional vs. Experimental: The tension between the city’s rapid infrastructural growth and the grassroots radicalism of the avant-garde;
• Dialectics of Space: How Zuni’s use of theatre and multimedia cross-border collaborations reflected the city’s changing borders and political realities;
• The Art of Asking: Moving beyond “answers” in art and politics. If the city is a stage, who is the audience, and who is the director?
• Tian Tian’s “Looking Up” Philosophy: To navigate the city's transition from colonial port to global hub, and a call to embrace “blank canvases” for constant, restless inquiry;
• The Future of the Polyhedron: A reflection on experimental art in a global digital age, and the “Hong Kong model” of cultural development as a case study for cities worldwide.

Through archival visuals and personal anecdotes, Yung frames Hong Kong not just as a financial hub, but as a living laboratory for experimental practice and institutional critique.

Danny Yung 榮念曾 is a pioneering experimental artist and co-founder/co-artistic director of the Hong Kong arts collective Zuni Icosahedron. His interdisciplinary work spans theatre, dance, film, video, installation, and conceptual art. Since 1997 he has launched several cultural and arts networks such as Asia Arts Net and the Asia Performing Arts Network. He has received major honors including the Fukuoka Prize (2014), Germany’s Order of Merit (2009), UNESCO's International Theatre Institute's Music Theatre NOW Award (2008), and the HKADC Award for Outstanding Contribution in Arts (2022).

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• DATE: Thursday, May 28, 2026
• TIME: 09:45-11:15
• LOCATION: BIG-Hörsaal, University of Vienna, Main Building, Universitätsring 1 (Hof 1, Tiefparterre)