Whispers of Stone: Hong Kong Artists Showcase Immersive Art at Echigo-Tsumari Festival in Japan

2025-07-18 15:00 Last Updated At：15:08

Hong Kong House at Echigo-Tsumari Art Field 2025 to stage in Tsunan, Japan, from tomorrow

The Hong Kong House at the Echigo-Tsumari Art Field 2025 – The Whispers of Stone, organised by the Art Promotion Office (APO) of the Leisure and Cultural Services Department, will be staged in Tsunan, Niigata Prefecture, Japan, from tomorrow (July 19) until November 9. This year's Hong Kong artists of the exhibition, Chris Cheung and Sim Shum, create a whimsical space using water stones as a medium, alongside sound, light and painting, combining the ancient legend of "The Talking Stone of Weiyu" about "speaking stones" from the Spring and Autumn period. The exhibition intertwines the themes of nature and humanity in an art space of sight and sound, offering audiences an immersive sensory experience of the environment.

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Hong Kong House at Echigo-Tsumari Art Field 2025 to stage in Tsunan, Japan, from tomorrow Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

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Hong Kong House at Echigo-Tsumari Art Field 2025 to stage in Tsunan, Japan, from tomorrow Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

The Echigo-Tsumari Art Triennale, held every three years, is one of the world's largest international outdoor art festivals. With the support of the Tsunan Town Government and in collaboration with the Echigo-Tsumari Art Triennale Executive Committee and the NPO Echigo-Tsumari Satoyama Collaborative Organization, the APO has launched the Hong Kong House in Tsunan, Niigata Prefecture, Japan, since 2018, serving as a platform for artist residencies, exchanges and exhibitions.

Cheung and Shum were deeply touched by the uniquely shaped water stones of the Shinano River in Echigo-Tsumari, and their art works whisper the stories found in the lyrics of folk songs from the two places, diffusing emotions and memories. They referenced Morse code to develop a language system for the water stones and created the ink art work "The Ode of Stone" and the light installation "The Shades of Stones", facilitating interaction with audiences. The other two installations, "The Book of Stones" and "The Blessings of Stone" draw inspiration from the Japanese garden design concept "Suikinkutsu" and sacred stones.

The artists will also organise workshops to guide participants in creating a light installation, projecting their inner thoughts into the space through light and shadows.

In addition, the activity collaborator, Make A Difference Institute, will organise a community-based food culture project "Minna no Tsukemono", inviting participants to taste preserved foods from around the world.

For details of the exhibition, please visit the APO's website www.apo.hk/en/web/apo/there_hkh2025_the_whispers_of_stone.html, or Hong Kong House's Facebook at www.facebook.com/apo.hkhouse and Instagram at www.instagram.com/hongkonghouse.

Nestlé Hong Kong Recalls Additional Infant Formula Over Bacillus Cereus Contamination Concerns

CFS to follow up certain batches of powdered infant and young children formula with possible presence of Cereulide produced by Bacillus cereus

The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) today (January 10) said that, it took initiative to meet with Nestlé Hong Kong again today, and confirmed the company's today announcement of an additional batch of powdered infant and young children formula suspected to have possibly used the raw material concerned. Nestlé Hong Kong has voluntarily stopped sales, removed from shelves the affected products and has initiated a precautionary recall. The CFS has collected samples of powdered infant and young children formula from the market for Bacillus cereus testing, the test results so far were satisfactory. The Environmental and Ecology Bureau is also closely monitoring the supply situation of other formula milk powder and maintaining communication with other major suppliers. It is noted that there is sufficient formula milk powder to meet the demand.

The spokesman said, the CFS has been actively following up on Nestlé company's voluntary and precautionary recalls of certain batches of its powdered infant and young children formula in certain areas in Europe due to possible presence of Cereulide produced by Bacillus cereus in the individual raw material. According to the latest information from Nestlé Hong Kong today, an additional batch of its powdered infant and young children formula imported into Hong Kong might have used the raw material concerned. The CFS had earlier enhanced surveillance in the market and collected a sample from the above batch for testing of Bacillus cereus. The test result of the sample was satisfactory. Nevertheless, as a precautionary measure, Nestlé Hong Kong has voluntarily stopped sales, removed from shelves the affected products and has initiated a precautionary recall.

Product details are as follows:

Product name (Net weight): NAN PRO 1 2 HMO (800g)

Batch number: 51670742F2

Best-before date: June 16, 2027

Place of Origin: Germany

"The CFS met Nestlé Hong Kong again today, urging them to properly handle the product recall issue and respond to public enquiries, in order to safeguard consumers' legitimate rights and interests. In addition, the CFS and Nestlé Hong Kong have jointly followed up, six suspected affected batches of infant and young children formula products that had not entered the market were marked and sealed. An additional 15 batches are currently en route to Hong Kong and will also be marked and sealed upon arrival. The CFS will continue to closely monitor the recall matters and remain fully committed to ensuring food safety, " the spokesman said.

Nestlé Hong Kong has initiated a recall of the affected batches of the products concerned. For enquiries about the recall, members of the public may contact the company through the following channels:

Consumer services hotline: 2599 8874 / 2797 6031/ 2179 8136 (Monday to Sunday, 9am to 9pm)

Email: consumerservices@hk.nestle.com

WhatsApp: 5283 4139 (NESTLÉ® NAN®) / 2599 8871 (Wyeth® Nutrition)

Online form: forms.office.com/e/BhqMhWfsUG?origin=lprLink

Consumers may choose to bring along the products (brand new or opened) for refund at place of purchase, or at exclusive service counters of Nestlé Nutrition Services from January 13 (Tuesday) onwards, to settle the recall and refund of the batches of the products concerned. Details of the exclusive service counters are as follows:

Kowloon Services Counter

Address: G/F, Park Hovan Commercial Building, 18 Hillwood Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon (MTR Jordon Station Exit D)

Contact number: 3996 8196

Office hour: Monday to Saturday, 11am to 7.30pm; Sunday, 1pm to 5.30pm (except public holidays)

Hong Kong Services Counter

Address: 1/F, Ka Nin Wah Commercial Building, 423-425 Hennessy Road, Hong Kong (MTR Causeway Bay Station Exit B)

Contact number: 3996 8197

Office hour: Monday to Saturday, 11am to 7.30pm (except Sundays and public holidays)

The CFS, through its Food Incident Surveillance System, noted earlier that certain batches of Nestlé powdered infant formula were being voluntarily recalled in Europe due to possible contamination with Bacillus cereus. Upon learning of the incident, the CFS has immediately initiated follow up actions, published food incident posts to inform the public and the trade about the issue, and has been actively following up on the incident and enhanced surveillance.

Over the past three days (as of 4pm on January 9), the FEHD received a total of 18 food complaints and enquiries suspected to be related to the infant and young children formula products, including one anonymous complaint without contact information. The CFS and the Environmental Hygiene Branch have promptly followed up on all cases, including contacting the parties concerned to obtain details and collecting samples for testing. In addition, the CFS has referred the cases to the health department for follow-up. At present, no food poisoning cases related to the formula have been recorded.

Bacillus cereus is commonly found in the environment. Unhygienic conditions in food processing and storage may give rise to its growth. Cereulide is a heat-stable toxin produced in food by some strains of Bacillus cereus. Consuming food contaminated with excessive Bacillus cereus or its heat-stable toxins may cause gastrointestinal upset such as vomiting and diarrhoea.

The spokesman urged members of the public not to let infants and young children consume the affected batches of the products, and to seek medical treatment for infants or young children who felt unwell after taking the products concerned. The trade should also stop using or selling the affected batches of the products immediately.

"The CFS continues to closely monitor the developments of the situation, follow up and take appropriate action," the spokesman said.

Whispers of Stone: Hong Kong Artists Showcase Immersive Art at Echigo-Tsumari Festival in Japan

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