In collaboration with Arts in Hong Kong, renowned Hong Kong Artist Ellen Pau Lights Up Toronto City Hall in Her First Canadian Installation at Nuit Blanche 2025

This monumental projection titled Eye of Wisdom transforms the downtown core into a love letter to the city

TORONTO, Oct. 02, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Internationally celebrated Hong Kong media artist Ellen Pau will make her Toronto debut October 4 at Nuit Blanche 2025 with Eye of Wisdom. Presented by Arts in Hong Kong, this monumental projection transforms Toronto’s West City Hall facade and the downtown core into a radiant love letter to the city, expressed through light, gesture, and language.

The project, co-commissioned by the Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) and the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office (HKETO), will be projected across the 260-foot West Tower of Toronto City Hall. The core themes of the sutra, light and darkness, form and emptiness, resonate deeply with Nuit Blanche’s 2025 theme Translating the City, while illuminating Toronto’s skyline with Pau’s signature vision of care and connection.

“The Hong Kong Tourism Board is proud to support Ellen Pau’s Canadian debut with Eye of Wisdom at Nuit Blanche Toronto,” says Becky Ip, Deputy Executive Director, Hong Kong Tourism Board. “As one of Hong Kong’s most celebrated media artists, Pau embodies the spirit of innovation and cultural exchange that defines our city. Her debut at Toronto City Hall shines a light on Hong Kong’s spirit of creativity and global connection. We invite Canadians to come and explore Hong Kong, a vibrant hub of arts and culture, where you can discover dynamic art experiences.”

Eye of Wisdom is a digital performance work that intertwines the sign language of heart sutra, light reactive animation and AI models. Adapted from its 2022 original The Shape of Light on the M+ Facade in Hong Kong, this version responds to the setting in Toronto’s City Hall and the former location of its first settlement of the diaspora communities. The work was inspired by the eye-shape architecture of the Toronto City Hall, and Heart Sūtra, a central scripture in Buddhism. Pau has described the M+ façade as “like a lighthouse overlooking the sea, a guardian shining a light to all travellers and homecomers.” Eye of Wisdom offers a message of hope and guidance, acting like a reflection and connection from Hong Kong to the diasporic communities of Toronto, who have deep roots in other parts of the world. It reflects the deep connections between the two cities, crossing time, distance and the experience of being far from home.

Hong Kong: A Global Art Hub

Ellen Pau’s Toronto debut underscores Hong Kong’s place on the world stage as a leading centre for contemporary art. Each spring, the city celebrates Art Month in March, when international fairs such as Art Basel Hong Kong and Art Central converge with gallery openings, museum exhibitions, and city-wide cultural programs. Anchoring much of this activity is the West Kowloon Cultural District, a harbourfront hub that has rapidly become one of the world’s most dynamic arts neighbourhoods. Home to M+, the Hong Kong Palace Museum, and a vibrant mix of performance and public art venues, West Kowloon symbolizes the city’s role as a meeting point of East and West. It is within this cultural ecosystem that Pau has developed her groundbreaking practice, and through projects like The Shape of Light, Hong Kong continues to foster exchange between artists, audiences, and cities worldwide.

Eye of Wisdom

Curated by Charlene K. Lau within the Nuit Blanche exhibition zone Poetic Justice, Eye of Wisdom transforms the healing and spiritual properties of light into a popular scripture in Buddhism, the Heart Sūtra. The projection mapping signs a love letter from Hong Kong to Toronto, speaking to the historical links across time and distance.

“Ellen Pau is one of the most important media artists working today,” says Charlene K. Lau, curator of Poetic Justice Zone at Nuit Blanche 2025. “Bringing her to Toronto for the first time is not only an artistic milestone, but also a moment of connection for the city’s diverse communities. Eye of Wisdom speaks to the power of art to bridge language, culture, and memory.”

Nuit Blanche 2025

Nuit Blanche Toronto takes place overnight from Saturday, October 4 at 7 p.m. to Sunday, October 5 at 7 a.m., transforming the city with more than 80 projects by local, national, and international artists. This year’s city-wide theme, Translating the City, is envisioned by Artistic Director Laura Nanni. Pau’s Eye of Wisdom will be projected onto Toronto City Hall as part of Poetic Justice, one of three major exhibition zones across the city.

For more information on Nuit Blanche 2025, including the full program, visit Toronto.ca/NuitBlanche

For media images, visit HERE.

IMAGE CREDITS: Screening of Ellen Pau’s The Shape of Light on the M+ Facade, 2022. Commissioned by M+ and Art Basel, 2022. © Ellen Pau. Photo: Lok Cheng, M+, Hong Kong

VIDEO CREDIT: Moving Image Studio, M+, Hong Kong

About Ellen Pau
Born in 1961 in Hong Kong, Ellen Pau, is a self-taught media artist-curator and professional medical radiographer for over 30 years. In 1986, she co-founded Videotage, one of Asia's earliest video artist collectives and was the co-founder and chair of the Microwave International New Media Arts Festival. In 2001, Pau represented Hong Kong at the 49^th Venice Biennaleand has also participated in Asia Pacific Triennial, Shanghai Biennale, Gwangju Biennale, transmediale and Sharjah Biennial, among others.

About the Hong Kong Tourism Board
The Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) is a statutory government-subvented body tasked with marketing and promoting Hong Kong as a travel destination worldwide and enhancing visitors’ experience. HKTB focuses on showcasing Hong Kong’s dynamic blend of East-meets-West culture, world-class culinary scene, vibrant city life, and unforgettable festivals. Through partnerships, events, and strategic campaigns, HKTB aims to inspire travel, strengthen cultural connections, and position Hong Kong as Asia’s must-visit destination

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