The Hari Prize 2026 has been won by Hong Kong artist Man Mei To, impressing the judges with her sculpture entitled Curly Breathing I.
Artist Man Mei To has won this year’s The Hari Art Prize for her abstract sculpture titled Curly Breathing I, taking home a HKD100,000 cash award.
Made of African padauk wood, oil and stainless steel, her artwork impressed the judging panel with its intriguing exploration of the body’s relationship with the surrounding world.
“Man’s vulnerable, organic forms comment on fragility and resilience amid forces beyond our control,” said Dr. Aron Harilela, CEO and chairman of Harilela Hotels Limited and founder of The Hari Hong Kong.
“The work speaks to the perpetual flow of life, tracing cycles of transformation, survival and healing, while inviting viewers to reconnect with the unseen rhythms within the body.”
Almost 700 Hong Kong-based self-taught artists and recent art graduates applied for the third annual art prize, the highest number of applicants for the art prize yet.
The Hari Hong Kong announced the winners at a special award ceremony on April 16. The cash award was donated by Dr. Aron Harilela.
Katrina Leigh Mendoza Raimann and Ailsa Wong were named runners-up for their burlap, wool and cotton yarn piece named Small Stepping (2022) and archival inkjet print on paper Lightning, respectively.
“Inspired by moss observed along a river during an afternoon walk, Katrina’s artwork is captivating, with flowing forms that feel calm yet slightly unpredictable,” Dr. Aron Harilela said.
“Made entirely by hand using embroidery, knotting and tufting techniques, the work features a compelling, soft, carpet-like surface with gentle curves and waves.”
“Ailsa’s work is fascinating for its shifting, atmospheric composition,” he added.
“The work moves between clarity and dissolution, unfolding as a fluid, fragmented field rather than settling into a single point of focus. It proposes painting not as representation, but as a site where sensation, memory, and movement briefly converge before dispersing again.”
The runners-up were each awarded a two-day, one-night Corner Room Package at The Hari Hong Kong, inclusive of daily breakfast and a dining experience for two at Italian restaurant Lucciola or modern Japanese restaurant Zoku.
In addition to the winners, other finalists were Alonso Odria, Anastasia Fabritskaya, Anton Poon, Brendan Fitzpatrick, Camille Benoit, Chengxuan Xie, Enna Cheung, Jennifer Yue, Kiefer Cheung, Kitty Ng, Lily Cheung, Lo Lai Lai Natalie, Rivian Cheung, Sze Wai Wong and Tobe Kan.
The prize’s judging panel included Dr. Harilela, A Space For Art’s founder and director Charlie Smedley, Ben Brown Fine Arts’ managing director Amanda Hon, CHANEL's Head of Arts and Culture, North Asia Anqi Li, TASCHEN’s Asia retail director Frankie Ho, and White Cube gallery’s managing director of Asia Wendy Xu. The art prize is held in collaboration with London-based art advisory A Space For Art.
The Hari Hong Kong is showcasing a selection of the finalists’ artworks until October. The winners’ artwork, including Man Mei To’s soft clay installation When the Center Point is Lost (2021), Ailsa Wong’s digital printing Hopping (2022), and Katrina Leigh Mendoza Raimann’s mixed-media textile work Head nor Tail (2022), as well as Kitty Ng’s oil on linen 15 West, 21/02/2022, 17:16, 21/03/2022, 18:50, Cheungxuan Xie’s oil, acrylic and charcoal on canvas Donkey: Never see a flying angel (2026), Brendan Fitzpatrick’s painting In Silver, Enna Cheung’s soft-ground etching Sunlit Lovers (2026), Lily Cheung’s oil and embroidery artwork Chartres Garden, and Tobe Kan’s acrylic and oil pastel on canvas Betwixt/Arcane2 (2025) are among the artworks to be displayed in the hotel. Camille Benoit’s paper art Medusa From Above (2025), Kiefer Cheung’s abstract photography Flow of Life (2025), Rivian Cheung’s sculpture Trial Piece C60St90>C100St50, Anastasia Fabritskaya’s sculpture Lama’s Hand (2024), Anton Poon’s casted bronze Mahjong Bridge (2014) and Jennifer Yue Yuen Yu’s installation The Lightness of Water are also on display.
The art hotel is adorned with an incredible roster of artwork curated by A Space for Art. Making for a gateway to art and culture, the hotel offers The Hari Art Prize and The Hari Chronicles, an ongoing series of conversations about art, design, culture and Hong Kong.
More news here.
