Kylie Ying (Qing Lan) is a prominent art collector, co-founding both ART021 Shanghai Contemporary Art Fair as well as JINGART, a showcase of modern and contemporary art in Beijing. She is dedicated to promoting contemporary art in China and remains a successful investor in many industries, including media, design, fashion and health care.

She became friends with Natalie and Lawrence Chu years ago when when Ying first became involved in the art world. They have all been active at art fairs in Hong Kong and mainland China, and they share many mutual friends. She said of Lawrence Chu that he would invariably appear at many different places at the center of art events, actively involved in these circles. At the VIP premieres of top art fairs in Shanghai or in London, they would frequently cross paths and then afterward head over to a nearby favourite restaurant to continue their discussions on art.

Ying says that she hasn't yet had a chance to visit Japan to see the Chu Residency at Tateyama due to the coronavirus pandemic in 2020. "I would definitely like to visit if I have a chance in the near future," she says.

Co-founder of ART021 and Shanghai-based patron of contemporary art, David Chau started collecting art in 2003 when he was still a student of art history in college. Since then, he has played an influential role in around the art ecosystem in China, starting many different initiatives and entities revolving – from the CC Foundation, which supports the development of emerging artists, and Art021 Shanghai Contemporary Art Fair. Chau supported the launch of the Antenna Space and Leo Xu Project, two of the most promising young galleries in China. Earlier this year, he has unveiled his latest project Immersive Art Gallery (IAG).

Having attended the same high school in Vancouver as Lawrence Chu, a few years apart, Chau shares a similar background. He has known Natalie and Lawrence Chu for many years, brought together by the same passion for art.

Chau praises the Chus' efforts and mission to support the art community: “I am totally loving it! What Lawrence is doing is a perfect example of what all true collectors should do; combining the love for art with a sense of social responsibility. Lawrence’s taste in art is exquisite. So is his mission with Chu Foundation."

Adrian Cheng is the Founder of K11 Art Foundation and K11 Group, a non-profit art foundation in China that supports local and international creative talents through the promotion of public art programmes and project initiatives. Over the years the foundation has partnered with international museums and institutions, including the Museum of Contemporary Art in, MoMA PS1 in New York, Centre Pompidou in Paris, and the Royal Academy of Arts in London. Adrian Cheng serves on the TATE Asia-Pacific Acquisitions Committee was recently named the first Global Ambassador of the Council of Fashion Designers of America.

We ask Cheng to choose works from The Art of Tomorrow that particularly resonate with him, to which he responded, “With such a great line-up of artworks, this is a challenging task! If I can only choose three, it would be George Baselitz, Liang Yuanwei, and Zhang Enli.”

When asked about the project in Tateyama, Cheng said, “Not only can residencies provide artists and designers with a wealth of resources and opportunities, such initiatives also serve as a platform for incubating exciting projects and emerging talents. I share this thought from seeing the success of our own projects at K11 Art Foundation, we where have created several Artist Residencies, both online and offline, most recently with Zhang Jian-Jun partnering with The Royal Academy of Arts in London.”

Alan Lo is co-founder of Michelin-starred Duddell’s Hong Kong. He’s a staunch supporter of the arts and cultural community in Hong Kong, Lo serves on a number of nonprofit and museum committees including Serpentine Galleries Asian Council, Tate Asia Pacific Acquisitions Committee and Para Site. Lo is a close friend of Lawrence and Natalie Chu, having met while they were still university students; the two young men were flat mates in London during the early aughts.

When asked about the role Chu Foundation is taking to create a creative community in Tateyama, Alan Lo was full of praise for the initiative and for the positive role of Hong Kong in contemporary art throughout Asia. “I think it’s great for a Hong Kong-based collector to initiate this residency,” Lo said. “It will activate the scene in Asia even more and hopefully more collector and patrons will join the bandwagon to support the art ecosystem.”