MoMA New York and M+ Hong Kong Form a Major Partnership to Share Resources and Expertise

The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York and M+ in Hong Kong have signed an agreement to work together on exhibitions, research, and staff development.

This is the first time MoMA has made this kind of partnership with a museum in Asia.

The goal is to create new opportunities for both institutions and bring contemporary art to more people.

Two Museums Come Together for a New Collaboration

The deal took over a year of discussions before it was finalized.

MoMA and M+ will now collaborate on six areas: curatorial research, conservation, collection management, artwork loans, exhibition planning, and sustainability practices.

In other words, the museums will collaborate on joint exhibitions, exchange artworks, train staff, and improve how they care for their collections.

The signing ceremony was held at MoMA in New York, and MoMA director Glenn Lowry, M+ director Suhanya Raffel, and West Kowloon Cultural District Authority (WKCDA) CEO Betty Fung attended.

Since both museums bring different strengths to the table, this partnership is expected to bring fresh ideas and valuable resources.

M+ Faces Financial Challenges and Seeks New Solutions

M+ officially opened to the public in 2021 and quickly became one of Hong Kong’s most important museums.

It holds a large collection of contemporary Chinese and Asian art, including works donated by Swiss collector Uli Sigg.

Although the museum has been successful in attracting visitors, it is also facing financial difficulties.

According to Betty Fung, M+ is struggling with rising operational costs, which has put pressure on its financial stability.

The WKCDA recently reported a deficit of HK$578 million for the 2023/24 period, adding to concerns about future funding.

Furthermore, Hong Kong’s $2.75 billion arts endowment, established in 2008, may not be enough to sustain the museum in the long run.

During the 2022–23 period, M+ recorded 2.7 million visitors, while another museum in the district, also managed by WKCDA, welcomed 1.25 million visitors.

Even though these numbers are strong, ticket sales and other revenue sources have not been enough to cover all of the museum’s expenses.

For that reason, working with MoMA could help M+ in several ways.

MoMA has been around for almost a century and has developed strong methods for securing funding and engaging donors.

Since MoMA has a lot of experience in running a major museum, M+ hopes to learn from its approach to financial management and audience growth.

MoMA Expands Its Presence in Asia

On the other hand, this partnership is also beneficial for MoMA, as it gives the New York-based museum a stronger presence in Asia.

Hong Kong is a major financial center and is often compared to cities like New York and London.

However, its museum scene is still growing, and MoMA sees this as an opportunity to be part of that development.

According to MoMA director Glenn Lowry, the agreement will allow both museums to develop new exhibition ideas and find new ways to engage with audiences.

He explained that MoMA and M+ will exchange knowledge, which will help more people experience and appreciate contemporary art.

M+ director Suhanya Raffel also spoke about why partnerships like this matter.

She pointed out that museums cannot work in isolation, especially when trying to reach a global audience.

She also mentioned that working with international institutions helps museums deal with common challenges, such as limited resources and the need to attract more visitors.

In addition to that, agreements like this one make it easier for museums to share important artworks and collaborate on research projects.

M+ Expands Its Global Network

This new agreement is not the first time M+ has worked with other museums around the world.

Over the past year, M+ has signed agreements with more than 20 institutions from different countries.

Some of the most well-known ones include the Centre Pompidou in France, the Tate in the United Kingdom, the National Art Center in Tokyo, and the Qatar Museums.

These collaborations have helped M+ bring important exhibitions to Hong Kong, exchange artworks with top institutions, and build a stronger reputation in the global art world.

Even though M+ has already partnered with several leading museums, officials believe the MoMA agreement is the most extensive.

Upcoming Exhibitions at M+

The MoMA partnership is also expected to connect with some of M+’s upcoming exhibitions.

Next month, M+ will open a Pablo Picasso exhibition featuring more than 60 works on loan from the Musée Picasso Paris.

The exhibition will also include 80 works from M+’s collection by artists from Asia and the Asian diaspora.

Later this year, M+ will present a large exhibition on the Chinese-French painter Zao Wou-Ki.

More than 200 of his works will be included, one of the most comprehensive surveys of his art ever displayed.

Since MoMA has a long history of organizing large-scale exhibitions, working with the museum could help M+ expand its exhibition programs and reach new audiences.

A Strong Partnership for the Future

This agreement brings two important museums together to share resources, ideas, and collections.

Through collaboration, they will develop new exhibitions, train their staff, and improve how they manage and preserve their artworks.

M+ is still a young museum, but with the support of an established institution like MoMA, it has the potential to grow into one of the world’s leading museums for contemporary art.

At the same time, MoMA will build stronger connections in Asia and expand its audience in the region.

Since both institutions will benefit from this partnership, many in the art world will be paying attention to how this collaboration works in future exhibitions and research.