Heidi Lau and Wong Ping Take the Sigg Prize 2025
Heidi Lau and Wong Ping push the boundaries of contemporary art, from ceramics steeped in ritual to darkly playful video worlds.
Hong Kong’s M+ museum has named Heidi Lau and Wong Ping joint winners of the Sigg Prize 2025, marking the first time the award has recognised two artists in the same edition. Their works, alongside four other shortlisted artists, are on view in The Studio at M+, free to visit until 4 January 2026.
Lau and Wong could hardly be more different. Lau’s Pavilion Procession (2025) is a large-scale installation of ceramic sculptures featuring a kinetic spider of clay and mechanical parts. Inspired by ancient Shanhaijing mythologies and personal experiences of grief, her work transforms mourning into a shared, ritualistic encounter, marrying emotional depth with meticulous craftsmanship.
Wong Ping’s Debts in the Wind (2025), by contrast, is a playful video installation in a miniature theatre adorned with artificial turf, hairy golf balls, and a flagpole. His whimsical, darkly humorous storytelling blends fantastical elements with sharp observation of contemporary life, inviting viewers into layered, imaginative narratives.
The Sigg Prize jury highlighted both artists’ distinctive approaches:
“Heidi Lau’s Procession Pavilion manifests visceral energy and intricate references to mythology and hybridity… Wong Ping’s Debts in the Wind creates a whimsical mise en scène… a sophisticated blend of mesmerising visuals and dark humour that informs his acute observation and sensitivity to mundane life.”
Suhanya Raffel, Museum Director of M+ and chair of the Sigg Prize, commented:
“Heidi Lau and Wong Ping, in their own compelling ways, demonstrate bold possibilities for expression through their distinctive use of medium and mature artistic languages, offering profound insights into the complexities of our shared experience.”
Both artists spoke of the personal resonance of the award. Lau said:
“I am deeply humbled that my work in the Sigg Prize 2025 exhibition resonates with the jury and audiences in Hong Kong and beyond… Winning the prize signals a new chapter in my artistic practice, and it has inspired me to keep pushing the boundaries.”
Wong Ping reflected:
“Making art often means facing unease, uncertainty, and ambiguity. Winning the Sigg Prize feels like a soothing remedy… It calmed my mind just enough to let me step into the next unknown with boldness.”
The exhibition also features works by the other shortlisted artists — Bi Rongrong, Ho Rui An, Hsu Chia-Wei, and Pan Daijing — each exploring contemporary life through installation, sound, moving image, and immersive experiences. Together, they showcase the diversity, inventiveness, and international relevance of Greater China’s contemporary art scene.
The Sigg Prize, established in 2018 by M+, celebrates outstanding artists from Greater China and its diasporas, offering both recognition and a total cash prize of HKD 1,000,000. Lau and Wong will each receive HKD 300,000, while shortlisted artists receive HKD 100,000. Past winners include Samson Young (2019) and Wang Tuo (2023).
Exhibition: Sigg Prize 2025, The Studio, M+, Hong Kong. Free entry until 4 January 2026.
Website: https://mplus.org.hk/
Elena Leo is the Arts & Lifestyle Editor of Ikon London Magazine.