M. Chat Teams Up with Hotel Jen Hong Kong

Smiling cat mural in Western District brings happiness to Hong Kong

Hong Kong, March 21, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- In celebration of the fourth edition of Art Basel Hong Kong and Art Central 2016, Hotel Jen Hong Kong, in collaboration with Art Supermarket, announces and hosts an impressive new public street-art installation of M. Chat by the prolific French Swiss painter and street artist Thoma Vuille on its exterior wall.

M. Chat mural at Hotel Jen Hong Kong by French street-artist Thoma Vuille

M. Chat, also known as Monsieur Chat and Mr. Cat, is Vuille's iconic Cheshire cat-style street-art caricature. Vuille created an original mural reflecting key components of the Hotel Jen Hong Kong's stay experience and designed to support art, culture and community for the hotel's Hill Road facade.

The M. Chat installation is the hotel's first art initiative and is part of their wider campaign to get involved and give something back to the community. Created with the surrounding neighbourhood in mind, the hotel hopes to bring a positive sense of humour and spirit to the local community with fresh, approachable and engaging art.

"Hotel Jen Hong Kong is committed to inspiring experiences and discoveries," said David Preisig, the hotel's general manager. "We are dedicated to connecting travellers and the local community with the surrounding vibrant cultural landscapes of the Western District and Hong Kong," added Preisig. "M. Chat's bright colours, signature grin and motifs complement the persona of the hotel as a lover of life and adventure, of travel and discovery."

The M. Chat mural is painted on the hotel facade, around the 7th to 10th floors, facing Hill Road. It is about 13 metres high and wide, and positioned about 30 metres up from the ground.

"This installation is the highest painting I have ever done. And it is my first attempt to paint on bamboo scaffolding," said Vuille. "The M. Chat I created this time has wings, which depicts travel and self-discovery," added Vuille. "And most importantly, I hope M. Chat will bring a smile to everyone."

The extensive cat mural is currently on display and will remain on the facade until later this year. Guests, locals and passers-by are invited to see it via social media using the hashtag #MChat4HotelJen.

Notes to editors:

About Art Supermarket

Art is not just for people to appreciate from afar, but also to bring into their lives, to own. Art Supermarket is an unconventional art gallery with the ambition to bring excellent and original art into our daily lives. The gallery showcases a wide range of art works by emerging Asian and Western contemporary artists, and is known to be a forward-looking contributor to the Hong Kong arts scene. The gallery was founded in 2011 by its current director Michael Manzardo, and has occupied the same location since that time, on a lovely terrace in the heart of Hong Kong's Central district. Art Supermarket - Art for All.

About Thoma Vuille alias M. Chat

The French Swiss painter and street art artist, Thoma Vuille, was born in Switzerland in 1972. He is the creator of the iconic M. Chat ("Monsieur Chat", in English: "Mr. Cat"), a feline character which always smiles. M. Chat's wall paintings were discovered in the streets of Orleans (France) for the first time. Since then, Vuille has become M. Chat and gained rapid recognition and enormous popularity all over Europe and the United States for his M. Chat character. M. Chat started street art at 15 years old and came up with his cat idea in 1997 during a painting workshop in a school, where a little girl drew a cat. Amused and inspired, he decided to start painting his own cat, on roofs and chimneys. Slowly, he brings "these cats" down to the streets at eye level (currently, 60 wall paintings already in Paris). M. Chat aims to bring humanity and optimism through this humorous character into our cities. The artist depicts his cartoon silhouette in different styles, with wings sometimes, alone or in company with other creatures and with backgrounds. M. Chat has developed a strong identity through the simplicity of his artworks. M. Chat's street artworks, paintings on canvas and drawings can be seen in galleries and in public spaces all over the world, including France, Switzerland, Belgium, Spain, Balkan, Ukraine, Australia and the United States. Now, the smiling yellow cat makes a trip from Paris to Hong Kong for its first exhibition and live painting performances in Asia.

About Hotel Jen

Hotel Jen is a diverse collection of hotels in the best locations across Asia Pacific, with a unique brand of style and service delivery designed to appeal to a 'New Jeneration' of travellers.

The brand is the brainchild of virtual persona Jen, a professional hotelier and all-time lover of life, travel and discovery.

To guests, Hotel Jen delivers comfort, quality, convenience and value with a twist. Jen cares about what really matters to guests -- the important things done well; comfortable rooms and honest authentic service; respect, privacy and efficiency served without fuss or intrusion; cultural insights; interesting experiences; and fast, free reliable WiFi everywhere, always.

For more information and reservations, please contact a travel professional or access the Hotel Jen website at www.hoteljen.com.

About Hotel Jen's Chinese name

Today - Travel

Jen is a lover of life, fun, adventure and discovery, and wanted a Chinese name to reflect that. 'Jin' (today) is about the importance of living every day to its fullest, in the moment, and Lu (travel) represents the idea that life is about exploring new cultures, experiences and ways of being you.

Together, the characters inspire others to 'travel today', so why not be a little spontaneous? Jen can't wait to host you.

CONTACT:

Vanessa So
Marketing Communications Manager
Hotel Jen Hong Kong
508 Queen's Road West, Western District, Hong Kong
+852-2213-6666
vanessa.so@hoteljen.com

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