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An exhibition organised by the Hong Kong Museum of Art will provide the public with a rare opportunity to view some 270 artefacts carefully selected from the British Museum.
Running from September 14 to December 2, "Treasures of the World's Cultures from the British Museum" features about 270 artefacts covering a vast span of time from two million years ago to the present day. They include sculptures, ceramics, wood carvings, jewellery, drawings and prints selected to give visitors a glimpse of the diversified arts and cultures of ancient Egypt, Rome, Greece, the Middle East, Africa, India, Japan, Korea, America and Oceania.
Highlight items include an Egyptian wooden mummy-board "The Unlucky Mummy" of early 22nd Dynasty dated about 945 BC; a 13th century Egyptian brass "Astrolabe" with silver inlay, a marble Roman statue of Dionysos of 2nd century; a "Queen's lyre" of about 2600-2400 BC found in the Royal Cemetery at Ur; a walrus ivory chess-piece made in about 1150-1200 and found in Scotland, a portrait-head of Euripides, the leading playwright of Classical Athens, and a nude man drawing by Leonardo da Vinci.
Speaking at a press conference today (September 5), the Director of Leisure and Cultural Services, Mr Thomas Chow, said over the years, the Hong Kong Museum of Art had been closely working with world-renowned museums on introducing the most remarkable collections to visitors.
"These exhibitions were highly popular but they were also costly. The fulfilment of our objective would not have been possible without the generous support and sponsorship from the public and the private sectors. This time we are happy to receive generous sponsorship from Champion Technology Holdings Limited, Jardine Matheson Group, Prudential Corporation Asia, Standard Chartered Bank (Hong Kong) Limited and Swire Pacific Limited, for which we are most grateful," Mr Chow said.
The exhibition is jointly presented by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department and the Trustees of the British Museum, organised by the Hong Kong Museum of Art and the British Museum, and supported by the British Consulate-General, Hong Kong, and the British Council. It is one of the highlight programmes to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the establishment of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.
Other officiating guests at today's press conference included the British Consul-General, Hong Kong, Mr Stephen Bradley, the Head of Arts and Creative Industries, British Council, Hong Kong, Ms Doris Fong, the Public Affairs Committee Member of Chinese World Cultural Heritage Foundation, Champion Technology Holdings Limited, Mr Gary Choy, the Head of Group Corporate Affairs, Jardine Matheson Limited, Ms Esther Wong, the Chief Operating Officer of Prudential Corporate Asia, Mr Tony Wilkey, the Chief Operating Officer of Standard Chartered Bank (Hong Kong) Limited, Mrs Bethy Tam, and the Director of John Swire and Sons (H.K.) Limited, Mr Robert Cutler.
To enhance viewers' appreciation of the exhibition, an education gallery will be set up with introductory text, books and interesting activities. Audio guides, free public guided tours, video programmes, workshop and an exhibition web-kit will also be organised during the exhibition period.
In addition, a curator from the British Museum and local scholars have been invited to give lectures introducing the rich collection of British Museum and the stories behind the relics. Details are available on the Museum of Art's website.
A fully illustrated catalogue and a booklet will be published for sale at the Gift Shop of the Museum of Art.
The Museum of Art is located at 10 Salisbury Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon. It opens from 10am to 6pm from Sunday to Wednesday and Fridays, and from 10am to 8pm on Saturdays. It is closed on Thursdays (except public holidays). Admission for the "Treasures of the World's Cultures from the British Museum" exhibition will be $30. A half-price concession is available for senior citizens aged 60 or above, full-time students and people with disabilities. "Free Admission on Wednesdays" and the Museum Weekly Pass are not applicable to this exhibition.
For details of the exhibition, visit the Museum of Art's website at http://hk.art.museum. For enquiries, call 2721 0116.
Ends/Wednesday, September 5, 2007
Issued at HKT 16:31
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