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The following is issued on behalf of the Legislative Council Secretariat:
The Legislative Council (LegCo) Secretariat issued a press statement today (June 3) confirming that it has received a piece of artwork from the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China (the Hong Kong Alliance). The artwork will be temporarily kept by the Secretariat on loan basis, pending a decision to be made by The Legislative Council Commission (the Commission) next Thursday (June 11) on whether the artwork should be retained by the Commission for display on LegCo premises.
Secretary General of the LegCo Secretariat, Ms Pauline Ng, said that at present donation or loan of artwork to LegCo is being handled on a case-by-case basis, pending a decision on the policy or guidelines on the acquisition of works of art. The Commission has set up a Committee on Art to propose policy or guidelines on the acquisition of works of art for the new LegCo Complex for the consideration of the Commission.
During the preliminary discussion on the proposals submitted by the Committee on Art, it was generally accepted among Commission members that the artworks acquired should reflect the dignity, solemnity, function and ideals of the Legislature. In determining the long-term art acquisition policy, which includes commissioning of art pieces and acceptance of donated works, the Commission will make reference to practices of other legislatures and may conduct public consultation.
Pending a decision to be made by the Commission on the art acquisition policy, all artworks intended to be donated to LegCo would only be kept on a loan basis and be returned after a certain period of time. This was a decision made by the Commission in 2001 when a member of the public offered to donate some Chinese paintings to LegCo. After discussion, the Commission decided to receive the paintings on loan basis. The paintings were then kept by the Secretariat for some time and had now been returned to the donor.
Ms Ng said the artwork presented by the Hong Kong Alliance to the Secretariat today will be kept by the Secretariat temporarily and on a loan basis until the Commission has made a decision to retain or otherwise for a specified period.
¡§The representative of the Hong Kong Alliance has signed a statement of undertaking which clearly states that the Commission, all LegCo Members and Secretariat staff are not liable to any damage or loss that may be caused to the artwork during the period when it is kept by the LegCo Secretariat. Whilst the Commission will not be responsible for the repair and maintenance of the artwork, the Secretariat will ensure that it is handled with great care,¡¨ she added.
Ends/Wednesday, June 3, 2009
Issued at HKT 21:41
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