********************************************************
The Hong Kong Museum of Art (MA) launched the Jockey Club "Museum of Art on Wheels" Outreach Learning Programme today (October 3) at the Art Square at Salisbury Garden to start a series of local outreach activities to be held during the MA's closure period.
This outreach learning programme is tailor-made for local primary and junior secondary students. Through the use of an art education truck, described as a "moving museum", the MA hopes to take artworks to campuses by touring different schools and communities.
Speaking at the launching ceremony, the Director of Leisure and Cultural Services, Ms Michelle Li, said that the MA was closed in early August this year for major renovation work, but the closure of the museum block has not put an end to its exhibitions and extension activities. During the period of temporary closure, the MA will meet the public through various new activities outside Tsim Sha Tsui. The first such programme is the Jockey Club "Museum of Art on Wheels" Outreach Learning Programme.
Ms Li said she hoped that the moving museum can help to spread appreciation of art to every corner of the territory and encourage students and the public to keep on joining the activities launched by the MA.
She thanked the Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust for being the major sponsor. With its dedicated support, the moving museum will be promoting art in different schools and communities in the coming three years. In addition, 10 local artists have been invited to organise creative activities to interact with students and the public. She also thanked the Hong Kong Society for Education in Art and the Hong Kong Design Institute for being the supporting organisations, and the artists participating in the art projects, without whom the attractiveness and education value of the moving museum cannot be enhanced.
Other officiating guests included the Head of Charities Projects at the Hong Kong Jockey Club, Ms Rhoda Chan; the Chairman of the Art Museum Advisory Panel, Mr Vincent Lo; the Vice-Principal (Academic) of the Hong Kong Design Institute, Mr Wallace Lam; the President of the Hong Kong Society for Education in Art, Ms Rowena Cheung; and the Museum Director of the MA, Miss Eve Tam.
The moving museum programme has been scheduled to run for three years with different themes each year. The theme of "Transformation" has been adopted for the first year, during which students will witness the process of turning ordinary objects from everyday life into works of art in an art laboratory setting through specially designed interactive games and replicas installed in the art truck. Museum docents will provide further guidance to help immerse the students in an exciting experience of art appreciation.
The content of the moving museum is built on four major categories in the MA collections, namely Chinese antiquities, Chinese fine art, Hong Kong art and historical pictures.
Fourteen primary and secondary schools have participated in the pilot scheme that commenced in the first school term of 2015/16. Interested schools can now enrol for the second term. The moving museum will also tour different communities to allow the public to join the programme.
Ten local artists will host projects online in the Facebook page of the "Museum of Art on Wheels" and organise workshops. Members of the public are welcome to take part. Please visit the MA website (hk.art.museum) or the "Museum of Art on Wheels" Facebook page for details.
Ends/Saturday, October 3, 2015
Issued at HKT 16:59
NNNN
