To celebrate the 20th anniversary of the establishment of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and the 55th anniversary of the Hong Kong Museum of Art, external stairways in various districts will be decorated with motifs of four-seasons flowers sourced from the Museum of Art's collection from March to December, enabling members of the public to experience and enjoy the pleasure of art and nature in their daily lives.

     The outdoor art project "City Dress Up: Blossoming Stairs" is presented by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department and organised by the Hong Kong Museum of Art. The launch ceremony of the project was held today (April 5) at the Piazza of the Hong Kong Cultural Centre.

     Speaking at the ceremony, the Secretary for Home Affairs, Mr Lau Kong-wah said that the art project has selected famous paintings and artefacts with flower motifs from the collection of the Hong Kong Museum of Art to decorate 20 external stairways located at 14 recreational and cultural venues in Hong Kong in a creative way. The decorations of the stairs will be changed each season from now to December, allowing visitors to view a total of 80 different designs across the four seasons.

      The artworks selected for decorating the stairways cover a great variety of works including traditional Chinese paintings, historical pictures from the 19th century, contemporary art pieces and antiquities such as textiles, lacquer ware and bamboo carvings. The external stairways which are now decorated with the theme of spring will have their decoration changed in May, July and September.

     To encourage public engagement, the Hong Kong Museum of Art has liaised with the Make A Difference Institute and the Arts with the Disabled Association Hong Kong to conduct art education programmes and workshops. Activities and guided tours specially designed for the disabled will also be organised to promote harmony and integration in the community.

     In addition, the Museum of Art is calling for floral photos to create a modern floral scroll with the help of members of the public. Participants are invited to like the "Blossoming Stairs" Facebook page and upload a flower-themed photo on the comment of the post. The 10 most-liked photos before the deadline will win the campaign. Winners will receive a "Blossoming Stairs Seed Pack". The deadline is at 12 noon on April 30. The campaign will launch again in the other three seasons.

     Furthermore, the Museum also invites members of the public to post any photos about "Blossoming Stairs", e.g., workshops, staircases and flowers on Facebook page and Instagram and hashtag #Blossomingstairs. The Museum will select some of the public photos and repost them on the project's website: blossomingstairs.hk.

      Other officiating guests at the launch ceremony included the Chairman of the Museum Advisory Committee, Mr Stanley Wong; the Chairman of the Art Sub-committee of the Museum Advisory Committee, Mr Vincent Lo; the Chair of the Make A Difference Institute, Ms Ada Wong; the Vice Chairperson of the Arts with the Disabled Association Hong Kong, Ms Grace Cheng; the Director of the Leisure and Cultural Services, Ms Michelle Li, and the Museum Director of the Hong Kong Museum of Art, Miss Eve Tam.

     For details of the "City Dress Up: Blossoming Stairs" and education programmes, please visit the website: blossomingstairs.hk, the Facebook page (www.facebook.com/blossomingstairs) or call 27210116.

Ends/Wednesday, April 5, 2017
Issued at HKT 16:25

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