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The Leisure and Cultural Services Department's Hong Kong Museum of Art is organising an exhibition on the theme of reviewing the development of Hong Kong art. Entitled "Contemporary Hong Kong Art 2000", the exhibition will be held at the Museum from December 1, 2000 to December 27, 2000.

This exhibition is one of the programmes of the "Celebration of Hong Kong Performing Arts: A Tribute to the New Millennium". Four Honorary Advisors of the Museum Mr Van Lau, Mr Wucius Wong, Mr Kan Tai-keung and Mr Leung Kui-ting have been invited as the Guest Curator of the exhibition. Together with the Curator (Modern Art) of the Museum Mr Tang Hoi-chiu, they will review and interpret the characteristics of Hong Kong art from different angles. Consisting of five themes namely "Hong Kong School", "Solitary Peaks", "Roots from Design", "Vision beyond Forms" and "Transformation of Heritage", the exhibition will provide the public a comprehensive picture of the development of Hong Kong art.

The theme "Hong Kong School" by Mr Van Lau focuses on the art societies and artists, in particular those who are active in the 1970s, to illustrate the characteristics of the Hong Kong School. Another theme "Solitary Peaks" by Mr Wucius Wong focuses on ten senior artists, such as Luis Chan Fook-sin, Lu Shoukun, Hon Chi-fun and Fang Chao-ling, to explore their Hong Kong identity. The theme "Roots from Design" by Mr Kan Tai-keung focuses on prominent designers, such as Kan Tai-keung, Lau Siu-hong and Yongder Sie, to explore their Hong Kong identity with artistic creations as well as the interrelationship between art and design. The theme "Vision beyond Forms" by Mr Leung Kui-ting focuses on 12 artists with special attention to installation artists in the local context including Kwok Mang-ho, Leung Chi-wo and Ho Siu-kee. The "Transformation of Heritage" by Mr Tang Hoi-chiu focuses on ink painters, calligraphers and seal carvers, such as Chu Hing-wah and Yip Man Yam, whose works have undergone a transformation from the Chinese traditions and heritage to build up an identity in the local context.

The exhibition will feature selected collections of the Museum of Art and loaned works in different media and styles by various noted local artists with the view to reflect the achievement and development of Hong Kong art in the past 50 years. The Hong Kong Heritage Museum will also make available of some exhibits which will enhance the content of the exhibition.

The Year 2000 is a suitable time to have a retrospection on the development of Hong Kong art. In order to stage the "Contemporary Hong Kong Art 2000" exhibition, the Contemporary Hong Kong Art Biennial Competition will be deferred to next year - the opening of the new Millennium, marking a fresh step of contemporary Hong Kong art.

To tie in with the exhibition, the Museum's major collection catalogue "Hong Kong Artists - Collection of the Hong Kong Museum of Art, Volume II" will also be published. This publication will feature selected works from the Museum's collection by local artists born between 1920 to 1939, who are mostly active during 1960s and 1970s.

The Hong Kong Museum of Art is located at 10 Salisbury Road, Tsim Sha Tsui. It opens from 10 am to 6 pm daily (including Sundays and public holidays) and closes on Thursdays. Admission fee is $10, with half-price concession for senior citizens, people with disabilities and full-time students. Admission on Wednesdays is free. Members of the public are welcome to browse the Museum's website at www.lcsd.gov.hk/hkma/. For enquiries, please call 2721 0116.

End/Saturday, August 12, 2000

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