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More than 50 pieces of qipao selected from the collection of the Hong Kong Museum of History go on display at the Central Atrium of Olympian City 2 from tomorrow (April 27) to June 10.
Entitled "Transformation of the Qipao", the exhibition showcases a variety of qipao, ranging from late Qing to present day, giving visitors an idea of the development of the classic Chinese dress in relation to socio-cultural changes over the century. It also shows how the timeless qipao continues to evolve and transform in contemporary times.
Jointly presented by the Hong Kong Museum of History, Sino Art and Olympian City, and co-organised with the Institute of Textiles and Clothing of the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, the exhibition was officially opened today (April 26) by the Director of Leisure and Cultural Services, Mrs Betty Fung; the Group General Manager of the Sino Group, Ms Nikki Ng; and the Associate Head of the Institute of Textiles and Clothing, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Professor Raymond Au.
Speaking at the opening ceremony of the exhibition, Mrs Fung noted that qipao had been widely recognised as the most representative form of Chinese clothing. She said the Hong Kong Museum of History had been making great efforts to enhance its qipao collection for many years. In 2010, the museum joined with the Institute of Textiles and Clothing of the Hong Kong Polytechnic University to present an exhibition entitled "The Evergreen Classic - Transformation of the Qipao" and showed a large number of valuable "qipao" from its collection. That exhibition was one of the museum's well-attended exhibitions in recent years.
Mrs Fung said, "This year, the museum organised another exhibition with 'qipao' as the theme again. And this exhibition marks the first time that the museum is bringing its valuable collection into the community. We hope the exhibition can help draw the museum closer to the public, enrich their daily lives with art, and broaden the museum's audience base. This exhibition not only shows the museum's standing as an open and multi-cultural platform, but also embodies a partnership among the museum, the community and the general public.
"Most of the qipao shown in this exhibition are new items in the museum's collection and are being given their public debut. Highlights include the ones donated or on loan by the former Chief Secretary for Administration, Mrs Anson Chan; the Secretary for Development, Mrs Carrie Lam; celebrity in commerce sector Mrs Vera Waters, film celebrities Suet Nei and Lau Ching, and Chinese Arts and Crafts (HK) Company Limited. As well as illustrating the evolution of the qipao, the exhibits can be seen as important footnotes to Hong Kong's history and culture.
"The exhibition is scheduled to coincide with Mother's Day. We hope that more people will accompany their mothers to visit the exhibition, making it an enjoyable activity for the family," Mrs Fung said.
To tie in with the exhibition, a series of workshops, guided tours and demonstrations will be held. Among them, Ms Anson Chan and Mrs Vera Waters will share their experience of wearing qipao during a talk on April 29 and May 6 respectively. These two talks, conducted in Cantonese, will be held at the Hong Kong Museum of History's Lecture Hall from 3pm to 5pm. Admission to the talks is free and seats are available on a first-come-first-served basis. For details, please call 2724 9082.
Olympian City 2 is located at 18 Hoi Ting Road, West Kowloon. Its Central Atrium opens from 10am to 10pm daily. Admission is free for this display. For details of the exhibition, please visit the website at www.sinoart.com.
Ends/Thursday, April 26, 2012
Issued at HKT 15:52
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