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"The Origin of Dao: New Dimensions in Chinese Contemporary Art", a large-scale contemporary art exhibition that gathers the work of 37 Chinese artists from the Mainland, Taiwan, Hong Kong and overseas, will be staged at the Hong Kong Museum of Art from tomorrow (May 17) to August 18, showing the transformation of artistic creation as well as cultural reflection in Chinese contemporary art.
This exhibition brings to a close the "Hong Kong Art: Open Dialogue" exhibition series organised by the Hong Kong Museum of Art since 2008. "Hong Kong Art: Open Dialogue" includes a guest-curated series of exhibitions which aims to turn the Hong Kong Museum of Art into a platform for exchange of views on art, especially Hong Kong art. Concluding this exhibition series, "The Origin of Dao: New Dimensions in Chinese Contemporary Art" is guest-curated by Professor Pi Daojian, who has brought together works by prominent Chinese artists to show how they have transformed the unique elements of traditional Chinese art into innumerable new forms and given voice to contemporary values and spiritual pursuits.
The opening ceremony of the exhibition was held today (May 16). Officiating guests included the Permanent Secretary for Home Affairs, Mr Raymond Young; Professor Pi; the Chairman of the Art Museum Advisory Panel, Mr Vincent Lo; the Vice-Chairman of the Friends of the Hong Kong Museum of Art, Ms Joan Leung; and the Chief Curator of the Hong Kong Museum of Art, Miss Eve Tam.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Mr Young noted that the "Hong Kong Art: Open Dialogue" exhibition series organised by the Hong Kong Museum of Art was conceived as a new initiative, aiming to open up the exhibition platform of the museum for nurturing talents in curatorship and encouraging participation of the public through strengthening partnerships with the guest curators.
Mr Young said the guest curator of the current exhibition, Professor Pi, is a renowned Chinese scholar and art critic, possessing ample experience in curating and academic research. He noted that Chinese contemporary art has been receiving increasing attention around the world in recent years, and the exhibition curated by Professor Pi begins with a contemporary vision to contemplate and explore the characteristics and direction of Chinese art amidst the trend of globalisation, giving visitors an extraordinary experience.
In the development of Chinese contemporary art, the unique essence of traditional Chinese art has been incorporated into various new practices which give voice to contemporary values and spiritual pursuits. Featuring works of painting, calligraphy, lacquerware, ceramics, installation, video and animation by 37 Chinese artists from the Mainland, Taiwan, Hong Kong and overseas, the exhibition explores the reinterpretation of the traditional values and concepts of Chinese art by these Chinese artists, and the changes in their reflection and artistic creation.
The artists participating in the exhibition are Chen Qinqun, Chen Shuming, Chu Hing-wah, Gu Wenda, Hung Keung, Kan Tai-keung, Kum Chi-keung, Lam Tung-pang, Leung Kui-ting, Li Jin, Li Jun, Li Shinan, Liang Quan, Liu Zijian, Liu Qinghe, Eddie Lui, Man Fung-yi, Qiu Anxiong, Qiu Zhijie, Shao Yan, Shen Qin, Shen Ye, Sara Tse, Wan Qingli, Wei Qingji, Wong Chung-yu, Wucius Wong, Wu Yi, Xie Zhen, Xu Bing, Yang Guoxin, Yang Jiechang, Yu Hongbin, Yu Peng, Zhang Chengzhi, Zhang Quan and Zhang Yu. Their works were grouped under five sections for display, namely "Meditation and Narration", "Energy Field: Creation and Space", "CityˇD The World of Mortals", "Writing and Self-Cultivation" and "Great Harmony".
To tie in with the exhibition, the Hong Kong Museum of Art will hold an international symposium entitled "Another Modernity or Contemporaneity?: Traditional Chinese Media in the Context of Contemporary Art", during which Professor Pi, together with 13 speakers from overseas, the Mainland, Taiwan and Hong Kong, will discuss the new dimensions in Chinese contemporary art. The speakers will include Professor Bai Qianshen, Mr Johnson Chang, Dr Christina Chu, Professor Manray Hsu, Professor Kao Chienhui, Dr Martina Koppel-Yang, Professor Zhu Qingsheng, Dr Lu Mingjun, Professor Qiu Zhijie, Professor Shen Kuiyi, Miss Eve Tam, Professor Wang Min'an and Professor Zhang Zhiyang. Conducted in Cantonese, Putonghua and English, with simultaneous interpretation service, the symposium will be held on May 17 from 10am to 6pm at the lecture hall of the museum. Free tickets will be distributed from 9.45am at the museum. For details, please call 2734 2099.
A fully illustrated catalogue of the exhibition is also available at the Gift Shop of the Hong Kong Museum of Art.
The "Hong Kong Art: Open Dialogue" exhibition series organised by the Hong Kong Museum of Art since 2008 explores Hong Kong art from different perspectives. Exhibitions which have been finished are "Digit@logue" (curated by Ms Ellen Pau), "New Ink Art: Innovation and Beyond" (curated by Mrs Alice King), "Looking for Antonio Mak" (curated by Ms Valarie C. Doran) and "Charming Experience" (curated by Ms Grace Cheng).
The Hong Kong Museum of Art is located at 10 Salisbury Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon. It is open from 10am to 6pm on weekdays and from 10am to 7pm on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays. The museum is closed on Thursdays (except public holidays). Admission is $10 and a half-price concession is available to full-time students, senior citizens and people with disabilities. Group tickets at $7 each are available to groups of 20 persons or more. Admission is free on Wednesdays.
For further information, call 2721 0116 or visit the Hong Kong Museum of Art's website at http://www.lcsd.gov.hk/CE/Museum/Arts/en_US/web/ma/exhibition.html#03.
Ends/Thursday, May 16, 2013
Issued at HKT 18:52
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