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The Secretary for Education, Mr Eddie Ng Hak-kim, today (August 16) officiated at the opening ceremony of the International Students' Visual Arts Contest-cum-Exhibition of Hong Kong (HKISAC) (2014). The exhibition is being held until August 26 at the Exhibition Gallery of the Administration Building, Hong Kong Cultural Centre.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Mr Ng said the young artists' outstanding artworks in this exhibition are conducive to inspiring other students and fostering the cultural atmosphere in Hong Kong.
He also said the event not only provides young people with a good platform to develop and express their creativity, but also enables the public to appreciate the essence of different cultures and fosters international communication, mutual respect and global harmony.
With the theme "My Place £» My People", the contest was co-presented by the Education Bureau and Po Leung Kuk, and aimed to encourage young people to express their perceptions and thoughts through two-dimensionl artwork, so as to develop their creativity and deepen their artistic thinking. It was also hoped that the international event would promote cross-cultural exchanges and help adults better understand young people by appreciating their works of art.
On display are 63 winning entries which have been selected from over 2,500 entries from 38 countries or regions. An artist's statement is attached to each exhibit to provide viewers with more information to appreciate and interpret the artwork.
The contest was open to primary and secondary school students all over the world. A total of 12 contestants from five countries or regions, aged between 6 and 18, were awarded the Hong Kong Grand Prize. Among them, four came from Hong Kong and the others were from Mainland China, the Czech Republic, the Philippines and Thailand.
The participants' diverse cultural backgrounds yielded a wide variety of styles and messages in the artwork, especially in the 12 entries awarded the Hong Kong Grand Prize. Among them, Verena Leung contrasted the flourishing urban scene of Hong Kong with the humble endeavour of a watch repairer in a detailed wash drawing that expressed the artist's deep gratitude for the contributions of ordinary people. Also with an urban scene as the background, Dominique Kiersten Chu Lim from the Philippines made use of vivid colours and geometric shapes to portray the cheerfulness of a country boy in the city, showing Filipinos' courage in the face of change.
The adjudicators of the HKISAC (2014) included renowned experts in the field of art and art education from around the world.
Admission to the exhibition is free. Details are as follows:
Exhibition period: August 16 to 26
Opening hours: 10am to 7pm
Venue: Exhibition Gallery, 4/F Administration Building, Hong Kong Cultural Centre, Tsim Sha Tsui.
Information on the exhibition is available at the EDB webpage at www.edb.gov.hk/arts/exhibition or the webpage of HKISAC (2014) at www.hkisac.org.
Ends/Saturday, August 16, 2014
Issued at HKT 11:55
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