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Hong
Kong Museum of Art
By Allison Martin
The
Hong Kong Museum of Art is a wonderful resource on the arts and cultural
history of China for adoptive parents. Located on the waterfront of the
Victoria Harbor in Kowloon, it is easily accessible even to travelers
spending only a few hours in the Hong Kong area. The spacious building
houses several floors of antiquities, art and and artifacts - both modern
and ancient.
A walk
through the museum provides a glimpse of China's rich cultural heritage
and a intriguing view of its influence on the Asian art.
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Porcelain,
pottery, paintings, calligraphy and textiles are all presented in
a pleasant and impressive display. The antiquity and design of these
cultural treasures is breathtaking. |
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Although
the Museum encompasses several floors of exhibits you can see much of
it in an hour or so, if you can resist lingering.
Each
section displays a major realm of art: calligraphy, pottery, painting,
and modern painting. Panels hanging on the walls provide brief synopses
in English of the time line and geographical origins of the artifacts.
Displays of detailed embroidered ceremonial garments are scattered in
with the exhibits, providing a more personal view of into the time periods.
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The
arrangements of the pottery and other works of art by chronological
age are a dramatic lesson in the slowly sweeping changes over time
and across nations. For example, the few pieces of pottery of other
countries shown (including Vietnam and Cambodia) demonstrate the influence
of China over time on artists in those countries.
This almost
wordless display is more evocative of the age and influence of Chinese
artists on the art of Asia than many texts. |
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The
National Treasures Exhibit, shown in early
1998, exhibited 163 of unique treasures of art from museums and
archaeological finds around the world. Bronze, jade, gold, silver,
bone, ivory, and lacquer artifacts were shown. Many materials are
up to 16000 years old. I was lucky enough to visit during this exhibit
and it was truly awe inspiring.
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At the Musuem Shop downstairs, you can find
a wide selection of art books in English along with postcards and
small gifts. The cards and books are well worth a quick browse if
you have an interest in the art of China. Unfortunately there are
few photographs or reproductions of the artwork represented in the
musuem.
For more information, you can visit the Hong
Kong Art Museum web site.
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