Guided Viewing of 2 Exhibitions: “The Little Prince and the Pilot” with Dr. Florian Knothe and “100-Story 100 Stories: Toshio Iwai’s Art Journey” with Ms. Selina Lo at UMAG

The HKU Museum Society is delighted to present a guided viewing of 2 exhibitions at UMAG: “The Little Prince and the Pilot” with Dr. Florian Knothe, Museum Director and “100-Story 100 Stories:  Toshio Iwai’s Art Journey” with Ms. Selina Lo, Associate Curator.

About the exhibition – “The Little Prince and the Pilot”

In celebration of the 80th anniversary of the publication of The Little Prince in France, the University Museum and Art Gallery at HKU, and the Alliance Française de Hong Kong jointly present The Little Prince and the Pilot—a multigenerational exhibition and thematic journey through the life of the author Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. Rare photographs, letters, maps, personal items, manuscripts, and original editions introduce visitors to Saint-Exupéry—a legendary figure who embodied many roles at once: family man, friend, writer, painter, aviation pioneer, and explorer. By approaching his life from multiple perspectives, the exhibition offers a comprehensive portrait of the author’s extraordinary journey and the personal experiences that inspired The Little Prince.

The world-famous book takes centre stage as the key focus of this exhibition. Through design drawings and quotations, visitors can trace the character of the Little Prince and explore the story’s initial concept and creation, as well as key details of its editorial and publication process—revealing the author’s creative journey and deep philosophical thinking. A Hong Kong-exclusive display of character sculptures invites visitors to take photos and create lasting memories.

This exhibition is generously supported by HKU Museum Society and IWC Schaffhausen.

Speaker

Dr. Florian Knothe is the Director of the University Museum and Art Gallery and an Associate Professor in the School of Humanities, HKU. He serves as the MA in Museum Studies programme director and has taught Museum Studies at undergraduate and post-graduate level for more than 15 years. Florian trained in conservation, art history and heritage law, and lectures and teaches internationally. With the Dean of the Faculty of Arts, he held a Mellon Foundation grant to investigate and initiate Museum Studies at HKU.

About the Exhibition – “100-Story 100 Stories:  Toshio Iwai’s Art Journey”

The University Museum and Art Gallery at HKU is honoured to present 100-Story 100 Stories: Toshio Iwai’s Art Journey. As an internationally acclaimed illustrated book author and multimedia artist, Toshio Iwai firmly believes that creativity does not stem from a distant, unattainable talent, but rather from the textures of everyday life. In a world that is rapidly becoming digital and increasingly shaped by artificial intelligence, hand-made objects and human companionship are especially precious.

The exhibition opens with the famed picture book series The House with 100 Stories, which is a favourite among children around the globe. Each floor holds a world of whimsical imagination. These stories inspire children to explore fearlessly and invite adults to rediscover curiosity and simplicity in their everyday life. Iwai’s creative journey began with a father’s love for his daughter. Starting from a simple numbering game, he wove fun and learning together through a distinctive visual language, creating picture books that accompanied her growth. Through visual associations, he guided her into realms of imagination. His works are a vivid reflection of the harmony between family bonds and creativity—within the pages flows not just a story, but the passing of imagination and affection across generations.

Tracing the footsteps of Iwai’s childhood memories, the exhibition displays the books that nurtured the roots of his creativity, alongside paper sculptures he lovingly crafted for his daughter. These seemingly simple materials hold profound educational wisdom and emotional depth. In an age dominated by digital technology, we are reminded of the importance of cherishing the creative freedom and the relationships built through the process of making things by hand.

The exhibition embraces the belief that every child is a future creator, and every family can be a cradle of love and imagination. Whether you are young, or young at heart, we invite you to step into this creative journey where warmth and inspiration intertwine. Within Iwai’s art journey, discover the happiness and the art of living, while creating a story that is uniquely yours.

Speaker

Ms. Selina Lo is Co-curator of “100-Story 100 Stories: Toshio Iwai’s Art Journey”.  She is also the Senior Curatorial Assistant on the Education Team at UMAG, contributing to the development of ULearning Labs (藝學堂), UMAG’s digital learning platform that brings the museum’s collections and educational resources into classrooms throughout Hong Kong. She has also supported the HKU Museums Group, a collaborative school outreach initiative that provides cross-disciplinary guided learning experiences across four museums on the HKU campus.

Image Credit: Courtesy of UMAG