Category: Local

Chinese ceramics are among the most sophisticated in the world. Admired by collectors for their impressive visual and tactile qualities, they are also copied by potters the world over who wish to recreate the special qualities of these wares. The beauty of Chinese ceramics is a direct result of the advanced technology and high quality raw materials used by Chinese potters from as early as the Shang dynasty. However, this technology can be difficult to understand, especially for non-scientists. This lecture will introduce and explain the materials and techniques used to create some of the most famous types of Chinese ceramics in a way that is accessible to anyone with an interest in learning more about why these ceramics are considered to be the highest achievement of the potter's art.

Dr. Stacey Pierson is currently a Visiting Assistant Professor in the Department of Fine Arts at The University of Hong Kong. Her permanent position is at the School of Oriental and African Studies at the University of London, where she is Lecturer in Chinese Ceramics and Museum Studies. She was previously the Curator of the Percival David Foundation at the same institution and has published a number of catalogues and books on the subject of Chinese ceramics, including Chinese Ceramics: a Design History (2009).

Participants are welcome to bring one ceramic item for Dr. Peterson's comments after dinner.

Ou Dawei is one of Hong Kong's renowned Chinese calligraphers and seal carvers. Born in Guangzhou in 1947, he studied Chinese calligraphy and seal carving with distinguished artist Wu Zifu since 1961. Presently, he is an art advisor to the Hong Kong Arts Development Council (Visual Arts Session) as well as part-time lecturer in the Department of Fine Arts of The Chinese University of Hong Kong and the School of Professional and Continuing Education of The University of Hong Kong.

A permanent honorary chairman of the Chinese Art Association Mo-she, his publications include the "Selected Seals by Ou Da Wei" series, "Flowing from the Inkwell – Selected Brushwork by Ou Da Wei", and "2003 Realm of Black and Red – Works by Ou Da Wei".

Ou's works are widely exhibited in Hong Kong and overseas and have been selected for numerous Hong Kong Art Biennial exhibitions. He was awarded the Hong Kong Urban Council Fine Arts Award for Calligraphy (1989) and Seal Engraving (1998) and the Hong Kong Arts Development Council Award for Artistic Development (1998).

During this morning's visit, Ou Dawei will introduce members to the fundamentals of Chinese calligraphy and the intricacies of seal carving. From his demonstration, members will observe Ou’s skill and talent for putting a new twist to these traditional skills.

With sales results increasingly escalating at recent auctions, Sotheby's senior specialist, Edie Hu, will guide us on a tour to see highlights of their Hong Kong Spring Auction 2011 Exhibition. The forthcoming sale will once again bring to the market exceptional treasures of high quality and provenance. Following our guided tour, members are welcome to stay and view other galleries and exhibits at their leisure.

Do come and join us.

Traditionally, mainstream visual art was limited to paintings and sculptures. Nowadays, its horizon has expanded to include many other modes of expressions, with installation art the most popular among them. Understanding installation art involves stretching the mind and the senses of the viewer. In this lecture, Choi Yan Chi, one of Hong Kong’s foremost installation artists will offer insights for a better appreciation of this art form.

Choi has been actively committed to promoting contemporary art in Hong Kong for over 25 years. Joining Baptist University in 2002, she helped to establish the University’s first Academy of Visual Art where she is currently an Assistant Professor. Her accomplishments are numerous. She was a grantee of Asian Cultural Council Fellowship in 1990 and a participant in the First Asia Pacific Triennial in Australia in 1993. That same year, she held her solo exhibition in the state gallery of Berlin, Haus der Kulturen der Welt. A co-founder of 1A Space, she was invited by the University of Southern California as Distinguished Provost’s Visitor in 2008. In 2009, she curated the exhibition “Green, through the Kai Tak River” for October Contemporary Hong Kong. Her works are widely published internationally.

This lecture will be held at the Academy of Visual Arts at Hong Kong Baptist University. The academy was the site of the former Royal Air Force Officers’ Mess that is now listed as a grade II historical building of early 20th century colonial architecture. Along with the lecture, there will be an opportunity to tour the various art studios, computer laboratory and art gallery.

“Everything has its beauty but not everyone sees it.” – Confucius

Norman de Brackinghe's digital paper prints direct viewers' attention to details often overlooked and thereby, create the extraordinary from the ordinary. Vivid colors, painterly quality, strong composition, and a sense of balance and peace constitute his signature style. His popular photographic works betray his love of abstract expressionists like Pollock, Rothko, Motherwell and Rauschenberg. With subject matters mostly of distressed surfaces or close-up shots, and without the use of Photoshop or a paintbrush, his abstract photography fascinates not only art lovers, but also painters and graphic designers.

Norman de Brackinghe has lived in Hong Kong since 1976, working as the director of an international publishing company for twenty years. He comes from a family steeped in graphic arts and publishing and has worked with Allen Lane of Penguin Books and later Paul Hamlyn. Since his arrival in Hong Kong, he has been involved in design and design education while actively promoting art. He has held over 20 solo exhibitions on both his watercolour landscapes and abstract photography in Hong Kong and Europe. Norman has also exhibited in many group shows in Europe, Hong Kong and the Asian region. Images of his photography can be viewed at his website www.debrackinghe.com. His studio is small but well equipped with a lovely view overlooking Happy Valley.

Chinese embroidery was well established domestically by the time it garnered a highly regarded international reputation along the silk route more than two millennia ago. Embroidered embellishments linked both the powerful and the meek to Heaven, Earth and each other with eloquent symbols of authority and good fortune. What shaped its practice and development?

This presentation will reference material and textural evidence from historic Chinese sources and make comparisons with Western experience to explore major social, religious, political and economic circumstances that influenced the development of embroidery styles and stitches in China. A brief overview of embroidery practices from pre-imperial times, through the reforms of the Southern Song, until the end of dynastic rule, will provide a historic perspective before considering today’s circumstances. There will be a glimpse at replicas from antiquity. In conclusion, we will consider the difference between reproductions and forgeries.

Diana Collins is a textile conservator with interests in the production of Chinese textiles. For over 25 years she has conserved textiles from private, museum and commercial collections in her textile conservation practice in Hong Kong. She taught the textiles conservation component of integrated art conservation and restoration certificate courses at The Hong Kong University’s SPACE and has lectured on this subject and the history of Chinese textiles in China, Southeast Asia, Australia and the U.S. She is a contributing editor of HALI magazine and has written articles and reviews for 'Arts of Asia' and 'Orientations' magazines. Collins conceived and coordinated the first international conference on the history of Chinese textiles, “Chinese Textiles: Technique, Design and Patterns of Use” which was held in Hong Kong in 1995 in conjunction with the Oriental Ceramic Society exhibition “Heaven’s Embroidered Cloth”.

Founded in Hong Kong in 1970 with its first issue published the following year, 'Arts of Asia' is one of the premier magazines in the field of Asian arts and antiquities. With subscribers in 93 countries, it showcases the cultural pride and heritage of Asia to the world.

Publisher and Editor, Tuyet Nguyet Markbreiter is a woman of vision, passion and dedication. Born in South Vietnam, she studied journalism in France and the United States and began her career working for English language newspapers and business magazines in Vietnam. Leading a women’s delegation from Vietnam to Manila in 1959, she was commissioned to write about the 10th anniversary of the Chinese mainland refugees when she met her husband Mark Markbreiter, a British architect. Since then, she has made Hong Kong her home. Traveling extensively in Asia, she saw the need to promote a better understanding of Asian people and their culture, their arts and history rather than politics, war and destruction. Hence, 'Arts of Asia' was born.

Now forty years later, her 5,000 sq. ft. office is filled with art pieces from almost every country in Asia, including China, Vietnam, Nepal, Burma, India, Japan and Korea. Tuyet Nguyet Markbreiter will share the background of these exquisite pieces and the stories behind their acquisitions, whether from international auctions, private dealers or artists themselves. Across from the office is the library and study centre where major auction catalogues for the past 27 years can be found. Numerous publications and art albums on Asian art are also well displayed and categorized.

Hangzhou cooking is considered the prime representative of Zhejiang cuisine, one of the eight major schools of Chinese cuisines. Characterized by beautiful presentations, Hangzhou dishes use fresh ingredients that offer sweet and delicate flavors. While increasingly popular as nouvelle cuisine in Mainland China, it has remained relatively understated here.

In Hong Kong, Hangzhou Restaurant (杭州酒家) serves traditional and authentic dishes such as Braised Pork Belly (東坡肉), Steamed Chicken with Stuffing (富貴雞) and West Lake Fish in Vinegar Sauce (西湖醋魚). Each dish carries its own historical legend, which is tied to the folklore and culture of China. Owner and Chef Ng Sui Hong (吳瑞康) originates from Hangzhou. His father Ng Kwok Leung (吳國良), a highly respected guru of Hangzhou cuisine, was the General Manager of the famous Hangzhou Restaurant in Hangzhou and Executive Chef of Tin Heung Lau (天香樓) in Hong Kong.

We shall savour a special menu from the Chef's recommendations in this relatively low-key restaurant whose business flourishes solely by the word-of-mouth from its satisfied clients. Celebrating its 5th anniversary, the Hangzhou Restaurant was awarded a one star rating by 'Michelin Guide Hong Kong & Macau 2010'. For our culinary evening, Chef Ng will share with us some of his superb culinary tips.

The guqin (古琴‬)is a Chinese musical instrument of the zither family with over 3000 years of history. Developed as an elite art form by Chinese literati, the guqin was favored for the aesthetics of its music that emphasized elegance, subtlety and serenity. It is listed at the top of the four traditional arts followed by qi (ancient form of chess), calligraphy and painting. In 2003, the guqin, together with its music was proclaimed by UNESCO as one of the Masterpieces of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

Dr. Tse Chun-Yan (謝俊仁) is a distinguished guqin musician and composer in Hong Kong. A harmonica player from the age of six, he later studied guzheng and Chinese music theory and composition. He learned to play the guqin in 1983 and since then, he has given numerous public performances in Hong Kong and abroad. Dr. Tse graduated from the Faculty of Medicine of The University of Hong Kong in 1973. After retiring from his medical profession in 2005, he obtained his Ph.D in Ethnomusicology in 2009 from The Chinese University of Hong Kong, researching on guqin scores of the Ming and Qing Dynasties. He now teaches at the Music Department of The Chinese University of Hong Kong and the School of Music of the Hong Kong Academy of Performing Arts.

Dr. Tse will give an introductory talk on this classical instrument and perform several exemplary pieces including "Running Water" (流水), "Three Variations on the Plum Blossom" (梅花三弄), "Memories of an Old Friend" (憶故人), and "Drunken Elation" (酒狂). To enhance this afternoon’s literati music program, Anita Wong, Curator of UMAG and a connoisseur of Chinese tea, will offer participants freshly brewed premium Chinese teas from her private collection and impart insights on the appreciation of Chinese tea.

OVERVIEW:
Since our tour to the Geological Museum at the University of Hong Kong, members have looked forward to viewing these rocks in their natural setting. With the cool weather of January, it is now possible to organize a tour to one of Hong Kong’s geoparks under the guidance of two experts in the field, Professor Chan Lung-sang and Dr. Wong Fook-yee.

Geopark is a natural area encompassing sites of scientific importance for geological reasons and thereby valuable for its ecological and cultural factors. Following global trends of integrated conservation, Hong Kong geoparks serve to conserve, educate and offer sustained development of the unique landforms.

Sai Kung Rock Region is one of Hong Kong’s geoparks with hexagonal rock columns that were formed 140 million years ago from huge amounts of volcanic ash spurted out from volcanic eruptions. Unlike others in the world, the hexagonal rock columns in Sai Kung are acidic silica-rich rhyolitic volcanic rocks. Spanning an area of over 100 square kilometers of land and sea, their average diameter is 1.2 meters, making them much larger than similar ones in other parts of the world.

We will visit the High Island Geo-Area that is located within the Sai Kung East Country Park. Beginning with a tour of the Geopark Visitor Centre, we will walk along the High Island Geo-Trail to see the interesting geological features of the area, including faults, folds, twisted rock columns and dyke intrusions. The numerous rock formations from small stones to huge monoliths in the East Dam are nature’s own artwork!

After lunch, we will visit Lions Nature Education Centre and its garden with a walkway lined with rocks of different sizes, shapes and colors. There is also a small indoor gallery showcasing the Centre’s rock collection.

RESOURCE PERSONS:
Professor Chan Lung-sang is an expert in Hong Kong geology. He received his bachelor degree from The Chinese University of Hong Kong and his PhD from University of California at Berkeley. He taught for 10 years in the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire and 15 years in the Science Faculty of The University of Hong Kong. His leadership in teaching was recognized when he was awarded The University of Hong Kong’s Distinguished Teaching Award in 2009. A true believer of experiential learning, he has led many field trips around Hong Kong for the public and education sectors.

Dr. Wong Fook-yee is an avid hiker – a most suitable trait for someone who goes to great lengths to look at rocks and rock formations. He was formerly the Assistant Director of Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department of Hong Kong (Country and Marine Park Branch), and is now Honorary Associate Professor of the Geography Department at The University of Hong Kong.

ITINERARY:
9:00 Assemble outside Romantic Hotel (理想酒店), next to Kowloon Tong MTR Station for coach ride to Sai Kung Country Park
9:45 High Island Geo Trail – High Island Reservoir East Dam, volcanic rock columns
12:00 Lunch at Sai Kung
14:00 Lions Nature Education Centre
17:00 Return to Kowloon Tong MTR Station