Heritage Museum to stage exhibition commemorating the 120th anniversary of Lingnan School of Painting master painter Chao Shao-an's birth.

This year marks the 120th anniversary of the birth of Professor Chao Shao-an, a master painter of the Lingnan School of Painting. The Hong Kong Heritage Museum (HKHM) is presenting the exhibition "Legacy of Lingnan School of Painting: In Commemoration of the 120th Anniversary of the Birth of Chao Shao-an" from September 17, showcasing 120 works of art by Professor Chao spanning the 1930s to the 1990s. Apart from representative works donated by Professor Chao to the HKHM, the exhibition showcases important works on loan from local museums and private collectors, as well as collections from Professor Chao's family for the first time, taking visitors on a retrospective journey into Professor Chao's artistic career from multiple perspectives. The works highlight his influence and contribution to the development of Chinese painting in the 20th century.

Addressing the opening ceremony on September 16, the Acting Director of Leisure and Cultural Services, Miss Eve Tam, said that with the support of the National 14th Five-Year Plan, Hong Kong is committed to developing into an East-meets-West centre for international cultural exchanges. Hong Kong has the distinctive advantages of the "one country, two systems" framework, enjoying strong support of the motherland and being closely connected to the world, to promote outstanding traditional Chinese culture. Professor Chao also held the same belief in using Hong Kong as a base to promote the art of Chinese painting, and to introduce the Lingnan School of Painting to places all over the world. This exhibition is a continuation of Professor Chao's vision to bring Chinese culture and traditional paintings and calligraphy to the world.

The son of Professor Chao, Mr Chiu Chi-tai, who was a guest at the opening ceremony, said that his father's donation of important works to the HKHM in his later years reflects the relationship between the two. For many years, the HKHM has been a champion of his father's artistic achievements and the Lingnan School of Painting. This year, in particular, the HKHM curated this meaningful exhibition in commemoration of his late father's 120th birthday. By highlighting representative works from different periods of his career, it allows visitors to retrace his father's footsteps as an artist and offers a rare glimpse into the impressive legacy of the Lingnan School of Painting.

Other officiating guests included the Chairman of the Art Sub-committee of the Museum Advisory Committee, Professor Desmond Hui; Expert Adviser on Literary Arts for the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) Professor Richard Ho; and the Museum Director of the HKHM, Mr Brian Lam.

Professor Chao (1905-1998) dedicated himself to "modernising Chinese painting" as advocated by the Lingnan School of Painting. He devoted himself to maintaining the spirit of traditional Chinese painting while at the same time adopting and adapting the best of both Eastern and Western art. Professor Chao placed a special emphasis on "painting from life", which enabled him to develop a highly personal artistic style. In addition to offering his masterpieces to museums as gifts for the benefit of society and the world of art, Professor Chao also nurtured the development of many disciples. Under his influence, the Lingnan School gained popularity and became an important School of Chinese painting in the 20th century.

Professor Chao's bird-and-flower paintings are highly esteemed. Renowned Chinese painter Xu Beihong praised him as "the foremost bird-and-flower painter in modern China". This exhibition presents a fine selection of Professor Chao's representative bird-and-flower works, such as "Moonlight Over the Pond", which illustrates his mastery of artistic ambience; "White Peacock", a masterpiece showcasing his exquisitely meticulous brushwork; and "Plantain Trees", a large-scale five-panel painting rarely seen in traditional Chinese painting.

The exhibition is organised along three themes: "Friendships with His Peers in Art", "Artistic Journey Modelling from Nature" and "Footprints from a Life of Travel". It showcases a carefully curated selection of Professor Chao's works, including bird-and-flower, insect and animal, and landscape paintings. It also includes paintings which are gifts made to Professor Chao by renowned Chinese painters Qi Baishi and Xu Beihong on loan from his family for the first time, and precious videos of the master giving painting demonstrations.

Moreover, the exhibition presents a special multimedia display created by Hong Kong artist Thomas Siu, who takes inspiration from Professor Chao's bird-and-flower paintings, and animates Professor Chao's floral paintings, immersing viewers in a wonderland of Lingnan blossoms.

In addition to the exhibition, the HKHM is organising a series of special programmes with free admission, including sketching workshops, talks, and guided tours, which enable participants to understand the characteristics of the Lingnan School of Painting from different perspectives.

The HKHM received a generous donation of masterpieces from Professor Chao in 1995, leading to the establishment of the Chao Shao-an Gallery. The HKHM is the art institution with the world's largest collection of Professor Chao's works. Through the HKHM's acquisitions, as well as contributions of precious paintings and archives from the Professor Chao's family and his students over the years, the HKHM has become a key resource for studying Professor Chao's art.

The exhibition, presented by the LCSD and organised by the HKHM, runs from September 17 to February 23 next year at the Chao Shao-an Gallery, Thematic Galleries 3 and 4, 1/F, the HKHM. Admission is free.

The exhibition is a contribution programme of the 5th Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Culture and Arts Festival, and is one of the activities in the Chinese Culture Promotion Series.