THE CHINA MAIL, DECEMBER 1, 1987.
Page
UNIVERSITY ART EXHIBITION Assembly Of Best Examples Of Modern Chinese Artists
GEMS FROM
LOCAL
COLLECTIONS
The Art Exhibition organised by the Chinese Society of the University at the Fung Ping Shan Library, was officially opened by His Excellency the Governor, Sir Geoffry Northcote, in the presence of a large gathering this morning.
OVER 200 EXHIBITS, SOME OF THEM LENT BY PRO- MINENT ART COLLECTORS ADORNED THE WALLS, WHILE ON TABLES WERE NUMEROUS EXHIBITS OF EXPERT CALI GRAPHY.
Among those present, were Lady We have, therefore, to be grate-
first and Northcote, The Hon. Mr. RA, C. and Fal
foremost to Mr. mi Mrs. North, Professor W. Brown, Chau and Mr. Liong for
this Exhibition, secondly Professor C. Middleton-Smith, Fr. dating Byrne, Professor Hsu Ti-shan, Mr. S. to those experts, notably Professor V. Boxer and Mr. W. Kay, Mr. HHsu, Mr. Ma Kiam, and Mr. Chan Gipperich, and the Hon. Mr. M. Kwan Po who have taken such pains Lo
on our behalf to display these beautiful REPRESENTATIVE ART
works of art to best advantage, and In introducing the Governor, Mr thirdly those other contributors-too Ma Kiam. President of the Chinese many to name-hose generosity has Society, said that one of the objects of put within our reach the very lovely, the Chinese Society was to promote interesting and valuable specimens of Chinese art which we are about to About six months ago, in May, we see. I cannot speak highly enough of held in this very building an exhibi- their kindness, but I do thank them tion of paintings by a modern Chin-all on your behalf host gratefully. ese artist. The occasion was the celeLastly we owe a big debt of gratitude bration of the coronation of King to the University Authorities for their George VL. From that exhibition, the encouragement. of this project. present differs to some extent in that
MODERN ART
the study of Chinese culture.
all its exhibits are works of art of This is, I believe. the first exhibition in the University. I am not without
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past ages, some as remote, as over 2 of ancient Chinese art to be staged thousand years ago.
Perhaps you will remember that not hope, however, from what the Vice- so very long ago, there was an art Chancellor let fall, to me the
other
NOT GUILTY STRAITS CUT IN
AFTER
TEN DAYS
Gibraltar, To-day.
Mariner, which was escorted into
The British steamer ***African"
Maits on Nov. 20 by the destroy er HMS. Greyhound and taken over by the authorities for search, has now been released.
It was proved that the freight- er had not infringed the Merchant Shipping (Carriage of Amitions to Spain) Act--Renter
CHINESE IMMIGRATION
Singapore, To-day.
The Straits Settlements authori- ties have decided to curtail the monthly immigration quota to the Straits Settlements from 6,000 to 3,000.
This is because of the fact tha the rate at which Chinese turning to China has slowed owing to the Sino-Japanese host ties-Renter:
WAR SITUATION SERIOUS
BUT NOT HOPELESS
Hankow, To-day. "Nanking will be defended to the last breath and to the last shot," declared a spokesman of the Chinese Government to a Trans-Ocean representa- tive in Hankow yesterday afternoon.
The Chinese defence lines round Nanking exhibition held in London. I refer to day, that it will by no means be the were being further strengthened, and strong Chin-
the International Exhibition of Chin- last. I understood that he contem
ese Art at the Royal Academy of Arts,plates something of the kind as anese forces are concentrated there, he added. Now, all of you, who are gathered annual affair, though perhaps not of here to-day, know very well that in quite so wide a range as this first
Although the Government had left the capital,
quantity, this little show here is not one. The idea is, I gather, to take Nanking would not be abandoned.
beauty differences vanish General Chiang Kai-shek had in unity of spirit and in passed the watchword "China of peace" as our prayer loses everything if she yields to book has it, contemplate the achieve Japan, but wins everything if ments of man's nobler mind.
she resists."
to be compared with the London Ex-one art-form, or even one or more hibition, which is above all a national periods of one art-form, at a time and collection, the efforts of hundreds of to make each exhibition a special study wealth of years. In this exhibition of ours, you of its type. That method would from and we all will find that only a few individual the educative standpoint be the most the bonds collections are represented, and then effective possible and at the same time only those of Hong Kong Neverthewould entail no sacrifice of Interest, less, as far as quality is concerned. I feel sure that you will all agree that we can perhaps say that this little this opens up a most pleasant prospect thing is in its own way quite unique. for us.
FIRST OF SERIES
Japan being technically super-
The exodus had decreased, and
THANKS TO LENDERS On behalf of the Chinese Society of the University I wish to thank the ior, China would protract the war The exhibits are from some of the And now, Ladies and Gentlemen, lenders of these treasures and to as-in order to exhaust the enemy most valuable collections in the colony. with no more ado, I declare this Ex-sure them of the genuineness of our The spokesman described the It gives one a fair idea of what hibition open.
appreciation of their kindness in a situation at Nanking as once Chinese art has been. It is true that
lowing us to share their possessions the exhibits represent only a small
with them As you go round you will more being rather quiet. portion of the big whole that is now in The Vice-Chancellor, Mr. Sloss. said: ser on the eards to whom we are in-
"It is my pleasant duty to thank debted and it will be my pleasant task| Hong Kong, and that many well-
Your Excellency for coming to open to acknowledge one undebtedness to
SERIOUS BUT NOT known collections are left unrepre what. I hope is only the first of a ser- them in the Press and individually.
HOPELESS sented. However, it is our cherished ies of exhibitions of Chinese Art to bel hope to hold such an exhibition once held in this Library. The Library it Your Excellency has shown at every every year, eventually going from one self, a gift of the late Mr. Fung Pingura since your arrival, your keen in-} form of Chinese art to another. And shan to the University is a symbol that terest in the well being of the Univer there was no food shortage, all I am sure we can also always rely on shows that though we are here to offer sity, and my colleagues and I are commodities still being on sale. the goodwill of all the other collectors the gifts of the intellectual life of the heartened by this. I can assure the The situation on the front was in any such similar organisation in the West to Hong Kong and to China we
of the University who have future.
do so recognizing that we come lent us their treasures of Your Excel serions but no hopeless. I must take this opportunity
learners also, to take back to the West lency's appreciation of them shown The statement made by Gen thank His Excellency for having come something of the wisdom and human yesterday by your visit to our Exeral Matsui that the Japanese to open the exhibition for us. I must ity of the ageless culture of China. tion, which ended only by the failure
of daylight. We are deeply indebted army would march as far Some of us feel that the directest ap- also thank Lady Northcote and our
Chungking, was characterised as Vice-Chancellor, Mr. Sloss, for the proach to the Chinese spirit is through to Your Excellency.
the manifold beauties of Chinese art: Among well-known collectors who “bluff". great interest they have taken in the that in the contemplation of its seren-loaned some of their art possessions China's resistance e would re- exhibition and all our guests for havty. its austere rejection of what is, to be exhibited. were Mr. Mok Kon-
trivial and adventitious we and our sang, Messrs. Chow Man-chi, Wong main unshaken. "China to-day is Chinese friends are preparing the Seng-tseng, Hsiao Chao-man Leung more ever determined to fight as ground for the growth of a common Kin-wei, Lim Kuei-seng, Chan Shu- long as a single Japanese sol- feeling murtured by common admira-kai, Li Sheung-ming, Li King-hong, tions and by a common sense of aesthe Yip Chi-chan, Poon Lan-choen, Poon dier stands on Chinese soil," he
this Kwok-chuen and Miss Cheung Kun-yi concluded Trans Ocean
ing come to see it.
GOVERNOR'S SPEECH
to
Declaring the Exhibition open, His Excellency the Governor, said:
"A very rich feast of beauty and interest awaits you and I have no in-tic values. In the presence of tention of keeping you from your im- pending pleasure by any long speech. Nevertheless it is my happy duty, to pay a few brief tributes to those who have made this great treat possible.
Primarily we have to thank two students of this University, Mr. Chau and Mr. Liong. These two gentlemen conceived the idea that there were many people in Hong Kong who would delight in seeing the valuable collec- tions of Chinese art which are among their family possessions. They sug- gested this, therefore, to certain mem- bers of the University Staff who strongly backed the idea, and it there- upon began to take definite shape. Subsequently the organisers of the exhibition invited some other sors of Chinese paintings and porcelain to contribute their quota. and have had the privilege of a private view, can assure you that the ou come has been eminently successful.
2
as
friends
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COINTREAU
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