HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
145
culture. Perhaps we are unconsciously relying on formal education in schools in the form of fine art or handicraft lessons to promote or popularise visual art. However, school-based promotion is that of the basic level only and the target is narrow, only restricted to students of the school. There is no continuity of the artistic standard and no continuity extending to post-school activities either.
If the community-based approach is adopted, there will be popularisation, wider scope of contact as well as continuity. At the same time, when we enhance our artistic level, we at the same time respond with flexibility to the demands of different levels of art.
Mr. Chairman, my motion does not blame the Council for doing nothing for visual art. In fact, several of our Select Committees are involved in the task. The Museum of Art and the Visual Art Centre under the Museums Select Committee hold lectures, workshops, demonstrations, and displays from time to time on wood, stone, metal carvings, pottery, plaster formations, oil, water colour, Chinese paintings, calligraphy, fan art, sketching, intaglio, and garland sculptures, glasswork, flat surface, and three-dimensional paper art etc. It is a pity that the above activities have not been promoted to the community level or popularised.
I am not saying that the Council has not taken up popularisation work. Libraries under the Libraries Select Committee hold fun days from time to time for creations on paper and clay or paper folding. The Entertainment Select Committee also stages activities like the Summer Festival on a large scale and invites art educators to run classes. Different district bodies run pottery classes etc. The efforts are piecemeal with no long-term planning geared at popularisation. When enthusiastic art educators try to promote art to the community level, they are sometimes discouraged by the little support from the Urban Council and District Boards. Support from these bodies is largely centred on resources for performing art.
In fact, few people are aware of the plan to be used for financing the promotion of visual art. It is important for us at the Urban Council to invite local and overseas masters to host workshops, but participation by the community should not be neglected. Although we already have art displays at civic centres or lease out venues for art workshops, the Council should make it its duty to popularise visual art. We should lend special support to community bodies in encouraging the participation of young people, women, or parents and children. Large-scale activities in Summer only are not enough. We are expecting development in our promotion of performing art; the importance and the need for promotion of visual art are even more prominent now. If we still adopt a passive attitude towards this task, we are just not living up to the powers conferred by Section 25 of the Urban Council Ordinance.
Mr. Chairman, this Council must review this and revise our policy on the promotion of visual art. Particular attention should be paid to the policy on
Page 142 of 654
Page 142 of 654
Page 142 of 654
Page 142 of 654
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
145
culture. Perhaps we are unconsciously relying on formal education in schools in the form of fine art or handicraft lessons to promote or popularise visual art. However, school based promotion is that of the basic level only and the target is narrow, only restricted to students of the school. There is no continuity of the artistic standard and no continuity extending to post school activities either.
If the community-based approach is adopted, there will be popularisation, wider scope of contact as well as continuity. At the same time, when we enhance our artistic level, we at the same time respond with flexibility to the demands of different levels of art.
Mr. Chairman, my motion does not blame the Council for doing nothing for visual art. In fact, several of our Select Committees are involved in the task. The Museum of Art and the Visual Art Centre under the Museums Select Committee hold lectures, workshops, demonstrations and displays from time to time on wood, stone, metal carvings, pottery, plaster formations, oil, water colour, Chinese paintings, calligraphy, fan art, sketching, intaglio and garland sculptures, glasswork, flat surface and three dimensional paper art etc. It is a pity that the above activities have not been promoted to the community level or popularised.
I am not saying that the Council has not taken up popularisation work. Libraries under the Libraries Select Committee hold fun days from time to time for creations on paper and clay or paper folding. The Entertainment Select Committee also stages activities like the Summer Festival on a large scale and invites art educators to run classes. Different district bodies run pottery classes etc. The efforts are piecemeal with no long term planning geared at popularisation. When enthusiastic art educators try to promote art to the community level, they are sometimes discouraged by the little support from the Urban Council and District Boards. Support from these bodies are largely centred on resources for performing art.
In fact, few people are aware of the plan to be used for financing the promotion of visual art. It is important for us at the Urban Council to invite local and overseas masters to host workshops, but participation by the community should not be neglected. Although we already have art displays at civic centres or lease out venues for art workshops, the Council should make it its duty to popularise visual art. We should lend special support to community bodies in encouraging the participation of young people, women or parents and children. Large scale activities in Summer only are not enough. We are expecting development in our promotion of performing art, the importance and the need for promotion of visual art is even more prominent now. If we still adopt a passive attitude towards this task, we are just not living up to the powers conferred by Section 25 of the Urban Council Ordinance.
Mr. Chairman, this Council must review this and revise our policy on the promotion of visual art. Particular attention should be paid to the policy on
Page 142 of 654.
Page 142 of 654
Page 142 of 654
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.