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Mr. San Stephen WONG Hon-ching thinks we should have another motion on artistic freedom. We agree. I thank him for his suggestion and I am sure we will follow up on it. We have in fact raised it here in the amendment to the motion moved by Mr. Kwok Bil-chun.
Protection of artistic freedom is necessary for all forms of art. It is the same with visual art, films or activity art. I subscribe to that. Ms. Jennifer CHOW opposed the amendment because she did not want to politicise art. Let me point out that the amendment seeks to protect artistic freedom, not to politicise art. We look at this as a basic principle. We never did and do not intend to politicise things. In our opinion, anything safe, lawful and not in violation of indecency ordinances can be put on display. Whether the object is in praise of the Chinese Government or otherwise is irrelevant. I feel that we should not make decisions based on the likes and dislikes of certain people.
Recently, an instruction was made in a technical institute for the civic education master not to engage in activities that displease people in power. That is a fact. If we really have to come to this, it would be horrifying. Nothing of this kind should ever happen to this Council. We should not shrink. If we find something to be of artistic value and safe and lawful for display, we have no reason to proceed to another kind of vetting.
Mr. LAM Man-fai called the amendment motion superfluous. Mr. Joseph LAI Chi-keong said it put a point in focus. Let me call it icing on a cake. We all support the promotion of visual art and its popularisation at a district level. We are just stating our principle along with promotion. I hope all 41 Members of this Council honour artistic freedom for all forms of art. Mr. Chairman. I support both the original and the amendment motions.
MR. STEVEN HUNG CHUNG-FUN (in Cantonese): Mr. Chairman, I want to share with Members my views on the original motion as well as the amendment.
More than a year ago when the Museums Select Committee discussed about admission fees to the Hong Kong Museum, Science Museum, Space Museum and Museum of Art, Mr. Lam Man-fai of the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment of Hong Kong suggested some free admission slots. Many Members including those of the Democratic Party and Ms. Ada Wong supported him.
It was argued that such a move would help promote and popularise art. We all know that there are fewer visitors to fee-charging events than to free admission events. The point is what kind of art we intend to popularise. Is it true that some forms of art are suitable for popularisation whereas other forms are not?
I would like to share with you here the ideology of rule in some countries. In China, there is a department ingeniously named as one on culture, education
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Mr. San Stephen WONG Hon-ching thinks we should have another motion on artistic freedom. We agree. I thank him for his suggestion and I am sure we will follow up on it. We have in fact raised it here in the amendment to the motion moved by Mr. Kwok Bil-chun.
Protection of artistic freedom is necessary for all forms of art. It is the same with visual art, films or activity art. I subscribe to that. Ms. Jennifer CHOW opposed the amendment because she did not want to politicise art. Let me point out that the amendment seeks to protect artistic freedom, not to politicise art. We look at this as a basic principle. We never did and do not intend to politicise things. In our opinion, anything safe, lawful and not in violation of indecency ordinances can be put on display. Whether the object is in praise of the Chinese Government or otherwise is irrelevant. I feel that we should not make decisions based on the likes and dislikes of certain people.
Recently, an instruction was made in a technical institute for the civic education master not to engage in activities that displease people in power. That is a fact. If we really have to come to this, it would be horrifying. Nothing of this kind should ever happen to this Council. We should not shrink. If we find something to be of artistic value and safe and lawful for display, we have no reason to proceed to another kind of vetting.
Mr. LAM Man-fai called the amendment motion superfluous. Mr. Joseph LAI Chi-keong said it put a point in focus. Let me call it icing on a cake. We all support the promotion of visual art and its popularisation at a district level. We are just stating our principle along with promotion. I hope all 41 Members of this Council honour artistic freedom for all forms of art. Mr. Chairman. I support both the original and the amendment motions.
MR. STEVEN HUNG CHUNG-FUN (in Cantonese):-Mr. Chairman, I want to share with Members my views on the original motion as well as the amendment.
More than a year ago when the Museums Select Committee discussed about admission fees to the Hong Kong Museum, Science Museum, Space Museum and Museum of Art, Mr. Lam Man-fai of the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment of Hong Kong suggested some free admission slots. Many Members including those of the Democratic Party and Ms. Ada Wong supported him.
It was argued that such a move would help promote and popularisc art. We all know that there are fewer visitors to fee charging events than to free admission events. The point is what kind of art we intend to popularise. Is it true that some forms of art are suitable for popularisation whereas other forms are not?
I would like to share with you here the ideology of rule in some countries. In China, there is a department ingeniously named as one on culture, education
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