Bulletin Spring‧Summer 2006

Art Museum Celebrates 35th Anniversary and research in the international museum community,’ said Prof. Kao. ‘The academic links thus forged facilitate exchange between eminent museum professionals and scholars in Mainland China and local and international academic community. We would like to think that the CUHK Art Museum has played a small part in the modernization of Chinese museums with which we have worked over the years.’ Promoting Culture and Art, Staying Abreast of the Times University museums are mostly small establishments incomparable with state or provincial museums in terms of resources, facilities, setting and collections. As the 21st century unfolds, nevertheless, new technologies burgeon, hastening the pace of social change. Ideas, systems, hierarchy and values of the last century are re-examined and critically re-assessed so that they can be discerningly preserved and implemented. Inevitably museums are challenged by new ideologies and need to infuse new thoughts into their form, content and management. Prof. Peter Y.K. Lam, Director of the Art Museum, said, ‘University museums must actively stay abreast of the times and bring their functions and features into full play in this new era. Over the past 35 years, the Art Museum of The Chinese University has established a style and speciality. It has become aworld-renowned research centre of Chinese art history. We will continue to develop on this basis to tackle the challenges of the new century.’ Since the 1970s, the museum community in Hong Kong has developed rapidly. Today there are over 20 museums of different kinds. The international definition of the functions of museums is to collect, preserve, study, exhibit and educate people about the cultural relics and heritage of humankind. Among the many public and private museums in Hong Kong, the Chinese University Art Museum is the only one that has the ability to conduct academic and scientific research independently. In recent years various research projects of the Museum on subjects including calligraphy and painting, seal carving, ink rubbing, ceramics and authentication of ancient relics with sophisticated instruments have received sponsorships from competitive outside grants. Over the years the grants secured have amounted to millions of dollars. Publications produced by the Art Museum are of great reputation in the academia. The Museum and the Fine Arts Department will continue to synergize, with teachers and students of the department taking part in the preparation of exhibitions like the ‘Nobel Riders from Pines and Deserts: The Artistic Legacy of the Qidan’ in 2004 and the forthcoming ‘Double Beauty II: Qing Dynasty Couplets from the Lechangzhai Xuan Collection.’ Prof. Lam said, ‘The Art Museum must position itself appropriately in order to sustain progress. The strategy we have chosen is to ground our development in academic research and expand our connections through cultural exchange. We should free ourselves from the ivory tower and reach out to the public by popularizing traditional Chinese art and culture. It is our responsibility to enhance the recognition and preservation of Chinese culture. I hope to see more precious art objects assembled at The Chinese University .It would allow us to appreciate the arts of the past and the present.’ ( From left ) Prof. Arthur Li, Prof. Jenny So, Mrs. Diana Li, Mrs. Victoria Firth, Mrs. Jennifer Sullivan, Friends Chair 1998–2001, Prof. Lawrence Lau and Prof. Peter Lam celebrating the 25th anniversary of the Friends of the Art Museum on 4 June 2006