Beyond Blessings: Birthday Greetings for the Master of Chih Lo Lou｜Exhibition Introduction

The Master of Chih Lo Lou, Ho Iu-kwong (1907 – 2006), built up the Chih Lo Lou Collection of Chinese painting and calligraphy with the aim of preserving the national essence and promoting Chinese art. As a philanthropist and passionate collector, he had always been a close friend of many in Hong Kong’s literati circle and a generous sponsor of cultural activities. The exhibition takes Ho’s 60th birthday in 1966 as the theme, featuring 31 sets of works from the Chih Lo Lou Collection gifted by Ho’s various notable friends from the literati circle in Hong Kong. These birthday-themed works reflect the vibrancy of the Hong Kong literati scene during the 1950s and 60s.

The exhibition also engages the local music group, The Gong Strikes One, and artist Hikoko Ito to create customised naamyam music pieces and an art installation called Happy Birthday Likeboxes. By combining new and old elements, everyone is invited to immerse in the world of literati through different media.

Exhibition Details

• Beyond Blessings: Birthday Greetings for the Master of Chih Lo Lou
• Date: 14 Jul - 25 Oct 2023
• Venue: Chih Lo Lou Gallery of Chinese Painting and Calligraphy, 4/F, Hong Kong Museum of Art
• Address: 10 Salisbury Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong

Programme

Ho Iu-kwong, the Master of Chih Lo Lou, was passionate about naamyam, a genre of song from Canton. On his birthdays, he would invite naamyam musicians to perform at his residence. For this exhibition, we have invited a local music group The Gong Strikes One to bring a live performance in the gallery, recreating the birthday celebration of a literatus in Hong Kong in the 1960s. The performance will be held on 15 July at the Chih Lo Lou Gallery of Chinese Painting and Calligraphy, 4/F of the Hong Kong Museum of Art.

• Naamyam Concert for “Beyond Blessings: Birthday Greetings for the Master of Chih Lo Lou” exhibition
• Date: 2023.07.15 (Saturday)
• Time: 3:00 – 4:00pm
• Location: Chih Lo Lou Gallery of Chinese Painting and Calligraphy, 4/F, Hong Kong Museum of Art
• Performing group: The Gong Strikes One
• Format: Live
• Songs: “On Chih Lo Lou” (newly composed) and “Eight Immortals Bestowing Longivity”
• Language: Cantonese
• *Enrollment is not required.

Source of above information: Hong Kong Museum of Art official website