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The Art Museum of The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) held the grand opening ceremony of the Lo Kwee Seong Pavilion and the Harold and Christina Lee Gallery today (21 March). The inaugural exhibition, “Transcending Transience: Art and Culture of Late-Ming Jiangnan”, is the result of a multi-year collaboration with the Shanghai Museum. Members of the public are welcome to visit from 22 March 2025 (Saturday).

The ceremony was officiated by Miss Rosanna Law, Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism, HKSAR; Dr Chu Xiaobo, Director of the Shanghai Museum; Dr Peter Lo, Chairman of Lo Kwee Seong Foundation; Dr Irene Lee, Chairman of Hysan Development Company Limited; Professor Dennis Lo, Vice-Chancellor and President of CUHK; and Dr Rocco Yim, Principal of Rocco Design Architects Associates Ltd, among others.

Officiating at the opening ceremony, Professor Lo said: “Today we celebrate not just the opening of a building, but a new beginning of art popularisation at this University. Two years ago I witnessed the signing of the agreement between our museum and the Palace Museum in Beijing, which led to the unprecedented exhibition of the Art Museum’s Song Dynasty rubbings in the Forbidden City. With this new facility, I look forward to many museums exhibiting their treasures here. I expect the physical transformation of our museum to further facilitate multi-disciplinary research on art and cultural artifacts, in-depth institutional partnerships, and object-based training for students.”

Miss Law said: “I am particularly impressed to see that the growth of our university museum is largely championed by the local community. While the government has strived to revitalise Hong Kong’s appeal as a tourist destination, it takes a citywide effort to make our city stand out. I applaud all of you who have contributed to CUHK. With your support, our rich offerings in the arts have given Hong Kong a new brand. I believe this progressive museum will become a unique attraction in Hong Kong, welcoming more residents and tourists to visit and providing exceptional cultural experiences for us.”

Dr Lo said: “Art is spiritual and intellectual nourishment, and art education is important for character building. Character building is ingrained in this understated yet highly functional building. The cantilever design has a dignified presence of shouldering the burden. When I see this building, modesty, efficiency, groundedness, and inner-strengths are words that come to mind, and these are the same qualities that we would like to instil in future generations. When it comes to presenting and learning about our cultural heritage, a dignified space is warranted.”

Dr Lee said: “My father Harold wanted to promote Chinese art and culture in Hong Kong. My mother was a passionate and prolific collector. Together with my 4^th uncle J.S (利榮森), they assisted CUHK’s Founding Vice-Chancellor Dr Choh-ming Li to build the Institute of Chinese Studies and the Art Museum over half a century ago. CUHK’s progress in recent years is both notable and impressive.  In order to become a beacon of higher learning on the world stage, we shall continue to develop the study of Chinese art and culture.” 

The Lo Kwee Seong Pavilion and Harold and Christina Lee Gallery

Opening in March 2025 and designed by Dr Yim, an internationally renowned architect, the Art Museum’s new Lo Kwee Seong Pavilion is a cantilevered landmark that perches on a slope of the University’s mountainous terrain. The understated yet elegant design with formliner fair-faced concrete reflects the University’s emphasis on practicality, and the building blends seamlessly into CUHK’s academic environment and natural landscape. This utopia of art and scholarship will accelerate Hong Kong’s growth as an artistic and cultural hub.

The construction of the Art Museum’s new extension was made possible through generous donations from the Lo Kwee Seong Foundation and the family of Mr and Mrs Harold Lee. The gifts enabled the Art Museum to integrate art-making, curating and teaching, as well as to diversify and enrich the overall museum experience. Additionally, the Lee Hysan Foundation has generously donated HK$20 million to support the Art Museum’s art education initiatives, further benefiting the community at large.

“Transcending Transience: Art and Culture of Late–Ming Jiangnan” is the largest exhibition ever curated by the Art Museum. Sponsored by the Bei Shan Tang Foundation, it was organised with the Shanghai Museum and CUHK’s Department of Fine Arts. It features 193 precious art objects sourced from prominent local and international collections, including nine grade-one national treasures making their debut in Hong Kong. These paintings, calligraphy works and antiquities reveal the texture of life in the Jiangnan region during the late-Ming period.

A campus-wide celebration of the new Museum will introduce a diverse range of art and cultural programmes on 22 March. More details: https://www.cuartmuseumspringfest.com/en.

For more information about CUHK Art Museum, the Lo Kwee Seong Pavilion and the “Transcending Transience” exhibition, please refer to the appendix.

Please download exhibition photos from http://bit.ly/3FxJXHm.