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The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) received a HK$100 million donation from Lo Kwee Seong Foundation (Foundation) in support of the construction of an extension of the Art Museum.

A cheque presentation ceremony was held recently in appreciation of the generous donation made by the Foundation – set up by the late Dr. LO Kwee-Seong in 1991. Guests officiating the ceremony included Dr. Peter LO Tak-shing, Chairman of Lo Kwee Seong Foundation, Mr. Winston LO Yau-lai, Trustee of Lo Kwee Seong Foundation, Mr. Chien LEE, son of the late Dr. J.S. LEE and Vice-Chairman of the Council of CUHK, Mr. Christopher MOK Wah-chiu, Chairman, Advisory Committee of the Art Museum, CUHK and Professor Rocky S. TUAN, Vice-Chancellor and President of CUHK. Other Trustees of the Foundation and senior management of CUHK also witnessed the ceremony.

Professor Rocky Tuan expressed his gratitude for this munificent donation, “The Lo Kwee Seong Foundation has been an ardent benefactor of CUHK for many years. The Lo Kwee Seong Foundation (the then K.S. Lo Foundation) made a magnanimous donation of HK$150 million to CUHK in 2010 to support its development, in particular its research in biomedical sciences, including research on soybean and other staple foods. This time, the donation of HK$100 million will make possible the construction of the extension of Art Museum, which will be a museum-grade construction conducive to learning about cultural artifacts, thereby allowing CUHK to augment art-related courses and programmes and to cultivate students’ appreciation of the arts.”

 Dr. Peter Lo said, “The Foundation is very pleased to have established a long-term collaboration with CUHK – a leader in scientific research and humanities. The Foundation made a big donation in biomedical sciences almost a decade ago, and I have been attending the annual meeting of the Advisory Committee of the Lo Kwee Seong Biomedical Research Fund on behalf of the Foundation. I am very pleased to have witnessed many research developments on rice and soybean, bringing impact to the man-kind globally. This time, we made another donation to CUHK in support of its development in arts and humanities. I really look forward to seeing the fruition of the Art Museum of The Chinese University of Hong Kong – Lo Kwee Seong Pavilion so that the faculty members can make good use of the infrastructure by conducting more research and teaching, and fostering the promotion of arts in Hong Kong.”

 Mr. Winston Lo added, “My late father, Dr. Lo Kwee Seong, was well-known for his creation of VITASOY soymilk in Hong Kong. He had a vision to enhance the well-being of the Chinese people. While running a successful business, my father made many efforts to serve the people and contribute to the society. To the art circle, he would always be remembered most for his donation of tea ware collection conducive to the establishment of the first Museum of Tea Ware in Asia. He was also among the early patrons of CUHK Art Museum because of his great friendship with Dr. J.S. Lee, the staunch supporter of Art museum of CUHK. Now with the Art Museum of The Chinese University of Hong Kong – Lo Kwee Seong Pavilion, our Foundation would like to continue the legacy of my late father to promote Chinese culture.”

As the Art Museum approaches its golden anniversary in 2021, this new extension, to be completed in 2023, will mark a physical milestone of the museum. As the Art Museum of CUHK is well known among scholars and collectors for its original exhibitions and scholarly catalogues, the addition of a new wing will not only facilitate its growth, but also draw the attention of students, faculty members, other university stakeholders, and general visitors to the gems of knowledge developed in this remarkable institution. To show its appreciation for the benefaction, CUHK would name the extension Art Museum of The Chinese University of Hong Kong – Lo Kwee Seong Pavilion in perpetuity.