The Hong Kong Museum of Art (HKMoA) has received a generous donation from Dr Kössen Ho, which comprises over 340 precious artefacts from his Hua-e Jiaohui Lou collection. This diverse collection encompasses bamboo and wood carvings, Chinese painting and calligraphy, ink rubbings and textiles, with modern bamboo carvings forming the largest category. It also marks the largest gift of bamboo carvings to a local museum since 1985. The HKMoA is launching the "On Ink and Bamboo: The Hua-e Jiaohui Lou Donation" exhibition starting from tomorrow (October 30), which features about 200 selected sets of artworks from the donation, demonstrating the refined elegance of bamboo-carving art.
Speaking at the exhibition opening cum donation ceremony held today (October 29), the Under Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism, Mr Raistlin Lau, said that Dr Ho entrusted the fruits of his lifelong devotion to the museum, transforming his private treasures into public heritage. Building upon the historical lineage of the museum's existing collection of Ming and Qing bamboo carvings, the donation of modern bamboo carvings fills a gap in the study of modern Chinese bamboo craftsmanship. Not only does it establish the HKMoA's prominent position in the field of research and promotion of bamboo carving, it also further reaffirms the museum as a premier home for local collections.
Dr Ho said that the HKMoA continually strives for excellence, with its innovative approach to exhibition curation having earned widespread acclaim. Following the previous donation of Ming, Qing, and 20th-century bamboo wares by Dr Ip Yee, this latest gift further enhances the museum's collection of bamboo and wood carvings. He hopes this contribution will help advance the display, education, and promotion of bamboo and wood carving art, as well as foster cultural and creative development.
Other officiating guests included the Chairman of the Art Sub-committee of the Museum Advisory Committee, Professor Desmond Hui; the Director of Leisure and Cultural Services, Ms Manda Chan; and the Museum Director of the HKMoA, Dr Maria Mok.
Dr Ho began building his private Hua-e Jiaohui Lou collection in 1997. Beyond mere acquisition, he actively participates in the conception, design and supervision of the production of bamboo and wood carvings, drawing inspiration from Chinese painting masterpieces and antiquities within his own collection. The brush pot carved with plum blossom and camellia from Song "Hundred Flowers" in liuqing low relief, a set of wrist-rests carved with Pu Ru's "Flowers in Autumn Garden" in liuqing low relief and more are fine examples that not only showcase exceptional craftsmanship of bamboo and wood carving, but also reflect his unique philosophy in collecting and appreciating this art form.
The exhibition breaks new ground by employing dynamic lighting and features an immersive art installation of a virtual bamboo grove, highlighting the techniques and historical development of bamboo carving through animated projections, which illustrate how artisans refine timeless beauty from humble materials. In the exhibition's dedicated educational corner, visitors are invited to create their own rubbings of motifs from the exhibits, taking home a memento of their visit.
The exhibition will run from October 30, 2026, to April 7, 2027, at the Chinese Antiquities Gallery on the third floor of the HKMoA (10 Salisbury Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon). Admission is free. For details of the exhibition, please visit the website at hk.art.museum/en/web/ma/exhibitions-and-events/on-ink-and-bamboo.html.
