HKU Bulletin May 2016 (Vol. 17 No.2)

Modern memories From traditional to modern: also on exhibition recently at UMAG was the show So We Remember , featuring the contemporary art of Chen Xi, a painter who has created a series of contemporary works to illustrate events that have shaped our lives today. Her methods relate contemporary life to a society informed by multimedia and her paintings are each framed within a television screen as sequential ‘episodes’, thereby creating a visual narrative of life. They are like screen shots, with the TV screen setting placing them appropriately in the context of the living room, where we are used to viewing our daily news. The events depicted are historic scenes, political or social events, but from a more intimate, sometimes uncomfortably close perspective. The Return of Hong Kong, Watercolour on Paper, 2008. The University of Hong Kong Bulletin www.hku.hk/publications/bulletin.html Published by the University of Hong Kong The Bulletin magazine reports on activities, events and research initiated by members of the University. It aims to keep the local and international communities informed of new breakthroughs and achievements in all of our faculties and disciplines. Editorial Team Chief Editor: Katherine Ma, Director of Communications Managing Editor: Shirley Yeung, Publications Manager Assistant Editor: Yu Nga-wing Writers: Kelvin Au, Teri Fitsell, Kathy Griffin Design and production: oneZEBRA Limited Contribution and Feedback With special thanks to staff and students who kindly contributed their time and their photographs to the Bulletin . We welcome contributions of content for publication. Items should include the author’s name and University contact details. Please direct contributions, comments or suggestions to the Communications and Public Affairs Office at bulletin@hku.hk for consideration. Care for the Environment While our publication is printed on environmentally friendly paper, we urge you to share your copy with friends and colleagues, and help reduce our carbon footprint. Alternatively, you may choose to unsubscribe at bulletin@hku.hk, and read the Bulletin online at www.hku.hk/publications/bulletin.html The donated works are representative of the artist’s changing style over the decades. Most of his early work was left behind when he fled China, but paintings such as Red Trees on Autumn Hill (1957) are noted for their sense of calm and tranquility. Later, he would paint landscapes in a literati style, employing unconventional composition and perspective, UMAG is honoured to receive this large donation of Tao Wan’s works and delighted to be able to share with the public the master’s paintings documenting the life and achievement of a Hong Kong artist who is still now celebrated for his style and his passion as a teacher. Dr Florian Knothe Tao Wan (1911–2004) created his own expressive style. focussing on specific aspects of a scene rather than presenting the whole picture. After 1985, his work grew more mature, employing a rhythmic brushwork that was instantly recognisable. While the initial exhibition is now over, more of Tao Wan’s work will be shown in the future at HKU. UMAG Director Dr Florian Knothe noted: “UMAG is honoured to receive this large donation of Tao Wan’s works and delighted to be able to share with the public the master’s paintings documenting the life and achievement of a Hong Kong artist who is still now celebrated for his style and his passion as a teacher.” The University of Hong Kong Bulletin | May 2016