Media

Four World-Renowned Artists Appointed as University Artists 2011-2012

01 Apr 2011

 

The University of Hong Kong (HKU) will welcome four world-renowned artists to its University Artists Scheme 2011-2012 in an inauguration ceremony to be held on April 7 (Thursday). The four artists are Filmmakers and HKU Alumni Ms Mabel Cheung (張婉婷) and Mr Alex Law (羅啟銳), Visual Artist Mr Gu Wenda (谷文達), and Conductor Ms Yip Wing-sie (葉詠詩).

The ceremony will be officiated by HKU Dean of Arts, Professor Kam Louie in the presence of Mr Daniel Chan, Managing Director, Paragon International Ltd, and various guests. The Ceremony will be followed by the Public Forum "Echoes of Memory: Days of Apprenticeship" with University Artists Ms Mabel Cheung and Mr Alex Law who will discuss their films and share fond memories of their student life at HKU.

The University Artists Scheme was officially launched in 2008 and is the first programme of its kind to be held at the University of Hong Kong. The Scheme brings artists of international calibre to the campus, to share their knowledge with and enrich the lives of students, staff and the community. The University Artists Scheme 2011-2012 is hosted by the Faculty of Arts and is generously supported by the Daniel Chan Fund.

Members of the media are cordially invited to cover the event. Details are as follows:

Date: 7 April 2011 (Thursday)

University Artists meet the media
Time: 4pm
Venue: VIP room, Rayson Huang Theatre, HKU

University Artists Scheme 2011-2012 Inauguration Ceremony
Time: 5:30pm
Venue: Rayson Huang Theatre, HKU

Public Forum - Echoes of Memory: Days of Apprenticeship
Time: 6:00pm
Venue: Rayson Huang Theatre, HKU
Speakers: Mabel Cheung, Alex Law

Limited seats are available for the public. For details, please contact Faculty of Arts, HKU (Tel: 2219 4724), or register at http://arts.hku.hk/UAS/publicforum . The programme will be conducted in English.

A brief introduction of the four University Artists 2011-2012 follows:

Mabel Cheung (Film)
Mabel Cheung (張婉婷) is an alumna of HKU and an award-winning film director. She is one of Hong Kong's finest film producers and directors, with her 1987 film, An Autumn's Tale, enjoying great commercial success. There has also been great international recognition for her work, from the Hong Kong Films Awards, the Asia-Pacific Film Festival, and the Golden Horse Film Festival and Awards. Most recently, she was awarded the prestigious Crystal Bear for Best Film at the 2010 Berlin International Film Festival, for Echoes of the Rainbow. Her professional recognition also includes being appointed a member of the Hong Kong Film Development Council.

Alex Law (Film)
Alex Law (羅啟銳) has built a reputation as a talented film director, producer and writer, whose impressive career has seen him reach the highest echelons of the Hong Kong film industry and international film festivals. Most recently, he won the Crystal Bear for Best Film at the 2010 Berlin International Film Festival for Echoes of the Rainbow, which also garnered him the Best Screenplay Award at the Hong Kong Film Awards. Since graduating with a BA in Chinese and English Studies & Comparative Literature from HKU, he has worked on many films with fellow alumna, Ms Mabel Cheung, a creative partnership that has led to numerous awards and honours.

Yip Wing-sie (Music)
A highly respected and influential figure in Asia's orchestral music scene, Yip Wing-sie (葉詠詩) has been the Music Director of the Hong Kong Sinfonietta since 2002 and is also the Principal Guest Conductor of the Guangzhou Symphony Orchestra. Winner of the First Prize as well as "LYRE d'OR" in the 35th Concours International de Jeunes Chefs d'Orchestre de Besançon in 1985, Yip Wing-sie has collaborated with such renowned artists as Augustin Dumay, Fou Ts'ong, Shlomo Mintz, Anne-Sophie Mutter, Itzhak Perlman and Pinchas Zukerman. She was awarded the "Chevalier de l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres" by the French Ministry of Culture and Communication in 2007. In 2010, she was elected Fellow of the Royal College of Music (FRCM).

Gu Wenda (Visual Arts)
Gu Wenda (谷文達) is considered one of the pioneers of Chinese contemporary art. In the early to mid 1980s, he challenged the establishment and influenced an entire generation of artists in China with a series of provocative ink paintings that employed fake or pseudo Chinese characters. After he moved to the United States in 1987, he began creating large-scale installations, using everything from human hair to human placenta powder to create artistic objects and explore the issues surrounding multiculturalism and globalization. Through his work, Gu Wenda has established himself as a powerful commentator on the cultural and linguistic barriers that continue to exist in a globalized era.

Mr Daniel Chan (Donor)
Daniel Chan is the Founder and Managing Director of Paragon International Limited and has over 20 years' experience in the luxury goods industry. Outside of his work in the business world, he is a generous contributor to the community. He presently sits on the Board of Directors of Po Leung Kuk and is a member of the Council of the Lord Wilson Heritage Trust. He is an advisor to, and was previously Chairman of the Federation of Hong Kong Watch Trades and Industries Limited. He received his Bachelor Degree from the University of Western Ontario, Canada.

Media enquiries, please contact: Ms Phyllis Mak, Programme Manager, Faculty of Arts, HKU (Tel: 2859 8048, email: kpmak@hku.hk ) or Ms Trinni Choy (Assistant Director (Media), Communications and Public Affairs Office, HKU (Tel: 2859 2606, email: pychoy@hku.hk