Hong Kong Museum of Art (HKMoA)

As a painter, Luis Chan prided himself on his self-taught background. Dazzling art circles with his realistic and figurative watercolour landscapes, he was crowned “King of Watercolour” in the 1930s. He remained active until the later 1940s, earning critical acclaim for his paintings, exhibitions, art reviews and efforts to build networks to connect Chinese and overseas painters. 
However, when the Western modern art trend arrived in Hong Kong in the 1950s and 1960s, landscape sketching was left out. In 1962, Chan’s work was rate “out of date” and was not selected for the “Hong Kong Art Today” exhibition, organised by the City Gall Art Gallery and Museum (today’s HKMoA). That terrible blow motivated Chan to blaze a new trail. A long period of exploration and experimentation followed. In 1969, he presented The rich, the poor and the snob, which demonstrates a striking individual style. Chan splashed colours randomly on the papers and allowed them to run. The pigment marks guided his creative ideas, giving rise to all sorts of whimsical characters that he created spontaneously. The figures have strange faces and varied shapes and forms. With this surrealistic approach, he constructed a fantastic metropolis in which all beings co-exist. 


The rich the poor_Dr Xs plan.jpg

The Rich, The Poor and The Snob

Turning points A

Hiding and looking for the antidote at the Xubaizhai Collection of Chinese Painting and Calligraphy

Hiding and looking for the antidote at the Hong Kong Art Gallery

Hiding and looking for the antidote at the The Wing (Upper)

One of the antidotes found!  

Turning points E and the Ending

Hiding and looking for the antidote at the Art Square of Salisbury Garden (Outdoor)

Hiding and looking for the antidote at the The Wing (Upper) (continue)

Hiding and looking for the antidote at the Chinese Antiquities Gallery

A great gathering, an unexpected change

Dr. X, you may have the antidote

Hiding and looking for the antidote at The Lab

Turning points B

Turning points C & Activity: Task for Turning Point C

Turning points D

Try looking up into the sky as you step out of the museum. Do you see the sky as an interesting shape? Take a picture of the sky with your dad or mum’s phone and draw here. Perhaps it could be a special wallpaper for the phone! 

Activity

You can gain your fourth marble when you complete it!   Task: Design a pillow in the shape of an alien creature for Lava Lava. 

Activity: Task for Turning Point D

Which season is your favourite? What is special about it? Why don’t you design an animal-themed outfit for that season for Speedee and Lava Lava?

Colour the second marble of the transformer after completing of this task to inject energy into it!   Task: Can you pick some ready-made objects and turn them into an animal? This animal can fuel the second marble! 

Activity: Task for Turning Point B

Colour the first marble of the transformer after completing od this task to inject energy into it!   Task: Artist Luis Chan splashed colours randomly on papers and gained inspiration from the pigment marks. Close your eyes and draw a few lines freely in the frame. Show us your creativity by finishing the drawing. 

Activity: Task for Turning Point A

Cave in landscape paintings usually represent a gateway to the ideal world. The paths in the woods twist and turn to stimulate the viewer’s imagination. Where will the path in the painting take us? Can you draw the scenery of your ideal world and create your own landscape album? 

This resource kit is digitalized from a fun kit. It helps children and families discover the Hong Kong Museum of Art and its collections. We hope you will have a great adventure of exploring the museum and the exhibits.
You may be interested to read the first episode:  https://museumsfordigitallearning.org/resourcekit/142. 


Resource Kits

Object Library

Museums

Where’s Grandpa Ofu: Dr. X’s Plan

Turning points A