On the development of the Hong Kong Chinese Art Club

The writer gives an account of the development of the Hong Kong Chinese Art Club since its establishment in 1958 to 2016. The artworks of three founding members, including Li Yanshan, Zhao Shao’ang and Lu Shoukun, were discussed. The writer then points out the vision of the Club was to unite the settlers of Hong Kong from different regions and introduces early activities such as local small-scale exhibitions and collaboration with the British Council to organize a touring exhibition of Chinese paintings by Hong Kong artists in Southeast Asia. The Club set up its Ontario chapter in 1979 and arranged joint exhibitions with Mainland municipal parties after Hong Kong’s Handover. The writer proposes the impact and contributions of the Club as incorporating the painting characteristic of the Northern and Southern schools and modern and traditional Chinese painting and calligraphy; building the solidarity of South-bound artists settling in Hong Kong; promoting the establishment of other smaller art organizations. Appended to the essay is a list of exchange activities between HK and its neighbors in the 50s.