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Opinion
Hong Kong’s contemporary artists deserve a bigger stage in its museums
Now that other Asian societies are taking their artists more seriously, it is time for M+ and HKMoA to give our living artists major solo exhibitions
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Enid Tsui is the SCMP's Arts Editor.
There has been much hyperventilating over two recent controversies at M+, Hong Kong’s museum of visual culture.
The first was a series of mahjong social nights charging museum members and patrons up to HK$2,500 (US$319) for a package including an exhibition tour, a meal and social tile-shuffling in the members’ lounge. Mahjong may have had a Chinamaxxing makeover in the West, but in Hong Kong, the game is still considered a tad unwholesome for a museum even when no money changed hands.
Frankly, if M+ wants to hold pai gow tournaments or caai mui drinking games in its fabulous but underused members’ lounge to build community and generate revenue, let it. As for the “private club” claim, the HK$300-600 membership fee it charges for year-round admission and lounge access doesn’t exactly grant elite status.
The second incident was the last-minute cancellation of a performance by singer-songwriter Wong Hin-yan – who has a history of supporting local protests – in an evening music programme. This is more worrying as it bore the hallmarks of an opaque blacklisting of Hong Kong creative talent since the introduction of the national security law.
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