Venue: Hall 14, 4F, Guangdong Museum of Art (BAIETAN)

（Address: 19 BAIETAN South Road, Liwan District, Guangzhou, Guangdong）

Co-presented by: Leisure and Cultural Services Department of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Guangdong Museum of Art

Co-organised by: Guangdong Museum of Art, Hong Kong Museum of Art

Producer: Wang Shaoqiang

Guest Curator:Freeman Lau

 

 

Chinese characters have evolved over thousands of years, recording the development of Chinese civilization while embodying its cultural memory, aesthetic traditions, and creative spirit. Combining linguistic, visual, and calligraphic qualities, Chinese characters have continuously intersected with calligraphy, painting, architecture, craft, and design, taking on new forms and meanings in response to changing times.

 

Since the mid-20th century, Hong Kong’s unique history and open cultural environment have made it an important meeting point between Chinese and Western cultures. Traditional Chinese characters have interacted with modern design, commercial imagery, and digital media, giving rise to a distinctive visual culture and transforming Chinese characters from a tool of writing into a creative medium.

 

With close geographical and cultural ties, Guangdong and Hong Kong have long maintained vibrant cultural exchange. Jointly presented by the Guangdong Museum of Art and the Hong Kong Museum of Art, this exhibition takes Chinese characters as its central thread, tracing their historical development and contemporary practices. It explores how Chinese characters continue to evolve between tradition and innovation, and across Chinese and Western cultures, while fostering cultural exchange between Guangdong and Hong Kong and inviting audiences to experience the enduring richness and contemporary vitality of Chinese culture.

 

 

Anonymous

Woodblock print

35.5 cm × 24.9 cm

（1644 – 1911）

 

Duan Jiexin

Ink on paper

138 cm × 34 cm × 2

2026

 

Hugh Moss

Ink and vermilion water colour on xuan paper

67 cm × 54.2 cm

2019

 

Wang Shaoqiang

Ink on paper

60 cm × 123 cm

2026

Courtesy of INKstudio

 

Yu Tung-sheng

Ink on paper

70 cm × 140 cm

2022

 

Kan Tai-keung

Ink and colour on paper

101 cm x 76 cm x 5

2015

 

Tong King-sum

Wood

90.4 cm × 90.5 cm

1970s

 

Freeman Lau

Ink on paper

38 cm × 38 cm × 9

2026

 

 

Romain Jacquet-Lagrèze

Archival pigment print on fine art paper

150.6 cm × 150.7 cm

2022