HKMoA to showcase works of Spanish modern art master MirÃ³ (with photos)
2.3.2023

The Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) is collaborating with the Fundaci&oacute; Joan Mir&oacute;, Spain for the first time to proudly present "The Hong Kong Jockey Club Series: Joan Mir&oacute; - The Poetry of Everyday Life" exhibition starting from tomorrow (March 3) at the Hong Kong Museum of Art (HKMoA), showcasing over 90 masterpieces and media from different periods by Spanish modern art master Joan Mir&oacute;. The exhibition is a rare large-scale retrospective showcase of Mir&oacute; in Hong Kong in recent years. Members of the public will be able to learn more about how Mir&oacute;, one of the most influential artists of the 20th century, transformed everyday objects into abstract art with poetic intensity. Addressing the opening ceremony today (March 2), the Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism, Mr Kevin Yeung, said that the Fundaci&oacute; Joan Mir&oacute;, one of the world's highly acclaimed art institutions which was founded by the Spanish master himself, boasts the world's most comprehensive collection of Mir&oacute;'s works. He noted that this exhibition is the first collaboration between the Fundaci&oacute; Joan Mir&oacute; and the LCSD. Over the years, the LCSD had collaborated with many top museums across the globe to bring the finest exhibitions to Hong Kong. The month of March marks the start of Hong Kong's yearly launch of arts and cultural events. This exhibition, together with all the wonderful events to follow, including the Museum Summit to be held on the 24th and 25th of this month, will attract art lovers from Hong Kong and around the world, and strengthen the city's long-standing status as a well-known East-meets-West centre for international cultural exchange. Other officiating guests included the Ambassador of the Kingdom of Spain to the People's Republic of China, Mr Rafael Dezcallar de Mazarredo; the Director of the Fundaci&oacute; Joan Mir&oacute;, Dr Marko Daniel; the Executive Director of Charities and Community of the Hong Kong Jockey Club, Dr Gabriel Leung; the Chairman of Museum Advisory Committee, Mr Douglas So; the Director of Leisure and Cultural Services, Mr Vincent Liu; and the Museum Director of the HKMoA, Dr Maria Mok. Mir&oacute; is one of the most renowned Spanish artists of the 20th century. Along with Pablo Picasso and Salvador Dal&iacute;, Mir&oacute; is known as one of the three greats of Spanish modern art. He had a profound influence on modern art, and his pioneering approach, childlike imagery and vivid colours were very popular with artists of the time. Mir&oacute;'s love for all kinds of everyday objects and their intrinsic poetic qualities is apparent throughout his long and fruitful career. Linking art to life was one of his greatest aspirations, which was often realised by his unique ability to perceive the poetic qualities possessed by the most humble of items, turning ordinary objects into extraordinary art. This exhibition presents 94 of Mir&oacute;'s artworks, including paintings, sculptures, drawings, textiles, lithographs, posters and audio-visual materials related to him, ranging from his early to late years, many of which come from the Fundaci&oacute; Joan Mir&oacute;, founded by the master himself in 1975. The exhibition showcases his breakthroughs and achievements in different art media, offering audiences a retrospective look at Mir&oacute;'s creative career. The HKMoA has specially invited local artists to create new art pieces, paying tribute to Mir&oacute;'s masterpieces and complementing the exhibition with a unique Hong Kong viewpoint. Inspired by Mir&oacute;'s poetic symbols, new media artist GayBird created a series of multimedia installations to explore how images and sounds are transformed into symbols. Sharing Mir&oacute;'s quest for breakthroughs in using materials and different ways of expression, artist Leelee Chan created an original abstract piece with unconventional sculpture materials. Illustrator Zoie Lam teamed up with the HKMoA curatorial team to create an illustration booklet that presents iconic art features and approaches of the master. A Mir&oacute;-style augmented reality scene is set up in the museum, offering viewers of all ages a glimpse of Mir&oacute;'s poetic world. In addition, the HKMoA has selected and put on display artworks by Zao Wou-ki, Wu Guanzhong, Luis Chan and Ha Bik-chuen from its own collection in the same gallery to highlight the similarities and differences between Chinese and Western artists in the comprehension of abstract art, creating a unique dialogue between the East and West. The exhibition will run from March 3 to June 28 at the Special Gallery on the second floor of the HKMoA (10 Salisbury Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon). The exhibition is solely sponsored by the Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust, presented by the LCSD, and jointly organised by the HKMoA and the Fundaci&oacute; Joan Mir&oacute;, Barcelona. As with all its donations, the Hong Kong Jockey Club's support for "The Hong Kong Jockey Club Series: Joan Mir&oacute; - The Poetry of Everyday Life" is made possible by its unique integrated business model through which racing and wagering generate tax revenue and charity support for the community, so as to act continuously for the betterment of the society. For details of the exhibition, please visit the website at hk.art.museum/en/web/ma/exhibitions-and-events/the-hong-kong-jockey-club-series-joan-miro-the-poetry-of-everyday-life.html or call 2721 0116 for enquiries.