British Museum exhibits in HK

May 17, 2019

Exceptional expo:

Chief Secretary Matthew Cheung (centre) opens the exhibition A History of the World in 100 Objects from the British Museum.

Ancient artefact:

One of the highlight exhibits is evidence of the first city from Iraq’s "The Standard of Ur".

Oriental masterpiece:

Japanese artist Katsushika Hokusai’s famous woodblock print "Under the Wave off Kanagawa" from the series "36 Views of Mt Fuji" goes on display.

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Voiceover:
This ornate artefact dates back to around 2500 BC.

Made from luxury materials like lapis lazuli and shells, it was discovered in the city of Ur in Mesopotamia, also known as modern Iraq.

It is known as the Standard of Ur because archaeologists believe that it could have been carried on a pole like a battle standard.

This is the most famous work of the master Japanese printmaker Katsushika Hokusai, Under the Wave off Kanagawa, which depicts the enormous wave that threatens to crash down upon even Mount Fuji on the horizon.

It also shows that Hokusai’s work had a profound effect on European painters.

This Hungarian banknote is the largest denomination banknote ever issued. It is one of the favourite exhibits of the expo’s curator.

British Museum Exhibition Curator Belinda Crerar:
It was part of a huge episode of inflation in Hungary that brought the country entirely to its knees following the Second World War. And what I really like about it is that when this object was made, when this banknote was made, it was practically worthless and yet now it’s such an interesting historical document since it’s got value but for a completely different reason, not financial value, but historical value.

Voiceover:
Jointly organised by the Hong Kong Heritage Museum and the British Museum, “A History of the World in 100 Objects from the British Museum” will open to the public on May 18.

It features 100 specially selected items from the British Museum collection to tell the story of human civilisation and review common themes of human development from a new perspective.

Exhibition Curator of the British Museum Belinda Crerar:
The exhibition is designed to be a new way of telling history, history that’s told through objects, and what we can learn from objects rather than for example written texts. So we start from two million years ago and work our way through 10 sections right up to the present day.

Voiceover:
Chief Secretary Matthew Cheung officiated at the exhibition’s opening ceremony today.

Chief Secretary Matthew Cheung:
The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government is committed to playing a pivotal role in fostering arts and cultural development in Hong Kong and promoting cultural exchanges with the rest of the world. The exhibition we open today will further demonstrate Hong Kong's strength as a vibrant city for arts and cultural exchange. I would like to express my warmest gratitude to the British Museum for bringing this invaluable collection to Hong Kong.

Voiceover:
The exhibition runs until September 9.

An exhibition showcasing 100 selected items from the British Museum collection will be open to the public at the Hong Kong Heritage Museum tomorrow.

The exhibition A History of the World in 100 Objects from the British Museum is jointly presented by the Leisure & Cultural Services Department and the Trustees of the British Museum.

The 100 objects were selected from the British Museum's encyclopedic collections to tell the story of human civilisation and showcase the essence of global culture across two million years.

British Museum Exhibition Curator Belinda Crerar said: “The exhibition is designed to be a new way of telling history, history that is told through objects, and what we can learn from objects rather than for example, written texts. So we start from two million years ago and work our way through 10 sections right up to the present day.”

Highlight exhibits include evidence of the first city from Iraq's "The Standard of Ur", Japanese artist Katsushika Hokusai's famous woodblock print "Under the Wave off Kanagawa" from the series "36 Views of Mt Fuji", and a Hungarian banknote which was the largest denomination banknote ever issued.

Speaking at the opening ceremony today, Chief Secretary Matthew Cheung said the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government is committed to playing a pivotal role in fostering arts and cultural development in Hong Kong and promoting cultural exchanges with the rest of the world.

“The exhibition we open today will further demonstrate Hong Kong's strength as a vibrant city for arts and cultural exchange. I would like to express my warmest gratitude to the British Museum for bringing this invaluable collection to Hong Kong.”

The exhibition will run until September 9.

Click here for details.