Since 1997, the Hong Kong Heritage Museum has been collecting Hong Kong's old advertising posters with the aim of developing a systematic and representative collection for research, education and exhibition purposes. Several hundred advertising posters, hand-drawn originals and product labels have been acquired to date. Now, thanks to a recent generous donation from the descendants of Kwan Wai-nung, the collection has been further enhanced, and an exhibition on the topic was to be presented as one of the programmes of the Print Art Festival 2001.


Commonly celebrated as the "King of Advertising Posters", Kwan Wai-nung was the most important poster artist in Hong Kong in the 1920s and 1930s. Focusing on how he developed his artwork as well as on his artistic style, the exhibition also introduced the Asiatic Lithographic Printing Press which Kwan established and the lithographic printing technique prevalent at the time.