20/20 Hong Kong Print Art Exhibition

1/F, Thematic Galleries 3 & 4
7 October 2020 – 6 September 2021

Jointly presented by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department and the Hong Kong Open Printshop
Jointly organised by the Hong Kong Heritage Museum and the Hong Kong Open Printshop

Footprints in the sand;
Pencil rubbings of a leaf;
Colourful patterns on a T-shirt –

These are images printed from a "matrix" and the more common forms of "print art". Print art can be found in nature and in our daily life. But we live in an ocean of images, with internet memes, mobile phone snapshots, banner ads and infographics at our fingertips. For most of us, print art is probably associated with vague, distant memories of works such as Campbell's Soup Cans by Andy Warhol or The Great Wave off Kanagawa by Hokusai.

In fact, Hong Kong artists started creating prints as early as the 1930s, producing elaborate and diverse images by experimenting with different printing materials and techniques. Artists from different generations have portrayed social life in their prints, explored new directions for modern culture through colours and abstract forms, and blazed new trails in print art by adopting the latest technology and innovative techniques. Even today, artists are still fascinated by the meticulous process of printmaking and the textures of ink and paper. Their works reflect on life in Hong Kong and contemplate the evolution of contemporary culture. They are also a visual representation of the complex human psyche.

How do printmakers record the transformation of Hong Kong culture?
How do they integrate Eastern traditions with Western art forms?
How can print art be combined with photography, animation and digital printing to spark creativity?

The exhibition uses 20 questions related to print art as introductory remarks, and they are answered by 20 different sets of artworks. All aim to inspire different threads of artistic imagination. Let's embark on this 20/20 journey to enter the graphic world of print art and to investigate the past and future of art and culture.

The selected artworks in the exhibition range from the 1940s to 2020, showcasing prints by masters and some of the latest creations by young artists. Through these works, visitors will look into how the concepts of print art overlap with new media, such as computer animation, 3D printing, and augmented reality, and appreciate how printmaking techniques can be applied to creative works, like illustration, design, zines, and other cultural products.

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Exhibit Highlights

Raindrop Focus II

1969
Hon Chi-fun
Serigraphy: Silkscreen
Collection of Hong Kong Heritage Museum

Inception

2020
Li Ning
Relief printing: Linocut
Artist collection

Wong Ka-kui's first acoustic guitar, bought with his own savings

Creating a print is no small feat. The artist must plan every step in great detail – from conceiving the design and drawing the image to making the plate, applying the ink, and printing with a press. Only when the inked paper is lifted from the press is the finished artwork revealed.

Chung Tai-fu and his work Blue Ripple .

Tablet

1976
Cheung Yee
Paper casting
Collection of Hong Kong Museum of Art