Rustic yet refined, bamboo has been revered by scholars and gentlemen since ancient times. Emerging as a prominent tradition during the Ming and Qing dynasties, literati bamboo carving continues to thrive today as an exceptionally elegant and refined Chinese art form.
The Hong Kong Museum of Art is honoured to receive the generous donation from Dr Kössen M. T. Ho, which consists of over 340 items from the Hua-e Jiaohui Lou Collection. This diverse collection encompasses wood carvings, Chinese painting and calligraphy, ink rubbings, and textiles, with modern bamboo carvings forming the largest category. It also marks the largest donation of bamboo carvings received by any museum in Hong Kong over the past forty years.
This exhibition features a curated selection of nearly 200 sets of artworks from the donation, many of which were personally designed by Dr Ho. These bamboo and wood carvings not only showcase exceptional craftsmanship but also reflect his unique philosophy in collecting and appreciating this art form. Many of these carvings draw inspiration from paintings and calligraphy, with artisans transposing ink strokes into carved marks. The carved designs are in turn captured as ink rubbings, gracefully returning the imagery to paper. This fluid interplay of media creates a fascinating dialogue between carving and brushwork. More importantly, it reflects the deep artistic bonds and shared vision among artisans, painters, literati and the collector himself, demonstrating the refined elegance of bamboo-carving art.