WHAT'S ON
Ink Rhymes Through a Millennium
Calligraphy by Cheung Cheuk Wai
16 Oct 2026 - 10 Jan 20273,000 Years of Chinese Writing
6 Nov 2026 - 14 Feb 2027Diego Velázquez
in the Gardens of the Villa Medici in Rome
23 Oct 2026 LectureSongs before Sleep
10 Nov 2026 PerformanceSurveying the Surveyor General’s Office, 1844–1883
11 Nov 2026 LectureUMAG Lecture Series 2026
UMAG 講座系列 2026
17 Sep 2026 - 27 Nov 2026 LectureInk Rhymes Through a Millennium: Calligraphy by Cheung Cheuk Wai
3 Nov 2026 - 9 Jan 2027 Guided TourBROWSE COLLECTION BY CATEGORY
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Calligraphy is the soul of Chinese characters and the lifeblood of Chinese
civilization. From the archaic simplicity of oracle bone inscriptions and bronze inscriptions, to the uniformity of Qin dynasty seal script and the vitality of Han dynasty clerical script; from the disciplined structure of Wei and Jin regular script, to the fluidity of running script and the untamed energy of cursive script—the birth of each script form reflects the spirit of its age.
The opening of the exhibition was held at UMAG on October 15. Officiating guests included Mr Joseph Lau Chairman of Yi Geng Shu Xue She, Ms Angelina Cheung Daughter of Artist, Dr Florian Knothe Director of UMAG, and Ms Kitty Lam Curatorial Assistant of UMAG. Calligraphy has never been merely an art of lines. It embodies a vast spectrum of themes: the temperament of the calligrapher, the vibrant energy of living beings, prayers for blessings, the grandeur of mountains and rivers, the profundity of philosophical thought, the faithful transmission of classical verse, and the ideals of statecraft and official loyalty. For centuries, countless individuals have devoted their lives to its study and practice. What makes calligraphy so compelling is that it is not merely an aesthetic pursuit, but a philosophy—and ultimately, a discipline of life itself. Between lifting the brush and setting it down, every nuance—the weight of the wrist, the speed of the brush tip, the density of the ink—is a true reflection of the inner state of mind. The University Museum and Art Gallery, The University of Hong Kong is pleased to present the special exhibition Ink Rhymes Through a Millennium: Calligraphy by Cheung Cheuk Wai from 16 October 2026 through 10 January 2027. The display features works by the late Hong Kong calligrapher Cheung Cheuk Wai, covering a wide range of scripts and themes, showcasing the millennia-long history of Chinese
characters. It offers a step into the world of brush and ink, to appreciate—between each stroke and each dot—not only Mr. Cheung’s lifelong devotion to calligraphy, but also the beauty of Chinese characters and the profound depth of Chinese culture.
🎼 Songs before Sleep
Crafted by two iconic 20th-century composers—Aaron Copland and Sir Richard Rodney Bennett—this recital invites you to rediscover the charm of traditional folk tunes and modern lullabies. Old American Songs include traditional ballads, minstrel songs, and lively children’s tunes (such as Simple Gifts and I Bought Me a Cat). Dream Songs paint four vivid musical portraits of whimsical and mysterious dreams. In the cycle Songs Before Sleep, Bennett, the versatile British master and renowned film composer, reimagines classic rhymes (such as Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star) and infuses sophisticated piano textures into this collection, giving these familiar childhood memories a profound new artistic life.
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Performers:
Dominique Chan| Mezzo-soprano
@dominiquechan_mezzosoprano
Sheung Lee | Pianist
@leesheunglee
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Songs before Sleep
📅 Tuesday, 10 November 2026
🕕 6:00 – 7:10 PM (Admission 5:45–6:00 PM)
📍 Drake Gallery, 1/F, Fung Ping Shan Building, University Museum and Art Gallery, HKU
🎟️ Free Admission | Registration required
🔗 Link in bio for more information!
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Upcoming Lecture💬
Diego Velázquez in the Gardens of the Villa Medici in Rome
During Diego Velázquez’s first trip to Italy (1629–1630), he lived for a time at the Villa Medici, where he painted two unprecedented, small garden views. Seemingly painted en plein air, these two works appear to be outliers within his body of work, and indeed within the history of European landscape painting more broadly. This paper first examines what makes the two paintings exceptional, then turns to how, far from being aberrations, they in fact fit cogently within Velázquez’s oeuvre. In doing so, it explores the artist’s distinctive relationship with the natural world.
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📆Date & Time: 23 October 2026 (Friday) | 9:30–10:30 am
📍Venue: Online via Zoom
💬Language: English
🎟️ Free admission, registration required (Link in Bio)
Coming up this October at UMAG 🦁
Stay tuned for updates, and check out our website via the link in bio for the latest event details and guided tour schedule.
十月精彩活動即將登場 🦁
敬請留意最新消息，並透過個人檔案連結瀏覽博物館網站，查看最新活動詳情及導賞團時間表。
#UMAG #香港大學美術博物館