A walk down memory lane for mainland artist Huang Yongyu

Hong Kong has gone through a lot of changes since mainland artist Huang Yongyu first visited the city some 50 years ago. The respected artist recalled some of those times on Wednesday, as his exhibition officially opened at Times Square (it runs until August 1). The legendary master (right), joined on stage by his long-time friend and reclusive author Louis Cha (far right) - 'I've known him since 1947 and we've been friends since then' - turned the ceremony into a walk down memory lane.

'Fifty years ago, I remember this exact place [Times Square] was a tram terminus,' he said, recalling a time when he lived in Hong Kong. 'That year, there was a strike by the tram workers' union and I made three wood carvings about that and wrote an editorial that I sent to a newspaper. But the biggest difference between then and now is the behaviour of the police. Back then, the cops were known for chasing people and beating them up. Now they are very educated and mannered.'

The sweltering heat kept the event relatively short, as guests were eager to dash from the outdoor piazza upstairs to the air-conditioned lobby where the bulk of the artwork and paintings were on show. Quite a few of Huang's friends arrived to help him celebrate his display. We felt particularly bad for those elderly guests wearing full suits standing in the heat during the entire ceremony. Couldn't some chairs have been offered to them?