Four essential monuments to culture
The subject of culture always sparks stimulating discussion across society. And rightly so, for culture is the blood and veins of any community. The West Kowloon cultural project has been captivating the city's attention. The stakes are high. But, in the first place, what is culture? Can it be defined like a mathematical formula? Or is it as variable as society itself and, if so, is there any justification for allocating resources to encapsulate something that can never be fully represented?
Generally, culture can be classified into high culture, popular, folk, local and regional, political, intellectual, social, and religious. Under the umbrella of culture are customs, practices, trends and fashions, as well as habits. These terms are not necessarily mutually exclusive; they quite often overlap.
The current plan for housing the arts involves building four museums. The government has suggested museums of moving image, modern art, ink, and design. This scheme, however, can be improvised to suit the image and reality of Hong Kong as an international metropolis, cultural hub and a community with a strong local flavour. Given the steady progress of democracy (which requires an informed citizenry), the impending major education reforms, and the fact that only two-thirds of our population has a Form Three education or beyond, the kind of museums we provide will be crucial.
A comprehensive museum exhibiting the world's cultural heritage is a fundamental requirement. This should be the principal museum. People who cannot afford to travel overseas would have the opportunity to broaden their own, and their children's, horizons. Exposure to the wonderful achievements of human civilisation often serves as a stimulant to young minds. Such a museum is, moreover, crucial for our young artists to understand that art and culture are related.
It is also logical for Hong Kong to have a museum specialising in Chinese art. Five thousand years of culture deserves its own space. Such a museum will enhance the cultural sentiment of a people whose civilisation's diversities, multi-faceted developments and dynamic transformations manifest themselves in artistic expressions that are just as mesmerising and variegated.
Our unique local culture also deserves its own space. It should adopt a flexible approach, giving space to experimental work by our budding artists, Chinese and non-Chinese alike. Its peculiar charm will lie in the paradox of a 'local' museum that is not parochial, but transregional and transcultural. This characteristic will highlight Hong Kong's history and uniqueness as the Pearl of the Orient.
An avant-garde city naturally values contemporary art. This fourth museum will provide space for all sorts of contemporary work. To a degree, it would complement the experimental work of our local artists and serve to inspire them. The public, too, would get a quick grasp of some of the current trends.
Museums are monuments. Whether it is a giant canopy or a pyramid, the choice ought to be a question of aesthetics. This is what we should be concerned with.
Margaret Chu is senior research officer of the One Country Two Systems Research Institute
