HKJC kicks off ‘Drago Cavallo’ exhibition to spread positivity
- The Club has kicked off the ‘Drago Cavallo. Travel Around Hong Kong’ tour, a roving exhibition that showcases an adorable mythical creature designed to spread message of positivity
- To engage with the youth community and inspire their creativity, the Club will hold a colouring contest for kindergarten, primary and secondary school students, which will close on November 30
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Twenty-five years since the establishment of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, The Hong Kong Jockey Club has remained committed to giving back to society and promoting community development. Not only does the Club support charities, but it also organises a wide range of fun activities for children and the young at heart, the latest of which is the ‘Drago Cavallo. Travel Around Hong Kong’ tour.
Inspired by the ancient Chinese mythical animal ‘Dragon Horse’, Drago Cavallo is a contemporary expression of Chinese culture and a symbol of inspiration, which will lead a trail of positivity around Hong Kong. The adorable creature is designed by renowned artist Simon Ma.
On July 3, Club Chief Executive Officer Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges, Simon Ma, Po Leung Kuk Chairman Dr Daniel Chan, Tung Wah Group of Hospitals Chairman Philip Ma and the talented students whose artwork adorns the special anniversary Drago Cavallo sculptures, took part in the opening ceremony of the ‘Drago Cavallo. Travel Around Hong Kong’ tour in Tai Kwun.
The exhibition showcases 43 exhibits from the Drago Cavallo collection until July 10. Visitors can also experience the AR scavenger hunt and other immersive digital experiences on the spot. The roving exhibition will then be held in the East Coast Park Precinct, Sha Tin Town Hall Plaza, the Hong Kong Museum of Art and other surprising locations until November.
“Drago Cavallo is a wonderful initiative for our younger generation, providing them with a platform to express themselves and showcase their creativity. I would like to thank Simon Ma for initiating this meaningful programme and all partners for their collaboration. Creativity is key to innovation, and innovation is vital to maintaining Hong Kong’s competitive edge. This is why continuous development is one of the Club’s core values,” said Mr Engelbrecht-Bresges.
“This art showcase is just one of many programmes the Club is proud to support through its ‘With You. Now. Always.’ initiative. As we mark the HKSAR’s 25th anniversary, the Club hopes these activities will instil positivity in the community and optimism for the future of Hong Kong.”
Creation in action
Around 50 students from Po Leung Kuk and Tung Wah Group of Hospitals primary and secondary schools gathered at Sha Tin Racecourse earlier in June to bring the mini Drago Cavallo sculptures to life with their creative designs.
Wong Ka-chue, a TWGHs S C Gaw Memorial College student, said Drago Cavallo is an amalgamation of Western and Eastern art. That is why he used goldfish, lotus flowers and Western ink splashing techniques to create this integration.
Wong Yuen-kiu, from TWGHs Wong See Sum Primary School, and Druthi Chan, from Po Leung Kuk Lam Man Chan English Primary School, said dragons fly in the sky; therefore, they used blue to represent the sky, and horses walk on the ground, so green would be for them. They drew their favourite kittens and bunnies between the sky and earth, hoping all animals could live in harmony and happiness.
Po Leung Kuk Castar Primary School students Chan Wan-yi and Wong Ching-ching used the auspicious cloud patterns taught by their art teacher in class to paint their Drago Cavallo. “Auspicious clouds represent good luck and the red and yellow body represents enthusiasm and vigour, like a fire,” said the pair.
Colouring contest for school children
To engage with the youth community and inspire their creativity, the Club will hold a ‘Drago Cavallo. Youth Art Competition’ for kindergarten, primary and secondary school students. Each participating student will be given a paper sketch to create their edition of Drago Cavallo. Enrolment closes on August 15, and the deadline for submission is November 30 of this year.
The three best pieces of work will be recognised with gold, silver and bronze awards, respectively. The three winners will receive a limited-edition Drago Cavallo sculpture with Simon Ma's signature as prize. Shortlisted works will also stand a chance to be displayed at the Drago Cavallo World Tour, which will be held in Beijing and Shanghai.
Contributing to Hong Kong’s social and cultural development
For decades, the Club has been a major contributor to Hong Kong's social and cultural development. The Club has funded many youth activities and initiated projects to instil positive values and attitudes among children and youngsters.
To mark the 25th anniversary of the establishment of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, the Club has further donated up to HK$630 million to the government to organise some 60 programmes spanning five key areas of arts and culture, sports, caring for the community, green living and international conferences.
Funded by a HK$3.5 billion donation from the Club’s Charities Trust, the Hong Kong Palace Museum (HKPM) is also opening to the public today. The HKPM will play a vital role in fostering Hong Kong’s arts and culture development while also strengthening Hong Kong’s connection with mainland China and the rest of the world.