On the occasion of the 700th anniversary of the death of the great Italian poet Dante, the Dante Alighieri Society in Hong Kong has also undergone new changes. The association has been actively promoting the Italian language and culture in Hong Kong since the early 20th century, and has collaborated successfully with the Italian Consulate General in Hong Kong, the Italian Cultural Institute, and the Italian Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong and Macau over the years to co-organize hundreds of cultural events on various themes, including Italian wines and cuisine, design, art, music history, and architecture.
This year, the association officially moved to the Hong Kong Arts Center, which will allow the association to expand its activities and bring the local community closer to the distance between Italy, language, and culture. To celebrate this grand event, the renowned interdisciplinary artist Simon Ma will present the association with exquisite three-dimensional calligraphy sculptures as a tribute to this great poet. The Italian Consulate General also invited him to create another unique artwork for Dante, which will be permanently displayed at the new location of the Dante Alighieri Society for exhibition.
Actually, as early as May of this year, in the “Dragon Horse Leaping Shadows – Ma Xingwen Art Exhibition Tour” in China, Simon expressed his respect and tribute to the poet through the creation of three-dimensional calligraphy sculptures of Dante, and long scrolls of Dante calligraphy. The exchange of art and culture across 7 centuries proves that the spirit of thought, philosophy, humanity, and art is eternal. Simon has been creating the “Dragon Horse Spirit” series of artworks for decades, creating a contemporary humanistic concern. The guests attending the exhibition at that time even wrote out Dante’s poems in Chinese calligraphy, which became another form of creation.
Having seen the artist pay tribute to Dante with three-dimensional calligraphy sculptures, I wonder what new ideas this commissioned work from the Italian Consulate will bring. Let’s wait and see!
Learn more: Dante Association
