Movie Fans’ Gospel! Hong Kong films, as an important part of local popular culture, have produced many classic works on the screen from the 1960s to the present. In addition to reflecting Hong Kong’s cultural life over the past half century, they have also been driving local creative forces. Recently, the Hong Kong Heritage Museum brings the “From Nothing to Something – Hong Kong Film Art and Costume Design Exhibition”. The exhibition, rare in its focus on film art and costume design, recreates a series of classic costumes to document the development of Hong Kong film art, exciting movie fans!
The success of Hong Kong cinema relies on the contributions of the entire team both on and off screen, with the art and costume design playing a crucial role. They bring the script to life by creating intricate and realistic sets and props based on the story’s environment, background, plot, and characters. They also design costumes that are tailored to each character, creating the world of the film.
Right: Brigitte Lin in the role of a smuggler in “Chungking Express” (1994)
The exhibition brings together over three years of research and the assistance of over 200 film industry professionals and companies, showcasing a series of classic fashion styles, props, set designs, storyboard drawings, industry tools, films, and reconstructed workspaces. It invites audiences to step into the world behind the scenes of film, exploring the process of establishing Hong Kong’s film art profession and understanding the unique characteristics of Hong Kong’s film culture, as well as the professionalism of film workers.
The highlighted exhibits include the emperor and empress costumes worn by Chow Yun-fat and Gong Li in “Curse of the Golden Flower” (2006); the qipao worn by Lin Dai in “The Love Eterne” (1961); the red ancient costume worn by Zhang Ziyi in “Hero” (2002); the green raincoat worn by Maggie Cheung in “Love in a Fallen City” (1984); the smuggler’s outfit worn by Brigitte Lin in “Chungking Express” (1994); the Asura costume worn by Karen Mok in “East Meets West 2011” (2011); and the zombie costume worn by Louis Koo in “Rigor Mortis” (2013), among others.
Further reading:
- Painlessly acquire your first favorite artwork! Selected paintings under 20,000 yuan at the Affordable Art Fair
- German contemporary master Anselm Kiefer’s solo exhibition lands in Hong Kong! Villepin presents a large-scale installation and paintings on the theme of “Golden Age” by the artist
- Christie’s Hong Kong Spring Auction Chinese Porcelain Special Session will kick off at the end of the month, featuring a selection of must-see Ming and Qing Dynasty, Imperial, and Song Dynasty porcelain!
There are exhibits related to props, including Shaw Brothers Studio’s set design materials booklet; the zombie hunter sword from “The Twins Effect” (2003); the special prop “Water Horse” from “Young Detective Dee: Rise of the Sea Dragon” (2013); the book “Three Hundred Children’s Songs” from “Journey to the West: Conquering the Demons” (2013); and the prop Luo Geng from “Rigor Mortis”. The organizers have also selected over a hundred film clips to create the “Highlights of Hong Kong Film and Costume Design” exhibition, showcasing the outstanding works of Hong Kong film art and costume design over the years.
To complement the exhibition, the Hong Kong Museum of Culture and the Hong Kong Film Art Association will hold a series of lectures and workshops, and bring the oral history project “Dream Builders” – interviews with 60 Hong Kong film art and costume stylists, which will be uploaded to the museum’s website for public viewing. If you want to revisit the history of Hong Kong cinema from the perspective of costume and prop aesthetics, remember to seize the opportunity to visit in person!
“From Nothing to Something: Hong Kong Film Art and Costume Exhibition”
Date: From now until September 4, 2023
Time: 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM (Monday, Wednesday to Friday), 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM on weekends and public holidays, closed on Tuesdays
Location: Special Exhibition Halls 1 and 2, 1st floor, Hong Kong Museum of Culture
Ticket Price: $10 | $7 | $5 (Buy Tickets Here)
Image source and learn more: Hong Kong Heritage Museum
