Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu urged citizens to deepen their sense of national identity and belonging to Chinese culture, as the Guangdong Art Centennial Exhibition Hong Kong opened on Thursday.
The exhibition will showcase over 160 Lingnan paintings spanning a century, featuring works from the Lingnan School by renowned brothers Gao Jianfu and Gao Qifeng, as well as Guan Shanyue and Li Xiongcai.
A dedicated section commemorating the 80th anniversary of victory in the War of Resistance will also allow audiences to gain insight into the wartime years.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, the city leader stated that Hong Kong is actively positioning itself as a center for cultural and artistic exchange between China and the rest of the world.
Lee emphasized that the exhibition demonstrates the unified efforts between Hong Kong and Guangdong on cultural exchange, pledging that the government will continue promoting Lingnan Culture with the Greater Bay Area (GBA) cities.
He noted that the fourth edition of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Culture and Arts Festival, hosted by Hong Kong for the first time, drew over 14,000 professionals from Hong Kong and the mainland, along with 2.16 million audience members.
Meanwhile, Lee expressed hope that the art industry will continue leveraging technology to promote Chinese art, adopting innovative approaches such as digitalization and immersive experiences to attract local and international audiences.
He also mentioned that the government will launch various commemorative activities for the 80th anniversary of victory in the War of Resistance, calling on citizens to cherish peace and strengthen the sense of patriotism.
