Hong Kong's creative industry should integrate culture and technology such as artificial intelligence to develop its own cultural intellectual property, says Wang Yuegong, the deputy director of the Palace Museum in Beijing.
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Wang remarks came as the Beijing institution and Hong Kong Palace Museum unveiled a special exhibition on Chinese food culture, showcasing over 110 exquisite artifacts, including eight first-grade national treasures from the mainland.
Speaking to reporters yesterday, Wang recognized Hong Kong's advantage as a hub for international cultural exchange, saying the city should utilize technology in creating cultural IPs to "open up new horizons."
"For instance, AI, from tools like ChatGPT to the popular domestic application DeepSeek, are being used in cultural creativity, particularly in promoting traditional culture," he said.
However, Wang stressed that the focus on cultural creative products should not be on making money but toward uncovering the value of local culture.
He said that while Hong Kong has its value, with each era offering different interpretations, it may require fresh perspectives and deeper insights as the SAR's standing in the international scene changes.
The exhibition, themed A Movable Feast: The Culture of Food and Drink in China, goes on show today, taking visitors on a journey through 5,000 years of Chinese culinary history.
In addition to treasures on loan from Beijing's Palace Museum, the exhibition features precious objects from the British Museum, the Cleveland Museum of Art and the Asian Art Museum of San Francisco.
In a section introducing how ancient China and Central-West Asia embraced each other's culture along the Silk Routes, visitors can catch a glimpse of artifacts of foreign origin, including a ewer from the Sasanian Empire, present-day Iran.
The exhibits also showcases how ancient Chinese people enjoyed dining on boats during the Ming and Qing dynasties, reminiscent of the traditional boat noodles in Hong Kong's Aberdeen.
HKPM director Louis Ng Chi-wa said the loans with mainland and foreign museums "signifies the positioning of the HKPM as an international museum to promote cultural exchange through the planning and curating these exhibitions."
The HKPM expects the exhibition, one of the highlights of Art March Hong Kong 2025, to draw around 100,000 visitors during the three-month display, which will last until June 18.jamie.liu@singtaonewscorp.com
