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     The Hong Kong Museum of Art (HKMoA) will hold the “Perceptual and Intellectual – Explorations into Everything and Oneself” exhibition starting from tomorrow (December 20). The exhibition will feature 10 sets of installations and interactive new media creations by six Hong Kong artists, illustrating the evolution of technology from mechanics and electronics to digitalisation and artificial intelligence. These artworks showcase the application of technology in creative endeavours, integrating art and technology that resonates with contemporary life.
      
     The exhibition is the Hong Kong section curated by the HKMoA for the eighth edition of the Hong Kong – Macao Visual Art Biennale, exhibited in Beijing and Shenzhen in 2022 before returning to Hong Kong this year. The Biennale is a major arts and cultural event jointly presented by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and the Hong Kong and Macao counterparts.
      
     The exhibition features artworks by six Hong Kong artists – Joseph Chan, Chris Cheung, Tung Wing-hong, Kenny Wong, and the duo Samuel Yip and Janice To. Drawing inspiration from a wide range of themes including migratory birds, trees, seasonal changes, and movie scenes, the artists infuse their creations with modern technology. The artworks also interact with the audience to explore interactions between nature, virtuality, humanity, interpersonal connections, and self-reflection, offering a multidimensional humanistic perspective. The museum also invited multimedia artist Ng Tsz-kwan as the Art Tech partner for providing professional production for the exhibition, enabling visitors to embark on a perceptual and intellectual journey into the intersection of art and technology.
      
     Hong Kong is situated on the southern coast of China, where its wetlands, woodlands, shrublands and coastal areas provide suitable habitats for various bird species. Inspired by the natural wonder of migratory birds, artist Joseph Chan, who studied mechanical engineering, created the kinetic installation named “Migratory birds”. Navigating the realms of engineering, science and art, three lifelike formations of birds and their postures reflect the artist’s keen observation of the natural ecosystem. The work evokes poetry in rationality through exquisite carvings.
      
     “Tree of heaven” is a multimedia installation created by new media artists Samuel Yip and Janice To, who specialise in audio-visual and installation art. The duo fuses the realms of animation, interactive programme, and imagination to contemplate the relationship between human activity and the natural environment, as well as the concepts of usefulness and uselessness through audience interaction with a virtual nature. The artists also placed a number of wood logs made from recycled tree trucks in Hong Kong in this installation. Echoing the image of the tree of heaven in this work, the audience’s stillness or movement around the wood logs can influence and shape the virtual natural world depicted, contemplating the meaning of uselessness and the symbiosis with nature portrayed in the artwork.
      
     Chris Cheung is best known for his installation art and audio-visual performances. His artwork “Cinemorpheque” explores the concept of a future immersive cinematic experience inspired by scenes from classic Hong Kong films – “Lavender”, “Happy Together”, “Hero”, and “The Grandmaster” – which showcase the four seasons. This work employs a machine learning model from Generative Adversarial Networks to study over 10 000 seasonal and different scenes from various films before generating the virtual scenes and morphing visuals. Presented in abstract particles, the artwork overlays the viewer’s virtual three-dimensional silhouette onto the generated landscapes, challenging the boundaries between time and space, and the physical and virtual worlds, immersing viewers in a new landscape envisioned by artificial intelligence. The artwork presents virtual seasonal landscapes through the lens of artificial intelligence and leads the audience into a new dimension of perception.
      
     Artist Kenny Wong’s works explore the delicate relationship between daily experiences and perceptual stimuli by hybridising analogue and digital representations. His work, the “dist.” series, is inspired by fleeting eye contact with strangers in the city and the indefinite variables in relationships. “Dist.” is an abbreviation for “distance”, widely used in mathematics and programming. In this series, it represents both relational and mathematical distance. The work interprets the dynamics of pendulum movement, while one of the mechanical video installations, “dist.duo”, also incorporates digital sensors, with custom software deliberately altering the balance and deregulating the rhythms of the pendulums. By combining rational and irrational rules, the motion and visuals interweave in a dynamic pattern, reflecting the artist’s take on human relationships.
      
     Tung Wing-hong, who was given the Award for Young Artist (Media Arts) at the 18th Hong Kong Arts Development Awards in 2024, has two artworks on display in the exhibition.  “i / i” is a video and kinetic installation of two hanging, rotating monitors, each playing a video of the artist gazing at his own reflection in a mirror in an attempt to re-experience and confront the “self”. Although the mirror images reflect the same individual, a sense of strangeness grows over time, highlighting the differences between the reflected and the real. In Tung’s other video and kinetic installation, “Hundred jumps”, a motor-driven cable tie repeatedly lashes the screen. The legs displayed on the screen are trapped in an endless cycle of repetitive jumping. By combining virtual imagery with the physical act of whipping, the work invites viewers to imagine their own legs jumping to avoid the strikes, exploring a multidimensional human perception that intertwines viewing, imagination and spatial experience.
      
     The exhibition will run from December 20 at the Hong Kong Art Gallery on the second floor of the HKMoA (10 Salisbury Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon). Admission is free. For details of the exhibition, please visit the website at hk.art.museum/en/web/ma/exhibitions-and-events/perceptual-and-intellectual.html or call 2721 0116 for enquiries.

                          

     Following the opening of DREAM Support Service Centre for Ethnic Minorities in Kowloon City earlier this month, another support service centre in Sha Tin, namely IDEA Centre, also officially opens today (December 19). The Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs, Miss Alice Mak, officiated at the opening ceremony of IDEA Centre.
 
     Speaking at the ceremony, Miss Mak said that the Government had been striving to support and empower ethnic minorities. With the opening of IDEA Centre, the Government has successfully implemented the initiative to set up two new centres in New Territories East and Kowloon Central within 2024 as announced in the Chief Executive’s Policy Address last year, increasing the number of support service centres from eight to 10.
 
     To step up the Government’s efforts to support ethnic minorities, Miss Mak added that as announced in the 2024 Policy Address by the Chief Executive, the Government will invite one more existing support service centre next year, together with the existing Centre for Harmony and Enhancement of Ethnic Minority Residents (CHEER Centre), to provide interpretation and translation services for ethnic minorities. She said she believes that this new initiative will alleviate the inconvenience they face due to language barriers and further facilitate the integration of ethnic minorities into the community.
 
     Other officiating guests included the Permanent Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs, Ms Shirley Lam; the Under Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs, Mr Clarence Leung; the Director of Home Affairs, Mrs Alice Cheung; the President of Hong Kong Community Network (HKCN), Mr Suen Kwok-lam; and the Chief Executive of HKCN, Mr Fan Kwok-fai.
 
     The 10 support service centres for ethnic minorities are located in Wan Chai, Kwun Tong, Tuen Mun, Yuen Long, Yau Tsim Mong, Sham Shui Po, Tung Chung, Kwai Tsing, Kowloon City and Sha Tin. IDEA Centre, operated by HKCN, is located at Shop 1 & 2, G/F, Belair Gardens Shopping Arcade, 52 Tai Chung Kiu Road, Sha Tin. The centre provides a wide range of support services for ethnic minorities, including language classes, interest classes, orientation programmes, youth activities, and integration activities, as well as counselling and referral services. It will also assist ethnic minorities in accessing public services, such as provision of workstations for accessing the Internet and distribution of multilingual service guidebooks and leaflets on services provided by the Government and non-profit-making organisations. The Ethnic Minority Care Team set up by IDEA Centre has also commenced services in tandem.
 
     Except for public holidays, the centre operates six days a week and is closed on Wednesdays. The operating hours are from 9am to 9pm.
 
     Members of the public may call IDEA Centre’s hotline at 3101 5959 for more information about the centre.

          

The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:

     The Hospital Authority (HA) Board Meeting today (December 19) discussed and endorsed the Report of the “2023 Patient Experience Survey on Inpatient Service” (the Survey). Over 90 per cent of interviewed patients rated their overall inpatient experience as good to excellent in the Survey, reflecting healthcare staff’s professionalism and unwavering efforts in providing quality service as earning patients’ recognition, support and trust. 
 
     The Survey, which was the first comprehensive patient experience survey after the HA’s resumption of service to full normalcy, was conducted from October 2023 to April 2024. The Jockey Club School of Public Health and Primary Care (JCSPHPC) of the Faculty of Medicine of the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) was commissioned by the HA to conduct the Survey, with around 10,000 randomly selected patients discharged from 26 public hospitals interviewed. In addition to traditional telephone interviews, this survey introduced electronic questionnaires as an alternative option for respondents.
 
     The Survey examined patients’ experiences of various care aspects including admission, evaluation of hospital environment, facilities and hospital staff, care and treatment, provision of information upon discharge, and overall impression on the hospital. To ensure that the Survey reflects the latest developments of the HA’s services, new survey items were added in the questionnaire to understand patient experiences on care co-ordination, discharge support, the “HA Go” mobile application and community care services.
 
     Professor Eliza Wong of the JCSPHPC of the Faculty of Medicine of the CUHK said that the findings revealed that the overall inpatient experience of the interviewed patients was very positive, with 91 per cent of the respondents rating their overall inpatient experience at the 26 public hospitals at 7 or above (along a scoring scale of 0 to 10), with the average score being 8.1.
 
     Patient feedback highlighted several positive areas, including high confidence in healthcare staff, clear and understandable answers from nurses and allied health professionals, being treated with respect, sufficient privacy protection, and staff’s provision of clear and understandable explanations on medication usage and effects. Furthermore, certain aspects showed significant improvement compared with a similar survey conducted in 2019, particularly in patients’ involvement during the treatment and discharge process, as well as the provision of rehabilitation and care information to patients’ families or caregivers.
 
     “The survey results also identified some areas for improvement, including self introduction of healthcare staff, provision of discharge information and information about feedback channels. Additionally, while some aspects received good overall ratings, there were relatively large variations in scores among hospitals in areas such as comforting patients’ worries or fears by hospital staff; patients being bothered when resting at wards; explanations of medication side effects; provision of rehabilitation information to family or caregivers; staff assistance in using “HA Go”; patient involvement; and opportunities for patients’ families or caregivers to talk to doctors. These variations merit investigation and sharing of good practices among individual hospitals to enhance the overall service quality,” Professor Wong added.
 
     The HA Chief Manager (Patient Relations and Engagement), Ms Fion Lee, expressed gratitude to the interviewed patients for their participation and valuable feedback, which helps the HA better understand the needs and concerns of patients and the public. The positive ratings of inpatient services by the interviewed patients also serve as great encouragement to the healthcare teams.
 
     “People-centred care lies at the HA’s core values and service goals. Understanding patients’ opinions and experiences helps the HA continuously monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of various measures. The HA will thoroughly examine the survey results and implement different initiatives to enhance patient experiences, including promotion of compassionate communication, enhancement of public feedback channels, promulgation and support for the use of “HA Go”, and exploration of care information integration at “HA Go” to enhance the overall service quality,” Ms Lee said.
 
     Members of the public are welcome to browse the full Report of the Survey, which can be accessed online under “Patient Experience Survey” of “Special Reports” in the “Corporate News” section of the HA website www.ha.org.hk.
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     The Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry, Professor Sun Dong, officiated at the Cybersecurity Symposium 2024 today (December 19) and shared the latest government efforts in safeguarding cybersecurity in Hong Kong. The symposium was co-organised by the Digital Policy Office (DPO) and the Hong Kong Internet Registration Corporation Limited, with the Cyber Security and Technology Crime Bureau of the Hong Kong Police Force as the strategic partner.

     In his opening remarks, Professor Sun said, “Hong Kong is expediting the development of a digital economy and a smart city. Enhancing cybersecurity is an important aspect of promoting high-quality economic development and constructing a smart city. There is a pressing need for us to fortify the cybersecurity defense line.”

     Professor Sun said that maintaining cybersecurity is a common responsibility of the entire society. It requires collaboration of the Government, industry organisations, enterprises and the public at large to create a safer digital environment. He said he looks forward to generating new momentum for the developments of the economies of Hong Kong and the country through the continued joint efforts of the industry and professional bodies, and the good use of Hong Kong’s distinctive advantages of enjoying strong support of the motherland and being closely connected to the world.

     To create a secure digital environment in collaboration with government departments and public organisations, the DPO spearheaded the first Hong Kong Cybersecurity Attack and Defence Drill in November. The drill aimed to enhance their skills, experience, and overall defensive capabilities in identifying and responding to cyberattacks. A DPO representative presented a keynote speech at the symposium today to share the valuable achievements and experiences from the drill.

     The Cybersecurity Symposium 2024 aimed to foster collaboration between public and private organisations to strengthen Hong Kong’s overall cybersecurity defence and resilience capabilities, supporting Hong Kong’s development as a leading digital economy, thereby contributing to the high-quality development of the country across all sectors. Several keynote speeches and panel discussion sessions were held during the symposium. It brought together over 30 industry experts and business leaders from the Mainland and Hong Kong, as well as around 1 000  industry professionals from public and private organisations who exchanged views on different topics including emerging threats of cybersecurity, attack and defence strategies, and artificial intelligence governance, together with an exhibition on cybersecurity solutions, enabling participants to learn about the latest information on Hong Kong’s cybersecurity progress.

     On the day of the symposium, the establishment ceremony of the Hong Kong Cybersecurity Professional Association, formed by a number of industry and professional organisations, was held. The establishment was witnessed by the Secretary General of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Mr Wang Songmiao; the Head of the Chinese Academy of Cyberspace Studies, Mr Wang Jiang; Professor Sun; the Commissioner for Digital Policy, Mr Tony Wong; the Director of Management Services of Police, Mr Lui Kam-ho, and other officiating guests.

      

     The Development Bureau announced that the Dinosaur Parlour showcasing dinosaur fossils excavated from Port Island will be open to the public tomorrow (December 20). Admission is free.
      
     Located in the courtyard of the Hong Kong Heritage Discovery Centre (HDC) in Kowloon Park, Haiphong Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, the Dinosaur Parlour consists of a preparation zone and a display zone. Experts from the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology (IVPP) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and staff members will be preparing dinosaur fossils in the Preparation Zone. The public can observe the preparation from a close distance. The Display Zone will showcase dinosaur fossils excavated from Port Island and animal and plant fossils found in Hong Kong, such as ostracod, ammonite and ferns, and information on dinosaurs, the formation and discovery of fossils, and the excavation and preparation of the dinosaur fossils from Port Island.
      
     The opening hours of the HDC and the Dinosaur Parlour are as follows:
Monday to Wednesday and Friday: 10am – 6pm
Saturday, Sunday and public holidays: 10am – 7pm
Christmas Eve and Chinese New Year’s Eve: 10am – 5pm
Closed on Thursdays (except public holidays) and the first two days of Chinese New Year
 
     In consideration of the actual situation, the HDC may implement crowd control measures to ensure a pleasant experience for visitors. A Development Bureau spokesman said the Dinosaur Parlour will be open for an extended period, continuously showcasing dinosaur fossils unearthed from Port Island. As fossil preparation and research progress, the exhibit content will be updated and enriched accordingly.
      
     Meanwhile, the Antiquities and Monuments Office (AMO) and the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department will continue to organise a wide range of educational activities to promote public interest and knowledge in palaeontology. For details, please visit the website of the AMO (www.amo.gov.hk/en/visitor-centre/education-programmes/education-activities/index.html). 
      
     Details of the Dinosaur Parlour and videos featuring the dinosaur fossils and fossil excavation on Port Island are also uploaded on the website of the AMO (www.amo.gov.hk/en/visitor-centre/exhibitions/heritage-discovery-centre/dinosaur-parlour/index.html). For enquiries, please call 2208 4488. read more