After major expansion and renovation, the Hong Kong Museum of Art (HKMoA) will be ready for public visits tomorrow (November 30) with 11 exhibitions.

     The 11 exhibitions will comprise a series of collection exhibitions representing the cultural legacy in the museum's holdings, namely "Ordinary to Extraordinary: Stories of the Museum", "From Dung Basket to Dining Cart: 100th Anniversary of the Birth of Wu Guanzhong", "A Pleasure Shared: Selected Works from the Chih Lo Lou Collection", "The Wisdom of Emptiness: Selected Works from the Xubaizhai Collection", "Lost and Found: Guardians of the Chater Collection" and "The Best of Both Worlds: Acquisitions and Donations of Chinese Antiquities"; a series of exhibitions and displays on Hong Kong's art lineage in "Classics Remix: The Hong Kong Viewpoint", "Hong Kong Experience‧Hong Kong Experiment", "The Breath of Landscape" and "Rediscovering Landscape"; and an international blockbuster exhibition, "A Sense of Place: from Turner to Hockney".

     "Ordinary to Extraordinary: Stories of the Museum", an exhibition of gems from the museum's collection, will showcase exceptional works curated from the four core collections of the museum – Chinese Antiquities, Chinese Painting and Calligraphy, China Trade Art, and Modern and Hong Kong Art. By sharing the fascinating stories behind these works, the exhibition will help visitors learn about little-known anecdotes of the museum throughout the 57 years since its founding.

     To commemorate the 100th anniversary of the birth of Wu Guanzhong, the exhibition "From Dung Basket to Dining Cart: 100th Anniversary of the Birth of Wu Guanzhong" will showcase more than 100 representative paintings by Wu in two phases. The exhibition will not only honour Wu's contributions to Chinese art, but also pay tribute to his artistic pursuits spanning over half a century.

     The exhibition "A Pleasure Shared: Selected Works from the Chih Lo Lou Collection" will display around 70 selected works dating from the Ming dynasty to the 20th century in two phases to feature the uniqueness of the Chih Lo Lou Collection of Chinese Painting and Calligraphy, a private collection established by the late philanthropist and collector Mr Ho Iu-kwong which was donated to the museum last year.

     The renowned Xubaizhai Collection, also one of Hong Kong's three key collections of Chinese painting, was compiled by the late connoisseur of Chinese painting and calligraphy Mr Low Chuck-tiew, who spent nearly 50 years acquiring the invaluable treasures it contains. Showcasing more than 30 representative works dating from the Ming and Qing dynasties and up to the 20th century, "The Wisdom of Emptiness: Selected Works from the Xubaizhai Collection" will allow visitors to gain an insight into a selection of major works from the collection.

     The Chater Collection is one of the most legendary collections of the museum. The artworks were scattered and lost during World War II. Thanks to the selfless acts of Hong Kong citizens, some of the works were rescued and several of these will be on display in the exhibition "Lost and Found: Guardians of the Chater Collection". The narrative of the exhibition will be told through stories of how the artworks were kept hidden, scattered and eventually recovered during the war, shedding further light on a period of history filled with human spirit.

     "The Best of Both Worlds: Acquisitions and Donations of Chinese Antiquities" will feature more than 300 items of art and antiques from different periods to illustrate how museum purchases and generous private donations form and shape the museum's comprehensive Chinese Antiquities collection.

     Featuring a dialogue of 14 local artists and 14 highlight collections of the museum, the exhibition "Classics Remix: The Hong Kong Viewpoint" will incorporate new elements into the four major collections showcased in the exhibition "Ordinary to Extraordinary: Stories of the Museum". It will track the people and stories behind the collections, allowing the artists to display their unlimited imagination inspired by the classics to explore new creative possibilities, along with an artistic representation of contemporary Hong Kong.

     The development of Hong Kong art has been a unique local experience. With innovation triggered by different ways of life, local artists have exerted the spirit of experimentation in their works over the past decades. The "Hong Kong Experience‧Hong Kong Experiment" exhibition aims to make use of the museum's collection accumulated over half a century to capture all these different experiences and experiments, portraying the development of Hong Kong art.

     The exhibitions "The Breath of Landscape" and "Rediscovering Landscape" will feature interactive artworks by nine local artists, with Billy Tam as the leader. Based on a theme of nature and landscape, the exhibitions will offer a unique art experience by bringing the sky, flowing water, mountains and breezes from nature into the museum's extended area, the Wing, as well as making use of its surroundings and the Art Square at Salisbury Garden, thereby dissolving the concept of museum walls and letting the museum extend and expand its interaction with audiences outside.

     The thematic exhibition "A Sense of Place: from Turner to Hockney" is jointly presented by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department and Tate, the United Kingdom, and is jointly organised by the HKMoA and Tate. This first-ever collaboration between the HKMoA and Tate represents an unprecedented opportunity to display works by Turner, Constable and Hockney in Hong Kong in the same exhibition. Drawn from Tate's world-famous collection, this exhibition will feature 76 works that illustrate the remarkable development of British landscape painting and its influence on European art from the 17th century to the present day. To complement the exhibition, the museum has invited Hong Kong artists to respond to the British artworks on display and the museum's own collection of landscape paintings. These local artists' multimedia creations will invite visitors to explore the exhibition with a unique Hong Kong experience. The displays of "The Breath of Landscape" and "Rediscovering Landscape" will also echo the exhibition.

     For a better visiting experience, those wishing to visit the museum are advised to make online reservations for admission time slots via the museum's website at hk.art.museum. Members of the public can find more details on the museum's website to plan their visits in advance.

     To help members of the public to take ferries to attend workshops and activities organised by the Countryside Conservation Office of the Environmental Protection Department (EPD) in Lai Chi Wo, Ap Chau and Kat O during the temporary closure of University Station, the EPD will arrange weekend free shuttle services between Sha Tin town centre and Ma Liu Shui Landing No. 3 from November 30 (Saturday) to December 15 (Sunday). Detailed information is as follows:
 

     Each shuttle bus will accommodate a maximum of 60 passengers. Members of the public are welcome to take the free shuttle buses, which will be provided on a first-come, first-served basis. The EPD may adjust the service times or suspend the service in response to the latest road conditions. Please refer to the on-site announcements.

     The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department today (November 29) released the findings of its food safety report for the last month. The results of about 16 400 food samples tested were satisfactory except for 21 samples and they were announced earlier. The overall satisfactory rate was 99.9 per cent.

     A CFS spokesman said about 1 800 food samples were collected for microbiological tests, some 5 500 samples were taken for chemical tests and the remaining 9 100 (including about 8 400 taken from food imported from Japan) were collected to test radiation levels.

     The microbiological tests covered pathogens and hygiene indicators, while the chemical tests included pesticides, preservatives, metallic contaminants, colouring matters, veterinary drug residues and others.

     The samples comprised about 4 200 samples of vegetables and fruit and their products; 1 100 samples of cereals, grains and their products; 1 300 samples of meat and poultry and their products; 1 200 samples of milk, milk products and frozen confections; 2 000 samples of aquatic and related products; and 6 600 samples of other food commodities (including beverages, bakery products and snacks).

     The 21 unsatisfactory samples comprised eight frozen confection samples detected with counts of hygiene indicator organisms exceeding the legal limits; three crab samples, one vegetable sample and one rice sample detected with excessive cadmium; two silver cod samples detected with mercury exceeding the legal limit; a fresh beef sample found to contain sulphur dioxide; a pickled green mustard sample detected with excessive preservative; a roast drumstick sample found to contain excessive Bacillus cereus; a vegetable sample detected with excessive pesticide residue; a nutmeg powder sample contaminated with aflatoxins; and a chilled chicken sample found to contain veterinary drug residue.

     The CFS has taken follow-up action on the unsatisfactory samples, including informing the vendors concerned of the test results, instructing them to stop selling the affected food items and tracing the sources of the food items in question.
 
     Since the Pesticide Residues in Food Regulation (Cap 132CM) came into effect on August 1, 2014, as of October 31 this year, the CFS has taken over 189 500 food samples at import, wholesale and retail levels for testing for pesticide residues. The overall unsatisfactory rate is less than 0.2 per cent.

     The spokesman added that excessive pesticide residues in food may arise from the trade not observing Good Agricultural Practice, e.g. using excessive pesticides and/or not allowing sufficient time for pesticides to decompose before harvesting. The maximum residue limit (MRL) of pesticide residues in food is not a safety indicator. It is the maximum concentration of pesticide residues to be permitted in a food commodity under Good Agricultural Practice when applying pesticides. In this connection, consumption of food with pesticide residues higher than the MRL will not necessarily lead to any adverse health effects.

     The spokesman reminded the food trade to ensure that food for sale is fit for human consumption and meets legal requirements. Consumers should patronise reliable shops when buying food and maintain a balanced diet to minimise food risks.

     The Lands Department announced today (November 29) that demand notes for Government rent in excess of $100 per annum for the half year ending December 25 in respect of properties subject to the Government Leases Ordinance (Chapter 40) and certain other properties have been issued.

     Payers can settle Government rent through various electronic means including autopay, bank automated teller machines (ATMs), e-Cheque/e-Cashier's Order, payment by phone service (PPS), and bill payment services provided by banks and PPS on the Internet. Payment may also be made in person and in cash at designated convenience stores. For details, please visit the Treasury's website at www.try.gov.hk.

     Payment may be made by sending a crossed cheque to PO Box No. 28000, Gloucester Road Post Office, Hong Kong, or in person to any post office. Please ensure sufficient mailing time and postage to make delivery in order. Underpaid mail will be rejected. For locations of post offices and their opening hours, please call Hongkong Post's enquiry hotline at 2921 2222 or visit its website at www.hongkongpost.hk.

     Government rent payers who have not received their demand notes should enquire at the Government Rent and Premium Unit of the Lands Department at 1/F, North Point Government Offices, 333 Java Road, North Point, Hong Kong, or call 2231 3033.

     Purchasers of properties are strongly advised to instruct their solicitors to ensure that Government rent has been paid to date at the time of purchase. Enquiries on outstanding accounts can be made at 2231 3033 or email to landsd@landsd.gov.hk. An enquiry fee is payable for each property if a written confirmation of accounts position is needed.

     The Leisure and Cultural Services Department announced today (November 29) that the following leisure and sports facilities will be temporarily closed:
 
(a) The mini-soccer pitch at Kowloon Park in Yau Tsim Mong District will be temporarily closed from December 1 to January 31, 2020 for renovation works. During the closure period, the public may use similar facilities at King George V Memorial Park, Kowloon in the same district. 

(b) The turf pitch at Tai Po Sports Ground in Tai Po District will be temporarily closed from December 17 to 30 for turf maintenance works, while the running track will remain open. During the closure period, the public may use similar facilities at Kwong Fuk Park Football Pitch or Kwong Fuk Football Ground in the same district. 

     For the most up-to-date closure schedules of the above leisure and sports facilities, the public may refer to the notices at the venues or contact venue staff directly.