Heritage Museum’s exhibition “A Laugh at the World: James Wong” to revisit contributions of Hong Kong pop culture icon (with photos)
To commemorate the 20th anniversary of the passing of renowned culture figure James Wong, the Hong Kong Heritage Museum (HKHM) will stage the exhibition "A Laugh at the World: James Wong" from tomorrow (July 17). Around 140 sets of exhibits, selected from collection items of various museums of the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) and loan exhibits, will be displayed to illustrate the pop culture master's contributions to music, film, television, advertising, literature and more. Members of the public will be able to learn about the cultural integration of his works, as well as how he translated traditional contents into contemporary pop culture creations. The exhibition will run until February 10 next year with free admission.
Addressing the opening ceremony of the exhibition today (July 16), the Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism, Mr Kevin Yeung, said that Hong Kong's pop culture reflects its eclecticism and contains cultural elements of the East and the West, of old and new and of high and low. Cantonese pop songs, movies and TV dramas showcase the blossoming of Hong Kong's pop culture scene since the 70s and 80s in the last century. The thriving in Hong Kong's pop culture industry was attributable to the efforts paid by artists in the music, television and film industries as well as the production crew members behind the scenes. Credits should also be given to talented local creators, one of whom is Dr Wong Jum-sum, aka James Wong. This year marks the 20th anniversary of the passing of Wong. The LCSD specially presents the "A Laugh at the World: James Wong" exhibition, relish his classic works to appreciate his unique creativity, deep knowledge and great dedication, and feel the immense charm of Hong Kong's pop culture.
He added that the exhibition is a key programme of the second Hong Kong Pop Culture Festival. The second edition this year features "Arts & Action" as its theme and has attracted over 400 000 participants as at late June. The first Hong Kong Pop Culture Festival presented by the LCSD last year organised a total of 21 programmes drawing over 530 000 participants.
Other officiating guests included the eldest son of Wong, Mr Johan Wong; the Chairman of the Museum Advisory Committee, Professor Douglas So; the Acting Director of Leisure and Cultural Services, Miss Eve Tam; and the Museum Director of the HKHM, Mr Brian Lam.
James Wong (1941-2004), born Wong Jum-sum, was a renowned cultural figure and literary genius in Hong Kong. Wong, who moved to Hong Kong with his family in his childhood, was raised and received education in the city. He was a complete local. Having been active in various cultural and performing arts media platforms since the 1950s, Wong was good at writing lyrics, writing and composing music, writing columns, making movies, advertising creations and stage performances. He had been contributing articles to newspapers since the age of 12, and later became a professional writer. His columns and articles on newspapers had reached 10 million words. Wong's musical tastes spanned a diverse spectrum, encompassing Western classical, European and American pop, Indian, and avant-garde styles. He took an eclectic approach in adopting the various musical styles, while actively passing on traditional Chinese opera culture. His life coincided with several important development stages of post-war Hong Kong, making a significant impact on the development of the city's pop culture.
Wong created many popular songs, four of which are used to connect Wong's life in the exhibition. The song "Below the Lion Rock" portraits the spirit of Hong Kong people sharing joys and sorrows and staying united in times of trouble. The exhibition begins with this song which tells the story of Wong moving from the Mainland to Hong Kong in the 1940s and seeing trams on the Hong Kong Island for the first time. The second part "Ask Me" reveals how Wong's literature and music teachers enlightened him during his years of studying in Hong Kong, which paved the way for his achievements in the future. The third part "Breadth and Depth of Mountains and Waters" introduces Wong's participation and creative works in different media, such as the advertising song "Two is Enough" that Wong wrote for the publicity campaign on birth control launched by the Family Planning Association of Hong Kong. The final section "It's him, you and me" allows visitors to learn more about how Wong had had close ties with cultural celebrities and stories behind his classic works.
Selected collection items from the HKHM, the Hong Kong Museum of History, the Hong Kong Film Archive and the Hong Kong Central Library as well as loan exhibits are on display in this exhibition. They include precious record covers of the popular TV drama series theme song "Below the Lion Rock" with lyrics by Wong and composed by his music collaborator Joseph Koo, and another classic work by the pair, the theme song of TV drama series "The Bund"; as well as the classic children's song "It's a Small World" for which Wong wrote the Cantonese lyrics. The exhibits also include two film posters for "The Love Eterne" and "Lady General Hua Mulan", in which Wong provided backing vocals, and the film poster for "In-Laws, Out-Laws", which stars Wong as one of the actors and marked his final film appearance.
The exhibition also showcases many exhibits related to Wong and his friends, such as the painting of Joseph Koo and Wong painted by Koo based on a photograph of the pair, courtesy of Koo's family; script and lyrics manuscripts for the major musical "Liuyi's Letter" produced by Roman Tam with Wong as the script writer and lyricist; and a photo of Wong and Eddie Lau.
Visitors can scan the QR codes in the gallery to listen to sound clips of Wong's audio interviews and watch his interview videos to understand his thoughts and feelings about creative works and life. A lyrics room is set up to show projections of lyrics written by Wong with music playing.
To tie in with the exhibition, a series of cultural activities will be held by the HKHM. They include two talks by renowned scholars to be held on August 10 and August 31 on Wong and the heyday of Hong Kong's pop culture, and characteristics of Wong's music composition. The music sharing "James Wong’s Greatest Hits on Vinyl" to be held on September 14 will revisit Wong's signature playlists. A workshop on laughter yoga to be held on October 5 and November 16 will pay a special tribute to Wong for his enduring legacy in infusing positive energy into his lyrics. In addition, the HKHM will hold a film screening of "Peking Opera Blues" (1986) with a post-screening talk on November 23 about Wong's musical works for the film. In January, 2025, a workshop "A Stroke of Luck: Having Fun with Festive Couplets" will be organised in which local artist Vivian Chia will reinterpret Wong's finest lines on festive couplets with her signature style of "typing" calligraphy.
Other programmes centered on Wong by the LCSD include "The Hong Kong Musicians Series: Music Document Highlights of Joseph Koo & James Wong" exhibition being held by the Hong Kong Public Libraries. Meanwhile, Tai Kwun is staging Summer Show "Soundtrack of Our Lives: Joseph Koo x James Wong x the Rise of Cantopop".
The "A Laugh at the World: James Wong" exhibition is presented by the LCSD and organised by the HKHM. For details of the exhibition, please visit
hk.heritage.museum/en/web/hm/exhibitions/data/james-wong.html, or call 2180 8188 for enquiries.
The exhibition is one of the programmes of the Hong Kong Pop Culture Festival 2024. The LCSD presented the first Hong Kong Pop Culture Festival last year to great acclaim. This year's second edition features "Arts & Action" as its theme, taking audiences on a journey through time to show the dynamic inheritance, diffusion, integration and breakthroughs within Hong Kong's pop culture. The 2024 festival lineup offers a diverse range of formats including thematic exhibitions, film screenings, stage performances and outreach activities. Its rich content spans across literature, various art forms and martial arts, clearly showcasing how Hong Kong's vibrant and diverse pop culture stands out from the rest. For more information, please visit www.pcf.gov.hk/en.
