What has struck me most in the renovation of the Hong Kong Museum of Art is that it has taken more than four years. And it sounds as if it will take forever.
So when we heard about local exhibitions like Affordable Art Fair and Van Gogh Alive, we were more than a little excited. It shouldn't surprise us that children's creativity is best unleashed outside classroom.
But wait, as our experience tells us, there's more. Free drawing and painting. Plenty of paper and sketch books. This is all happening at my home, and my wife told me lately that we have had enough sketch books. I have bought too many of them, I'm afraid.
Sunday, June 30, 2019
Art
I came home late after a gathering with my colleagues, and was just enough to have dinner with my family. That's important.
Of course it is. Family dinner is one of the most treasured moments for us. We then talked about the best activity of the day. Jasmine answered without thinking, "Painting with mum this afternoon."
It was then I noticed two new paintings in our living room, one oil painting, and another watercolour.
Every child is an artist, Picasso reminds us. "The problem," he observed, "is how to remain an artist when we grow up." Oh, sure, many of us have lost our naturally born artistic flair. But my wife hasn't. She remains to be an amazing model whom my daughter can learn from and look up to.
Of course it is. Family dinner is one of the most treasured moments for us. We then talked about the best activity of the day. Jasmine answered without thinking, "Painting with mum this afternoon."
It was then I noticed two new paintings in our living room, one oil painting, and another watercolour.
Every child is an artist, Picasso reminds us. "The problem," he observed, "is how to remain an artist when we grow up." Oh, sure, many of us have lost our naturally born artistic flair. But my wife hasn't. She remains to be an amazing model whom my daughter can learn from and look up to.
Friday, June 14, 2019
Break
Our city has been turned upside down over the last week, the way a bird's nest was ransacked by black vultures. A city with nothing, with everything.
Calloused by grief, I had a break today. A day off.
I thought it was time to call a truce. Time for taking a short break.
In no time, I did few things I seldom got chance to do on a Friday. After visiting the new office of my wife, I made a beeline for the country park. As I walked along the nature trail, I forgot the newspaper headline and simply followed the butterflies. Which brings me to a large cross-sectional study published yesterday in Science Reports, concluding an association between spending 120 minutes a week in nature with better health and higher life satisfaction.
On my way back to my daughter's school, I thought of what David Attenborough had said: I hope the beauty that I saw and everything in the nature are not owned by me, but they can last long, and can be seen by the next generation.
This is something I can't be so sure. Not any more.
Calloused by grief, I had a break today. A day off.
I thought it was time to call a truce. Time for taking a short break.
In no time, I did few things I seldom got chance to do on a Friday. After visiting the new office of my wife, I made a beeline for the country park. As I walked along the nature trail, I forgot the newspaper headline and simply followed the butterflies. Which brings me to a large cross-sectional study published yesterday in Science Reports, concluding an association between spending 120 minutes a week in nature with better health and higher life satisfaction.
On my way back to my daughter's school, I thought of what David Attenborough had said: I hope the beauty that I saw and everything in the nature are not owned by me, but they can last long, and can be seen by the next generation.
This is something I can't be so sure. Not any more.
Wednesday, June 12, 2019
Big O
I read a wonderful passage in the Sunday Morning Post about words of advice from American author Shel Silverstein: the best relationships do not complete us but let us grow and become more fully ourselves.
My daughter is a big fan of Shel Silverstein, the celebrated author of The Missing Piece Meets the Big O.
This is how I've arrived at new understanding of the short story. Think of the main character "Missing Piece" in the way we see a slice of pizza. This lonely little wedge feels a deep sense of readiness for his long-awaited love. He longs for a "perfect partner" to make it a romantic and complete circle.
But, as we all know, love doesn't arrive just because we want it to. The Missing Piece wakes up one morning after another, meeting one shape after another, none of which matching his. Not a right fit.
One fine day, the Missing Piece wanders over to meet a shape that introduces itself as the Big O. The Missing Piece falls head over heels for the Big O, very much keen to roll with it. In lieu of saying "I do," the Big O tells the Missing Piece to roll by himself.
"By myself? A missing piece cannot roll by itself"
"Have you ever tried?" asked the Big O.
The more the Missing Piece thinks about it, the more he thinks of the impasse. An odd shape isn't designed for rolling, after all. The Big O keeps encouraging and tries saying those sharp corners will eventually wear off once the Missing Piece starts rolling.
At first much of the rolling sounds like flopping forward over and over. Then the Missing Piece starts to notice a change in shape, with the sharp edges wearing off.
With time, the Missing Piece becomes a well-rounded circle rolling perfectly, soon joined by the Big O. The pair roll alongside each other thereafter.
Which brings back the moral of Silverstein's story: true love isn't about completing each other but complementing and nurturing each other independently to become the best couple.
Quite right.
My daughter is a big fan of Shel Silverstein, the celebrated author of The Missing Piece Meets the Big O.
This is how I've arrived at new understanding of the short story. Think of the main character "Missing Piece" in the way we see a slice of pizza. This lonely little wedge feels a deep sense of readiness for his long-awaited love. He longs for a "perfect partner" to make it a romantic and complete circle.
But, as we all know, love doesn't arrive just because we want it to. The Missing Piece wakes up one morning after another, meeting one shape after another, none of which matching his. Not a right fit.
One fine day, the Missing Piece wanders over to meet a shape that introduces itself as the Big O. The Missing Piece falls head over heels for the Big O, very much keen to roll with it. In lieu of saying "I do," the Big O tells the Missing Piece to roll by himself.
"By myself? A missing piece cannot roll by itself"
"Have you ever tried?" asked the Big O.
The more the Missing Piece thinks about it, the more he thinks of the impasse. An odd shape isn't designed for rolling, after all. The Big O keeps encouraging and tries saying those sharp corners will eventually wear off once the Missing Piece starts rolling.
At first much of the rolling sounds like flopping forward over and over. Then the Missing Piece starts to notice a change in shape, with the sharp edges wearing off.
With time, the Missing Piece becomes a well-rounded circle rolling perfectly, soon joined by the Big O. The pair roll alongside each other thereafter.
Which brings back the moral of Silverstein's story: true love isn't about completing each other but complementing and nurturing each other independently to become the best couple.
Quite right.
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