In spring, the HKU SPACE Alumni Association organised a series of cultural events, giving them guided tours in appreciating art and cultural relics, and walking into the “Gate of Wisdom” together to clean away the grime of the mind.

A guided tour to art: seeking Yayoi Kusama’s path of creation

The Alumni Association held a guided tour to Yayoi Kusama: 1945 to Now at M+ on 8 March. Featuring more than 200 works, Yayoi Kusama: 1945 to Now is the largest retrospective of the artist in Asia outside Japan, showing visitors a comprehensive overview of the various stages of her artistic career. Through the tour guide’s detailed explanations, the alumni walked into Kusama’s creative trajectory and interacted with her in the field of art.

Yayoi Kusama has been hailed as one of Japan’s most influential living artists. In 2017, she was selected as one of the “Top Ten Avant-Garde Artists of the 21^st Century” by the American art website My Modern Met. Kusama believes that art can connect hearts and heal the soul. Over her career of creation spanning over seven decades, she has honed a singular personal aesthetic and core philosophy of life. Showcasing the boundless immensity of the universe, her work captures her fascination with cosmic space and immerses viewers in dreamlike worlds.

A conversation with cultural relics: exploring cultural treasures of the Forbidden City

The Hong Kong Palace Museum opened in July 2022, displaying priceless treasures from the Palace Museum in Beijing. Currently, the museum presents over 900 precious cultural relics, and many of which are on display in Hong Kong for the first time, while others have never been shown to the public before.

On 10 March, nearly a hundred alumni participated in the guided tour to the Hong Kong Palace Museum. They experienced the atmosphere of the Forbidden City through a one-day tour, tracing the history of the Forbidden City and its court life during that time; they admired the noble appearance of the emperors and empresses of the Qing dynasty, and listened to their stories; they enjoyed the “Clay to Treasure” exhibition, and appreciated the rich collections of Chinese ceramic treasures in different dynasties; they travelled through the past and the present, and enjoyed the Forbidden City’s culture from a new perspective.

The art of Zen: developing an affinity with Tsz Shan Monastery

The Tsz Shan Monastery, also known as the Tsz Shan Monastery Buddhist Art Museum, is located in Tung Tsz, Tai Po District. The monastery is surrounded by mountains, and the quiet environment expresses a sense of calmness. Its architectural design concept combines the traditional Buddhist temple with modern functions, using elegant and simple styles to exude the vibes of tranquility and Zen. There is a 70-meter-high white Guan Yin (Avalokiteśvara) statue standing outside of the museum. Her body leans forward as she looks down from above on all beings, giving people compassionate, solemn and comforting feelings.

The Alumni Association’s guided tour to Tsz Shan Monastery was successfully held on 22 March. Through the introduction of the tour guide, the alumni learned about the initiation of the Buddhist monastery, and appreciated the collections in the museum; they also walked into the “Gate of Wisdom”, and listened to Buddhist stories. Everyone immersed themselves in the beauty of Buddhist art, washed away the dirt and troubles of the soul by worshiping Buddha, opened up their spiritual space, freeing their minds, accomplishing inner contentment, and returned home with a full heart.