Local artists showcase creativity at HKIA with interactive exhibition blending traditional painting and digital technology

Hong Kong International Airport to showcase interactive artworks by Hong Kong artists from today

In collaboration with Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA), the Art Promotion Office (APO) under the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) launched the "Traversing Past and Present" exhibition to showcase the creativity of local artists to visitors and local residents. As part of the HKIA Arts & Culture Festival 2024, the exhibition features a series of interactive works blending traditional gongbi painting and multimedia digital technology created by Hong Kong artist Cherie Cheuk and designer Jack Lau. The works will be displayed from today (August 8) until October 31 at HKIA Terminal 1, Ground Transportation Centre Downramp South near the Arrival Hall.

The Assistant Director (Heritage and Museums) of the LCSD, Ms Esa Leung, attended the opening ceremony of the HKIA Arts & Culture Festival 2024 held at HKIA this morning, during which the two participating artists, Cheuk and Lau, and Curator of the APO Ms Jessie So introduced the artworks.

Cheuk, known for her gongbi painting, drew inspiration from the local elements of the "fabric streets" of Sham Shui Po to create a series of gongbi paintings, depicting flowers, birds, and monkeys with a classical flair, bonsai on window sills, ubiquitous tile patterns, and literati curios and displays. These paintings, infused with a rich palette of colours and patterns, bring joy to the audience, inviting them to engage in selection and visual studies. Meanwhile, designer Lau has injected life into those gongbi works by turning them into animated images using arts technology. Viewers can browse the website on their mobile phones by scanning the QR code above each painting, and match their own choice of "painting", "colour" and "pattern" to craft an animation of their own through augmented reality.

The "Traversing Past and Present" exhibition was first showcased last year at the Tio Gallery in Zhongshan, as part of the "Art><Creativity" Exhibition Series in the Greater Bay Area, organised by the APO and the Hong Kong Designers Association. The exhibition is now being presented again at HKIA, a key international transport hub, allowing both local citizens and tourists to appreciate and explore the artworks.

For more details about the exhibition, please visit the website of the APO at www.apo.hk/en/web/apo/here_hkia_traversing_past_and_present.htmland follow the "apo.here" page on Facebook and Instagram.

Hong Kong International Airport to showcase interactive artworks by Hong Kong artists from today Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Hong Kong International Airport to showcase interactive artworks by Hong Kong artists from today Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Hong Kong International Airport to showcase interactive artworks by Hong Kong artists from today Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Hong Kong International Airport to showcase interactive artworks by Hong Kong artists from today Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Hong Kong International Airport to showcase interactive artworks by Hong Kong artists from today Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Hong Kong International Airport to showcase interactive artworks by Hong Kong artists from today Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Update on cases of Legionnaires' disease

The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health today (September 16) reported the latest number of cases of Legionnaires' disease (LD), and stressed the importance of using and maintaining properly designed man-made water systems, adding that susceptible groups should strictly observe relevant precautions.

From September 8 to 14, the CHP recorded three community-acquired LD cases:

A female patient, aged 60 with underlying illnesses, who lives in Tai Po District;

A male patient, aged 66 with underlying illnesses, who lives in Shatin District; and

A male patient, aged 68 with good past health, who lives in Yau Tsim Mong District.

"Epidemiological investigations are ongoing to identify potential sources of infection, high-risk exposure and clusters, if any," a spokesman for the CHP said.

As of September 14, 81 LD cases had been recorded this year. In 2023 and 2022, there were 121 and 80 cases respectively.

"Men, people aged over 50, smokers, alcoholics and persons with weakened immunity are more susceptible to LD. Some situations may also increase the risk of infection, including poor maintenance of water systems; living in areas with old water systems, cooling towers or fountains; using electric water heaters, whirlpools and spas or hot water spring spas; and recent stays in hotels or vessels," the spokesman said.

Legionellae are found in various environmental settings and grow well in warm water (20 to 45 degrees Celsius). They can be found in aqueous environments such as water tanks, hot and cold water systems, cooling towers, whirlpools and spas, water fountains and home apparatus that support breathing. People may become infected when they breathe in contaminated droplets (aerosols) and mist generated by artificial water systems, or when handling garden soil, compost and potting mixes.

Immunocompromised persons should:

Use sterile or boiled water for drinking, tooth brushing and mouth rinsing;

Avoid using humidifiers, or other mist- or aerosol-generating devices; and

If using humidifiers, or other mist- or aerosol-generating devices, fill the water tank with only sterile or cooled freshly boiled water, and not water directly from the tap. Also, clean and maintain humidifiers/devices regularly according to manufacturers' instructions. Never leave stagnant water in a humidifier/device. Empty the water tank, wipe all surfaces dry, and change the water daily.

The public should observe the health advice below:

Observe personal hygiene;

Do not smoke and avoid alcohol consumption;

Strainers in water taps and shower heads should be inspected, cleaned, descaled and disinfected regularly or at a frequency recommended by the manufacturer;

If a fresh-water plumbing system is properly maintained, it is not necessary to install domestic water filters. Use of water filters is not encouraged as clogging occurs easily, which can promote growth of micro-organisms. In case water filters are used, the pore size should be 0.2 micrometres (µm) and the filter needs to be changed periodically according to the manufacturer's recommendations;

Drain and clean water tanks of buildings at least quarterly;

Drain or purge for at least one minute infrequently used water outlets (e.g. water taps, shower heads and hot water outlets) and stagnant points of the pipework weekly or before use;

Seek and follow doctors' professional advice regarding the use and maintenance of home respiratory devices and use only sterile water (not distilled or tap water) to clean and fill the reservoir. Clean and maintain the device regularly according to the manufacturer's instructions. After cleaning/disinfection, rinse the device with sterile water, cooled freshly boiled water or water filtered with 0.2 µm filters. Never leave stagnant water in the device. Empty the water tank, keep all surfaces dry, and change the water daily; and

When handling garden soil, compost and potting mixes:

Wear gloves and a face mask;

Water gardens and compost gently using low pressure;

Open composted potting mixes slowly and make sure the opening is directed away from the face;

Wet the soil to reduce dust when potting plants; and

Avoid working in poorly ventilated places such as enclosed greenhouses.

​​The public may visit the CHP'sLD page, theCode of Practice for Prevention of LDand theHousekeeping Guidelines for Cold and Hot Water Systems for Building Managementof the Prevention of LD Committee, and the CHP'srisk-based strategyfor prevention and control of LD.

Source: AI-generated images