Institute of Philanthropy Champions Cultural Exchange with “Blooming: The Art of Gardens in East and West” at the Hong Kong Museum of Art

The Institute of Philanthropy (IoP) is proud to serve as the exclusive sponsor of “Blooming: The Art of Gardens in East and West”exhibition, which opened today at the Hong Kong Museum of Art. The exhibition brings together 106 masterpieces and artefacts from The Palace Museum, the Art Institute of Chicago, the Palace of Versailles and the Hong Kong Museum of Art. Previously staged at The Palace Museum in Beijing in 2025 under the title “Rejoicing in Woods and Springs: A Journey through Garden Cultures in China and the Wider World”, also exclusively sponsored by IoP, the exhibition’s arrival in Hong Kong underscores IoP’s commitment to promoting Chinese culture and values and fostering international cultural exchange.

Guests tour the “Blooming: The Art of Gardens in East and West” exhibition.

The exhibition celebrates the beauty and cultural significance of gardens across civilisations. From the grand gardens of Emperor Qianlong and King Louis XIV to the artistry of Claude Monet, Zhang Daqian and Wen Zhengming, visitors can discover how gardens have long been spaces of creativity and leisure.

Guests tour the “Blooming: The Art of Gardens in East and West” exhibition.

Officiating guests at the opening ceremony included Rosanna Law, Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism of the HKSAR Government; Wang Yuegong, Deputy Director of The Palace Museum; Ann Kung, Deputy Chairman of IoP and Trustee of The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust; Dr Wang Tao, Pritzker Chair of Arts of Asia, Executive Director of initiatives in Asia of Art Institute of Chicago; Professor Desmond Hui, Chairman of the Art Sub-committee of the Museum Advisory Committee; Eve Tam, Acting Director of Leisure and Cultural Services; and Dr Maria Mok, Museum Director of the Hong Kong Museum of Art.

Officiating guests at the opening ceremony included Rosanna Law, Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism of the HKSAR Government; Wang Yuegong, Deputy Director of The Palace Museum; Ann Kung, Deputy Chairman of IoP and Trustee of The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust; Dr Wang Tao, Pritzker Chair of Arts of Asia, Executive Director of initiatives in Asia of Art Institute of Chicago; Professor Desmond Hui, Chairman of the Art Sub-committee of the Museum Advisory Committee; Eve Tam, Acting Director of Leisure and Cultural Services; and Dr Maria Mok, Museum Director of the Hong Kong Museum of Art.

Rosanna Law, Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism of the HKSAR Government, said that this touring exhibition, which began at The Palace Museum in 2025 and arrived in Hong Kong today, connects regional culture of the East and West through historical gardens. The HKMoA, as the grand finale, will exclusively feature a selection of art treasures. The exhibition not only fully showcase the distinctive features of gardens from East and West and the rich cultural heritage from different regions, but also highlights Hong Kong’s vital role as a window for mutual exchange and learning between Chinese and Western civilisations. She added that the country advocates “shaping tourism with cultural activities and promoting culture through tourism”. Culture and tourism have always been highly complemented with each other. With Labour Day Golden Week approaching, she believes the exhibition would attract local art lovers and tourists, as well as boost consumption in the surrounding area. She extended her appreciation to The Hong Kong Jockey Club for its full support, and to the Institute of Philanthropy for its sponsorship, which together enabled the exwhibition to be successfully staged.

Guests tour the “Blooming: The Art of Gardens in East and West” exhibition.

Wang Yuegong, Deputy Director of The Palace Museum, said that Chinese gardens evoke the grandeur of mountains, rivers, and the natural world, all within a small space and in pursuit of the ideal. Through this exhibition series, the Palace Museum hopes to foster open, cross‑disciplinary dialogue and collaboration, and to engage all sectors of society in exploring the question of ideal living.

Ann Kung, Deputy Chairman of IoP and Trustee of The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust, said that the enduring legacy of Chinese garden art echoes the profound cultural heritage of The Palace Museum. Through this dialogue across time and cultures, she hoped more members of the public could experience the beauty of gardens from the East and West, deepen their understanding of the nation's history and culture, and carry forward Chinese cultural heritage, thereby enhancing cultural confidence and social cohesion.

Ann Kung, Deputy Chairman of IoP and Trustee of The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust, delivers a speech at the opening ceremony of the “Blooming: The Art of Gardens in East and West” exhibition.

“Blooming: The Art of Gardens in East and West” is an important part of a five-year collaboration under a Memorandum of Co-operation entitled “Promotion of Chinese Culture and Arts Tech Talent Development in the Chinese Mainland and Hong Kong” signed between The Palace Museum and IoP. It aims to foster cultural exchange between the Chinese Mainland and Hong Kong and to nurture aspiring arts tech talent. The exhibition will offer guided tours for schools, charitable organisations and non profit-making organisations.

Guests tour the “Blooming: The Art of Gardens in East and West” exhibition.

The opening ceremony of the “Divine Steeds: Horses in Painting and Calligraphy of the Palace Museum” exhibition was held in the Hall of Literary Brilliance at the Palace Museum. Exclusively sponsored by the Institute of Philanthropy (IoP) and organised by the Palace Museum, the exhibition presents more than 50 paintings and calligraphic works from the Palace Museum's collection, including 20 Grade One national treasures, illustrating the bond between horses and humans and the special role of the horse in Chinese culture.

Guests tour the “Divine Steeds: Horses in Painting and Calligraphy of the Palace Museum” exhibition.

The exhibition explores four themes: Leisure, Herding, the Warhorse and the Spiritual Horse, with selected paintings and calligraphic treasures from the Palace Museum's collection. Spanning the Tang and Song dynasties, the Ming and Qing dynasties, through to the modern era, it presents important works by renowned masters including Li Gonglin, Zhao Mengfu, Ren Renfa, Giuseppe Castiglione and Xu Beihong. Through these treasures the exhibition immerses visitors in the world of horses across the ages, deepening their understanding of the nation and its equine culture, and fostering a sense of cultural identity and pride.

Officiating guests at the opening ceremony included Dr Wang Xudong, Director of the Palace Museum; Lester Huang, IoP Chairman, Deputy Chairman of The Hong Kong Jockey Club and Trustee of The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust; Ivy Lin, Head (Cultural Exchange), Beijing Office of HKSAR Government; Ann Kung, Deputy Chairman of IoP and Trustee of The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust; and Dr Eric Li, IoP Director. Additional officiating guests include representatives from the Palace Museum, The China Soong Ching Ling Foundation, Chinese Museums Association, National Cultural Heritage Administration, and The Forbidden City Cultural Heritage Conservation Foundation.

Officiating guests at the opening ceremony.

Dr Wang Xudong, Director of the Palace Museum, said that the spirit of horse culture is rooted in the pursuit of steady progress and long-term aspiration, which resonates with the Palace Museum's ethos of respectfully preserving tradition and skilfully passing on this heritage. In this Year of the Horse, the Palace Museum organised this exhibition to celebrate the uplifting spirit of the times, encouraging visitors to enjoy ancient masterpieces, explore the social history and humanistic spirit of different eras, and gain a deeper appreciation of the richness and depth of Chinese culture.

Lester Huang, IoP Chairman, Deputy Chairman of The Hong Kong Jockey Club and Trustee of The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust, said that the Forbidden City, a treasure of Chinese civilisation, provides the ideal backdrop for an exhibition celebrating the deep cultural significance of horses throughout Chinese history. He noted the harmony between the Palace Museum’s rich heritage and this horse-culture exhibition, which reflects the ethos of past societies and honours China’s equestrian tradition. Coinciding with the Year of the Horse, the exhibition offers visitors the chance to explore the many meanings of the horse across history and art.

Lester Huang, IoP Chairman, Deputy Chairman of The Hong Kong Jockey Club and Trustee of The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust delivers a speech at the opening ceremony of the “Divine Steeds: Horses in Painting and Calligraphy of the Palace Museum” exhibition.

Established as a “think-fund-do” tank for China and Asia and beyond through a seed grant from The Hong Kong Jockey Club and its Charities Trust, IoP is collaborating with the Palace Museum on a five-year initiative to foster cultural exchange and develop arts tech talent. This exhibition is a key component of that collaboration. Aligning with the National 15th Five-Year Plan, IoP will continue to support Hong Kong in deepening its role as the East-meets-West centre for international cultural exchange.

The exhibition is also one of the highlights of the Club's Year of the Horse campaign.The Year of the Horse holds special significance for Hong Kong and the Club. With its elegance and power, the horse has become an enduring emblem of passion, dynamism and rapid progress – qualities that resonate deeply with Hong Kong’s own “can-do” spirit. Horse racing is not only Hong Kong’s favourite pastime, but a symbol of its prosperity and stability under One Country, Two Systems.

Guests tour the “Divine Steeds: Horses in Painting and Calligraphy of the Palace Museum” exhibition.

With the theme “Riding High Together in the Year of the Horse”, the Club’s Year of the Horse campaign aims to honour the profound partnership between human and horse and to unite the community through thrilling races, international equestrian spectacles and a special series of cultural, sporting and family events. The year-long campaign is a community celebration, a tourist attraction and an opportunity to promote equine and community sports development. A major highlight is the launch of regular racing together with equine-themed sports, cultural and tourism events at Conghua Racecourse, Guangzhou, at the end of October. This will be a significant milestone in the Club’s support for national equine industry development in the Greater Bay Area and beyond. For more information on the Year of the Horse campaign, please visit https://hkjc.com/YOTH.