Collected and Curated

Collected and Curated introduces Chinese art and material culture through the items from the permanent collection of The University Museum and Art Gallery (UMAG), The University of Hong Kong. As the oldest continuously operating museum in Hong Kong, UMAG serves as a significant venue for contemporary art exhibitions, and excels at collecting, documenting and teaching about local and regional artists and art forms, while fostering ongoing and new relationships. Regarded as an essential teaching resource, UMAG has expanded its collection and programming through generous donations from patrons and artists, along with support from the University of Hong Kong and the HKU Museum Society. Since 1953, curators and educators have leveraged this assistance to expand, display and teach with a collection that highlights artefacts ranging from Neolithic cultures (ca. 6500 BCE–ca. 1900 BCE) to the early kingdoms and dynasties of imperial China (ca. 1500 BCE–1911). UMAG has also gained a reputation for its fine selection of works by artists—predominantly painters—of the 20th and early 21st century. The museum's mission is to provide artistic and cultural experiences that are accessible to people of all ages and backgrounds, fostering a greater appreciation for the arts and nurturing a strong sense of cultural values and belonging within our diverse community. In so doing, UMAG preserves and teaches both the past and present, serving as a platform for ongoing discussions about the meaning of art and its significant role in contemporary society.

Florian Knothe studies and teaches the history of decorative arts in the 17th and 18th centuries with particular focus on the social and historic importance of royal French manufacture. He is interested in the early modern fascination with Chinoiserie and the way royal workshops and smaller private enterprises helped to create and cater to this long-lasting fashion. Florian recently launched UMAG_STArts, which teaches the science and technology of art, and he directs the newly developed the Master of Arts in the field of Museum Studies.