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The free guided tour on December 18 (Saturday) to enhance visitors' knowledge of the exhibits at Sha Tin Town Hall Plaza's City Art Square has received such an overwhelming response that two additional tours will be held on the same day, at 2.30pm and 4.15pm.
The additional tours, organised by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD), will be conducted in Cantonese.
The Secretary of the Hong Kong Sculpture Society, Mr Chow Shun-keung, will also explain details and characteristics of the exhibits at City Art Square to participants of the additional tours.
The public can also try the new "dood me co" service to receive information on art exhibits and enjoy an audio guide, by using 3G-supported mobile phones to download the "dood me co reader".
A graduate of Northcote College of Education, Mr Chow first began to study marble sculptures with Lai Yat-fong in 1994. He won the first runner-up prize in sculpture in the Philippe Charriol Foundation Art Competition in 1995. He then studied wood sculpture with Tong King-sum and his work was featured in the "Philippe Charriol Foundation Art Competition Exhibition" in 1997. In 2007, he was invited by the Singapore Sculpture Society to attend "The First International Woodcarving Symposium", and in the same year he wrote the "Guide to Urban Sculpture in Hong Kong" with Tai Sheung-shing, the President of the Hong Kong Sculpture Society.
The unique City Art Square is a product of Sha Tin Town Hall Plaza's 2008 beautification project, and is managed by the LCSD. It displays 19 creative sculptures and public art installations by local and internationally renowned artists and designers. With an area of approximately 190,000 square feet and various exhibits, City Art Square adds an artistic and elegant ambiance to Sha Tin's public space. It has won numerous local and international design and architectural awards, including the 2008 Cityscape Architectural Award and the Quality Building Awards.
The public art installations include a vibrant fibreglass sculpture by internationally known architect Zaha Hadid, and a work by MacArthur Genius Award winner Chinese artist Xu Bing, fusing Chinese calligraphy and modern design. There is also a mosaic across the plaza in the theme of the Chinese Peony by fashion designer Vivienne Tam, and a pair of wedding rings, located near the Marriage Registry to bless new couples, by top American artist Dennis Oppenheim.
Creative works by new local artists can also be found in City Art Square, including those by Sara Tse, Mok Yat-san and Man Fung-yi from Fotanian and the Chinese University of Hong Kong, as well as James Law and well-known architectural designer Barrie Ho. A design full of bauhinias and windmills, by Nina Jobs of Sweden, lines the pedestrian footbridge.
For information on City Art Square, please visit the Sha Tin Town Hall's website at www.lcsd.gov.hk/stth. For information on the additional tours, please call 2694 2560 during office hours. Seats are limited and enrolment is made on a first-come, first-served basis.
Ends/Monday, December 13, 2010
Issued at HKT 16:27
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