Ha Bik Chuen Archive 夏碧泉檔案
The archive consists of materials of exhibition ephemera, photographic documentation, visual research materials, artwork documentation, periodicals, reference books, personal records, and modified books that spanned from the 1960s till the 2000s. Between 2014 to 2021, the Asia Art Archive selectively digitised parts of the archive to encourage research and collaboration. This digital archive is available at this link: https://aaa.org.hk/en/collections/search/archive/ha-bik-chuen-archive/
The archive is housed in three institutions of Hong Kong. The M+ Ha Bik Chuen Archive consists of collage books, visual research material, photographic materials, and part of his collection of periodicals. The Asia Art Archive collection includes materials from the Ha Bik Chuen Archive relating to exhibition histories. Other materials from the Ha Bik Chuen Archive relating to Ha’s artistic practice may be found in the Art History Resource Centre, The University of Hong Kong. For further information regarding this collection, please visit this link: https://arthistory.hku.hk/index.php/hkarthistory/
Ha Bik Chuen (1925–2009) was a self-taught modernist artist in Hong Kong and the archive was intended as the artist’s learning resource. Born in Xinhui, Guangdong, China, Ha first moved to Macau in 1949 where he set up a handicrafts factory before settling in Hong Kong in 1957. The handicrafts business had grown significantly that the Ha’s family had to operate it out of their home on top floor of a walk-up building in To Kwa Wan, Hong Kong, where later became Ha’s personal archives and library. Known primarily as a sculptor of figurative subjects using found objects, Ha also practised a distinctive form of relief printing featuring abstract and natural forms. As an active participant in artistic circles, Ha bought his first camera in the early 1980s and documented many art exhibitions and cultural events till the 2000s. In his later years, he focused on ink painting and photography.
M+ is committed to the preservation and to the cataloguing of the archive to the highest international standards. As sections of the archive are catalogued, they will be made available on the M+ Collections website.
The archive is housed in three institutions of Hong Kong. The M+ Ha Bik Chuen Archive consists of collage books, visual research material, photographic materials, and part of his collection of periodicals. The Asia Art Archive collection includes materials from the Ha Bik Chuen Archive relating to exhibition histories. Other materials from the Ha Bik Chuen Archive relating to Ha’s artistic practice may be found in the Art History Resource Centre, The University of Hong Kong. For further information regarding this collection, please visit this link: https://arthistory.hku.hk/index.php/hkarthistory/
Ha Bik Chuen (1925–2009) was a self-taught modernist artist in Hong Kong and the archive was intended as the artist’s learning resource. Born in Xinhui, Guangdong, China, Ha first moved to Macau in 1949 where he set up a handicrafts factory before settling in Hong Kong in 1957. The handicrafts business had grown significantly that the Ha’s family had to operate it out of their home on top floor of a walk-up building in To Kwa Wan, Hong Kong, where later became Ha’s personal archives and library. Known primarily as a sculptor of figurative subjects using found objects, Ha also practised a distinctive form of relief printing featuring abstract and natural forms. As an active participant in artistic circles, Ha bought his first camera in the early 1980s and documented many art exhibitions and cultural events till the 2000s. In his later years, he focused on ink painting and photography.
M+ is committed to the preservation and to the cataloguing of the archive to the highest international standards. As sections of the archive are catalogued, they will be made available on the M+ Collections website.
This archive is being catalogued. Information will be released periodically.
Details
Object Number
CA83
Archive Creator
Archival Level
Fonds
Credit Line
M+, Hong Kong. Gift in honour of Ha Bik Chuen, 2022
