Brichte und Interviews / Reports and Interviews
Helena in race to preserve HK's culture
THE STAR, Hongkong WOMEN'S WORD, Page 8
July 17, 1973
There is much criticism of Hongkong as being a "culture desert".
One such young critic who is trying to improve the situation is the pretty development assistant manager of the Hongkong Arts Center, Helena H.Y. Hua.

Said Helena: "Hongkong is a materialistic society and tends to lack any interest in the appreciation of art. "Students have no such interest partly because they are not given much opportunity.
"There is only one City Hall to provide any culture recreation.

Advantage
"There are not many book stores in Hongkong but at the same time the entertainment business is booming. "Yet there is one small advantage Hongkong has and that is the position where it is located making it easy for other possible culture exchanges with nearby countries." The Hongkong Arts center, being a non-profit organization, has to pay its way by public donation.

It began in 1969 and works from Central Office loaned by the K.C Leung Co. Helena said they hope to be given 10,000 sq. ft. of land in Wanchai by the Hongkong Government.

Helena is a recent university graduate and did museum work before joining the center two months ago. "Since I studied art history in

college I find I can apply what I have learnt to my job.
"We hope the community will learn about the center through lectures and performances.
"I love my job.
"It means I can have contacts with people who have the same interests as mine."
A recent project has been to introduce a Cantonese puppet show to schools.

"We used to have 35 groups of artists handling these puppets but now there is only group left.
"This ancient art will come to an end one day unless we do something to revive it.
"There is one weakness of Kongkong people that stands in our way.
"There are more ready to accept foreign ideas than to keep traditional ones."

Helena is the typical career-minded young girl of today who does not favour the idea of devoting oneself entirely to a family after marriage.

"I believe girls work harder than men and have equal working ability.
"I also think women are more geared towards working in the arts field as in my job."
Back to Top
The Hai Yen Institute for Conservation of Works of Art

 Karl Kuntz Weg 9
D-68163 Mannheim. Germany
Tel:+49-(0)621-413631
Fax:+49-(0)621-413632
E-mail: hua@art-restoration.org
URL: www.art-restoration.org
Copyright © hica All rights reserved