Ha Bik Chuen Archive 夏碧泉檔案
This archive consists of a continuously growing selection of the artist’s collage books, exhibition documentation, and catalogues. It provides a singular window into Hong Kong’s art history through international exchanges, exhibition history, and the circulation of artistic practices and reading materials.
Primarily known as a sculptor and printmaker, Ha Bik Chuen (1925–2009) had parallel practices of photographing exhibitions he attended while collecting materials (including illustrated magazines and artist portraits) for the construction of book collages. Due to the volume of Ha’s archive, materials digitised and shared on this platform are prioritised by their rarity and relevance to AAA’s ongoing lines of inquiry.
In July 2016, Ha’s archive in his studio in To Kwan Wan, Kowloon, was relocated to a dedicated project space in Fotan, New Territories, where it is temporarily housed until 2021. The Ha Bik Chuen Archive Project aims to catalyse new ideas and knowledge by opening up, activating, and circulating materials from the Ha Bik Chuen Archive through selective digitisation, research, and collaborative programming such as residencies, fellowships, workshops, and exhibition making.
The Ha Bik Chuen Archive Pilot Project (2014–16) is supported by Hong Kong Arts Development Council.
The Ha Bik Chuen Archive Project (2016–19) is funded by The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust.
The Ha Bik Chuen Archive Project (2020-2021) is funded by Chinachem Group.
Relevant content
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Hong Kong Art History Research Project 香港藝術史研究項目
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On Ha Bik Chuen: Collection and Collage
Leo Li Chen explores how Ha Bik Chuen’s collection opens up new ways to understand Hong Kong art history
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Off the Shelf | Pacific Crossings: Hong Kong Artists in Vancouver
A collaboration with the Vancouver Art Gallery
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The Man Who Never Threw Anything Away
A collaboration with Guangdong Times Museum
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Back to the Future: Contemporary Art and the Hong Kong Handover
What two Hong Kong exhibitions reveal about the handover, identity, and contemporary art
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Section 39_Index XXXVII: Traboulsi
Suha Traboulsi's "sculptural spaces" and reproductions of canonical modern paintings by Arab artists
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Off the Shelf | Being Minorities — Contemporary Asian Art
Ha Bik Chuen's documentation of the 1997 Hong Kong exhibition curated by Oscar Ho
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Digital Shadows: An Interview with Tyler Coburn
The New York-based artist discusses his work with the Ha Bik Chuen Archive
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Off the Shelf | Contact Sheet of Photographs of a Re-visit to the Venice Biennale (1 of 2), July 1993
A look at documentation found in the Ha Bik Chuen Archive
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Periodicals, American Interventions, and Art in Asia During the Cold War
On Ho Tzu Nyen's research in relation to items in the Ha Bik Chuen Archive
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Reading Recommendations | Seeing Things, Being There
A list of primary and secondary materials and books related to the Asia Art Archive exhibition
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Off the Shelf | Last Encounters in Ha Bik Chuen Archive
Personal reflections from the archivists on the Ha Bik Chuen Archive Project, as they bring to a close its Fo Tan project space
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Eating the Archive: In Conversation with Anthony Leung Po Shan and Lantian Xie
Anthony Leung Po Shan and Lantian Xie discuss ideas of the city, the appearing demos, and metabolising the archive
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The Collage Party by Paul Butler
21–23, 25 Mar 2017, 11am–1pm
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Connective Memories
30 April–20 June 2021
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Teaching Lab for Pre-service Teachers|Finding Creative Teaching Inspiration through an Art Archive
24 Jul 2021, 2–5:30pm
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Portals, Stories, and Other Journeys
23 April–1 August 2021, Tue to Sun 11am–7pm
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Ha Bik Chuen Archive: Project Space Open Studio
Fri–Sat, 29–30 Mar 2019, 11 AM – 1 PM
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Hong Kong Art from 1960 to 2010
Sat, 9 – Sat, 23 Jul 2011
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Snapshots of Hong Kong Art History: 1950–2000
Sat, 9 Jul 2011, 2:30 – 4:30 PM
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The Performing Archive: Deep Archival Engagement as Artistic Practice
13 October–16 Nov 2017
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The Sea of Learning is Infinite: Ha Bik Chuen and His Practice
Sun, 12 Feb 2017, 3:30 – 5 PM
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Excessive Enthusiasm: Ha Bik Chuen and the Archive as Practice
Mon, 11 May – Sat, 4 Jul 2015
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Researcher-in-Residence | Leo Li Chen
Oct 2016–Jan 2017
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Hong Kong Conversations 2015
Sat, 27 Jun 2015, 11 AM – 1 PM
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Ha Bik Chuen Archive: Hong Kong Today
Sat, 18 Apr 2015
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Artist-in-Residence | Paul Butler
Fri, 17–Sun, 26 Mar 2017 , 12 AM
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Walid Raad | Section 39_Index XXXVII: Traboulsi
Jun–Sep 2016
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The Man Who Never Threw Anything Away
Fri, 6 Jan – Sun, 19 Feb 2017
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The Artwork and Its Image: A Dialogue between Sculpture and Photography
Thu, 15 Feb 2024, 7–8:30pm HKT / 4:30–6pm IST
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Wikipedia Asian Month 2020: Edit-a-thon on Exhibition Histories
Sat, 28 Nov 2020, 2–6pm HKT
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Guided Tours | Another Day in Hong Kong
18 Jun–20 Aug 2024
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Lecture Performance | When History Comes Alive
Sun, 26 May 2024, 3–4:30pm
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Archives and Archival Research in Hong Kong
Wed, 19 Jun 2024, 6:30–8pm
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Wikipedia Asian Month: Edit-a-thon on Exhibition Histories
Sat, 24 Nov 2018, 2 – 6 PM
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Building Personal Ties with Art Archives
Lam Wing Sze offers students a series of hands-on exercises related to art archives
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Archive as a Platform for Creative Inquiry
Ms. Florie Tse, Visual Art Teacher from Jockey Club Ti-I College, shares her teaching strategies in using AAA as a catalyst for creative inquiries