In collaboration with Hong Kong University Press, the Libraries is pleased to present Painting Myanmar’s Transition book talk at the 2/F Multi-purpose Area, Ingenium, Main Library, The University of Hong Kong on 23 September 2021 from 6:30 – 8:00 pm.

About the Book

Painting Myanmar’s Transition presents paintings by and concise companion interviews with eighty artists. Ian and Aung Kaung showcase work produced by local artists during a period of significant reform.

In the 2010s, Myanmar moved away from half a century of rigid military rule and a wave of liberalization spread across the country. Artists eagerly embraced the new freedoms and, in so doing, captured their nation at a time of considerable fluidity.

Collectively, the paintings from the 2010s and the interviews from 2020 reveal the lived experience of Myanmar’s reform years and the aspirations expressed by citizens for the future. They assume an almost elegiac quality in the aftermath of a 2021 military coup that brought the transition to a crashing halt and cast a dark cloud over society.

Placed alongside each other, the eighty paintings and the reflections of the artists who created them offer rare insights into a landmark decade in Myanmar. Together, they conjure a set of nuanced understandings of a pivotal Southeast Asian state navigating complex political change and building dreams that, in the event, were all too suddenly shattered.

About the Speakers 

Ian Holliday is Vice-President (Teaching and Learning) at The University of Hong Kong. He is the author of Burma Redux: Global Justice and the Quest for Political Reform in Myanmar (2011), co-author with Roman David of Liberalism and Democracy in Myanmar (2018), and co-editor with Adam Simpson and Nicholas Farrell of Routledge Handbook of Contemporary Myanmar (2018).

Aung Kaung Myat is a research postgraduate student in the Department of Politics and Public Administration at The University of Hong Kong.

About the Moderator

Florian Knothe is the Director of the University of Hong Kong Museum and Art Gallery. Before joining the University, Florian was the curator of European glass at The Corning Museum of Glass overseeing the European and East Asian departments. There, he organized an exhibition on East Meets West, and afterward, lectured internationally on cross-cultural influences in art and workshop practices in Western Europe and East Asia.

Admission: Free

HKU Libraries Website: http://lib.hku.hk/

Hong Kong University Press: https://hkupress.hku.hk

University Museum and Art Gallery: https://www.umag.hku.hk/en/

Connect with the Libraries on social media:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hkulib/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/HKULibrariesCollection

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Connect with HKU Press on social media:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hkupress

Twitter: https://twitter.com/hkupress

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hkupress/

Connect with University Museum and Art Gallery on social media:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/university.museum.and.art.gallery.hku/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/hkupress

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/umag_hku/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/UniversityMuseumArtGalleryHKU

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/umaghku/

The University of Hong Kong Libraries First Semester 2021 Hours

A Collaborative Photography

by

HKU WISE (Women in Science & Engineering)

and

Laura Simonsen (Photographer & Visual Arts Educator)

Project Goals:

 The aim of the HKU Women in Science project is to bring the women doing work across the sciences at HKU into greater visibility by showcasing the diversity of women in science as well as the range of science we all do.

Despite the trend that an increasing number of girls and women choose to study Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) subjects at the high school and University level, the number of women who stay in STEM fields declines at higher ranks. In the Faculty of Science at HKU, for example, while roughly 50% of the undergraduate students are female, less than 20% of the tenure track appointments are held by women. There are many factors which influence a woman’s decision to stay in or to leave STEM fields, which makes it a complicated problem to address. Women’s departure from the professional practice of the STEM fields is a pressing problem, however, since as multiple studies have shown that increasing the diversity of the STEM workforce also increases productivity and innovation. The loss of women in STEM, therefore, has real consequences both for the progression of individual scientists, for science itself, and for the well-being of society.

HKU Women in Science, a photography and oral history project, is the first of a series of events which aim to increase the visibility and diversity of women working across the  sciences at HKU. We hope that this exhibition will stimulate conversations about what a scientist is and does; the value of diversity for scientific research; and different ways to support girls and women as they make their way more deeply into scientific work.

In the Common Core course CCST9065 Women in Science, for example, on the first day of class students are asked to name as many female scientists as they can. The overwhelming majority of students can only name onefemale scientist. When asked to draw a scientist, the most common image is a likeness of a wild-haired Einstein in a lab coat wielding a beaker. Through portraits and photos of women actively conducting scientific research in the lab and in the field, this exhibit aims to expand our view of what a scientist looks like, to give women scientists a more prominent voice, and to demonstrate how actual science is done in different contexts.

HKU Women in Science is an ongoing project and we will continue to add images to the collection to capture more of the diversity of science across the University. If you would like to participate in the project, please contact HKU WISE at hkuwise@gmail.com – we’d love to have you join us!

About: HKU WISE

HKU Women in Science and Engineering was founded five years ago to create a supportive community to promote and support diversity and inclusion in STEM fields on campus. The overall goal of the group is to increase the participation of women in the fields of Science and Engineering. The group has three main aims: 1) to inspire female students to study and build careers in these fields, 2) to build a supportive community of female scientists and engineers on campus, and 3) to encourage the University to adopt hiring and promotion practices that increase diversity. The groups organizes events which aim to provide networking opportunities for students and faculty, increasing the visibility of women scientists and engineers on campus, and provide professional development opportunities through the organization of workshops and seminars. Together, these events encourage ongoing conversations about factors that perpetuate gender inequity in STEM subjects and best practices for increasing diversity and inclusion. In 2020, the HKU WISE Student Chapter was formed to bring this conversation and support to undergraduate students on campus. Our events are open to everyone. Ultimately we hope to inspire more women to join and stay in STEM fields and to work towards a more inclusive campus community.

About: Laura Simonsen

Laura Simonsen is a photographer and visual art educator. She has been living in Hong Kong for 15 years and has held several photography exhibitions that have raised awareness and support for several NGO’s in Hong Kong. Laura’s work encourages dialogues about social minority groups, subcultures and powerful personal journeys. She wants to create an impact with her photos and hopes to open the minds of her audience. She has the ability to capture narratives showing honest personalities through a lens. Laura sees photography as a powerful tool that can encourage acceptance, raise awareness and instigate change.

www.laurasimonsen.com

“Women in Science has been an ongoing project for the past 2 years, with long gaps in between each photo shoot. I am so proud that we kept the vision alive during challenging times. I also believe this is only the start and the project will be ongoing with several phases and possibilities that will evolve in the future into a much larger celebration of ‘Women in Science’.  For this project, I decided to step out of my comfort zone and shoot only in analogue using Kodak Portra 800 film. I love the colour and grainy aesthetic. I like to take risks and I believe when you become too comfortable, it is very important to challenge yourself to keep evolving as an artist. My previous projects and exhibitions are all shot using a digital camera. This experience has allowed me to value the simplicity of shooting in film and having to really think about each photograph instead of having the luxury of seeing your photograph straight away, and being able to delete or edit. It’s a very different approach and for me it has been more challenging. The most rewarding part of this project has been meeting individually each scientist and listening to their stories and their passion for what they do. Science and academia is also out of my comfort zone and I have loved entering the fascinating worlds and minds of each woman rising above the challenge of being a ‘Woman in Science.” – Laura Simonsen

URL: https://www.bygoneages.hku.hk

Temporary closure – 4/F, New Wing/Old Wing, Main Library

26 July – 31 August 2021

The 4/F New Wing and Old Wing will be closed for Air Handling Unit and dehumidifier replacement. There will be no access to the 4/F for library patrons due to lack of air conditioning, noise, and safety concerns.

If you wish to access the 4/F collection, please submit your book retrieval request to us with this e-form, https://lib.hku.hk/cgi-bin/check_form/BRR-form

For enquires, please call 3917-2202 or contact libcir@hku.hk

Apologies for the inconvenience caused

100^th Anniversary of Women’s Suffrage in America Exhibition

In collaboration with the U.S. Consulate General Hong Kong & Macau, the Main Library is pleased to present 100^thAnniversary of Women’s Suffrage in America exhibition at the 2^nd Floor Exhibition Area, Ingenium, Main Library, HKU from 26^th July – 27^th August 2021.

2020 was the 100^th anniversary of women’s suffrage in America.  Curated and created locally, the exhibition on “100 Years of Women’s Suffrage in America” tells the lives of eight notable suffragists in the movement: Susan B. Anthony, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Mary Church Terrell, Daisy Lampkin, Carrie Chapman Catt, Lucy Stone, Sojourner Truth, and Lucretia Mott.  Beginning in the mid-19^th century, successive generations of women’s suffrage supporters worked tirelessly to achieve what many Americans considered a radical change in the Constitution – guaranteeing women the right to vote.  By spotlighting these eight figures who played key roles in the struggle for women’s suffrage, this exhibition celebrates the countless women who fought for greater equality.  Along with text panels, artwork, a timeline display, and period dress costumes and accessories, this exhibition offers an immersive experience for visitors.¹

To complement the exhibition, the Libraries has arranged a display of books from its collection on women’s suffrage.  Please come and discover more about this inspiring exhibition and the history it shares.

Details of the Exhibition

Date: 26 July – 27 August 2021

Venue: 2^nd Floor Exhibition Area, Ingenium, Main Library, The University of Hong Kong
Time: During Main Library Opening Hours

Closed on Public Holidays

Check Main Library Summer hours before your visit: https://lib.hku.hk/general/hours/index.html

Admission: Free

For enquiries, please contact Tel: 2859 8903 / email: friends@lib.hku.hk.

HKUL Website: https://lib.hku.hk/

Connect with the Libraries on social media:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hkulib/

Events: https://www.facebook.com/hkulevents/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/HKULibrariesCollection

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hkulibrary/

¹U.S. Consulate General Hong Kong & Macau

Replacement of Dehumidifiers for Microfilm Room of 1/F Main Library

Microfilm Room of 1/F Main Library

22 Jul 2021 (Thursday) 09:00a.m. to 23 Jul 2021 (Friday) 06:00p.m.

Estates Office Notice

Temporary closure of the Fung Ping Shan Library (6/F)

Due to upgrade of network cabling in the Main Library, the Fung Ping Shan Library (6/F) will be temporarily closed from 26 June (Sat) to 28 June (Mon) for maintenance works.

 If you wish to access East Asian collection at 6/F, please submit your book retrieval request to us with this e-form:

https://lib.hku.hk/cgi-bin/check_form/BRR-form

Email notification will be sent to you once the requested item is available for pick up at Main Library.

For enquiry, please call 3917-2202 or contact libcir@hku.hk.