As Smooth As Silk.

Chinese Garden.

At first when I stopped working, I used to check out everything that was on in Hong Kong. I don't do that anymore, but nonetheless I received an email telling me about an exhibition at the Indra and Harry Banga Gallery. I had never heard of this, but soon learned that this gallery is actually inside Hong Kong City University in Kowloon Tong. The exhibition was called: 'A Passion For Silk. The Road From China To Europe.' It was free, but it was necessary to book a time slot in advance. I decided to do this and was sent an email confirmation and a QR code.

I had booked to go between 12 and 1 on the fifth of July, so on that day I set out early (I hate being late for things) towards Kowloon Tong. I arrived about an hour early and decided to use that time just wandering around Festival Walk, the shopping mall next to Hong Kong City University. I used to work near here years ago and used to come here all the time, but I haven't been here for ages.

The first thing I noticed was there was a Chiikawa and Miniso popup store in the middle of LG2. If you are thinking what's that, you are not alone. Apparently Chiikawa is a Japanese manga character and Miniso is a Chinese retail chain. I knew nothing about either of them. The popup was evidently expected to be popular, as to access it you had to go inside a separated off zigzag fence area like at airport immigration, but when I went, there was actually noone queuing to go in. I guess it depends on the time of day and day of the week.

Chiikawa Pop-up Store.

Chiikawa Pop-up Store.

A little further on there was a very pink tribute to Anson Lo. He is a Hong Kong singer, dancer and actor who used to be with the boy band Mirror. When it's July, his birthday month, his fans pay lots of money to set up stalls, screens or even advertise on trams or star ferries to wish him a Happy Birthday. I'm not a fan, but I was happy to photograph it anyway. I was to encounter more Anson Lo tributes later in the day.

Happy birthday, Anson Lo.

Happy birthday, Anson Lo.

Happy birthday, Anson Lo.

I also had a look at the skating rink and the cinema.

Ice-skating rink.

Ice-skating rink.

Festival Grand Cinema.

I found possibly the cutest handbag ever.

Surely the cutest bag and purse ever.

Soon it was time to go to the exhibition. There's a walkway from LG1 level in the mall which leads straight to the university. To get in it's necessary to have a student or staff pass, but because I had pre-booked I could go in on my QR code.

I headed right after entering and walked through a rather pleasant Chinese garden area.

Chinese garden.

Chinese garden.

Chinese garden.

Chinese garden.

Chinese garden.

I also had a quick look at some of the things in the university. I found the student swimming pool and discovered that this university seems to have its own dairy farm. There were adverts for its milk and ice cream. I discovered later that the university dairy farm is located in Tai Po, dates from 2022 and is used to train veterinary students.

City University Swimming Pool.

City University Dairy Farm.

City University Dairy Farm.

The Indra and Harry Banga Gallery was on the eighteenth floor of The Lau Ming Wai Academic Building. Harry Banga is a wealthy Indian business man based in Hong Kong and his wife Indra is active in the arts and in children's charities.

The Lau Ming Wai Academic Building

Advertising the exhibition.

Advertising the exhibition.

The exhibition began with information about the history of silk making. Silk production, or sericulture to give it it's proper name, began in China around 8,500 BC.

Silk is made from the cocoons of mulberry worm larvae. Traditionally the process of silk making began with the collection of silk worm eggs. These were placed in a warm environment to encourage them to hatch. When they had hatched, the silk worms were fed a diet of mulberry leaves. They rapidly increased in size. Eventually they were ready to make a cocoon in which they would turn into a moth. These cocoons were attached to frames and the moth inside was killed with boiling water before it could break through the cocoon. This meant the cocoon was one intact piece of silk thread. It was unravelled, wound into strands and woven into silk.

Spinning wheel.

At one time only the Chinese knew the secret of silk production and as a result silk was extremely valuable. It was transported and traded along the Silk Road that led towards Europe. It was forbidden to share the secrets of silk making with anyone outside of China. If you were caught smuggling mulberry worm eggs out of China, you would be executed. However, there are tales of a Chinese princess smuggling eggs out to a prince in Khotan, a kingdom on the edge of the Taklamakan Desert and in the middle of the sixth century Emperor Justinian is rumoured to have hired Nestorian monks to smuggle silkworm eggs from China to Constantinople. Over time the knowledge of silk production leaked out and silk started to be made in Korea, Japan, Thailand, India, France and Italy.

In Europe silk production began in Italy, especially in the cities of Lucca, Genoa, Florence and Venice. Later France became the main European producer of silk, especially in the city of Lyon.

Silk is strong, warm, light and soft. The triangular prism-like structure of its fibres give it its beautiful shimmering appearance.

One technique in patterned silk production involved attaching templates with holes in different positions to control the colour of threads that were being used. This is considered to be the forerunner of the modern day computer.

Forerunner of the modern day computer.

The exhibits in the gallery began with examples of clothing produced in Ancient China. These clothes told people a lot of information about the wearer. In the Ming and Qing Dynasties yellow was the colour of the emperor and his family (The royal colour was different for different dynasties). Ordinary people were forbidden from wearing this colour. The emperor's robes would have many pictures of dragons on them. Dragons on an emperor's robes had five claws on each foot. Dragons on the clothes of someone of a lower status had fewer claws. There were many secret symbols embroidered into the emperor's cloths such as suns, moons and roosters.

Emperor's robes.

Chinese robes.

Chinese robes.

Chinese robes.

Closeup of Chinese robes.

Closeup of Chinese robes.

Portrait of an empress.

Beautiful silk garment.

Skirt, quite kilt-like in design, minus the tartan.

At one time the production of a single silk robe could take around two years. As sericulture expanded, production times got shorter and more silk clothes could be made. There were displays of more modern Chinese clothes, some were based on traditional designs.

More modern Chinese silk clothes.

Modern version of traditional Chinese clothes.

Other items made of silk on display included mirrors, umbrellas, fans, shawls, underwear, cushions and shoes.

Shoes.

Bags and shoes.

Shoes, bags and underwear.

Cushion.

Fans and purses.

Mirror.

Silk umbrella.

Silk shawls.

Shawls.

I really loved all the hats that were on display.

Hats and collars.

Hat.

Hat.

Hats.

However, my overall favourite item of clothing was a beautiful robe with a floral design. I just found it incredibly beautiful.

My favourite item of clothing.

I think this design is so beautiful.

I also liked the protective silk mask for horses and the Tibetan prayer robes.

Protective mask for a horse.

Tibetan prayer robes.

Several sections of the exhibition focussed on silk clothes in Europe. These included ladies' dresses, men's jackets and waistcoats.There were more modern European silk clothes, too, including a wedding dress and designer dresses.

Jackets and waistcoats.

European silk dress

More modern European silk clothes.

Silk dresses. One is a wedding dress.

I was very impressed to see the robes worn by Pope John Paul II, though these were really difficult things to photograph due to the light. There were also the bright red robes of cardinals.

Robes of Pope John Paul II.

Headdress of Pope John Paul II.

Cardinal's robes.

As well as clothing there were many silk pictures. Some were traditional Chinese creatures, some were propaganda images. One was a view over San Francisco.

Picture of a lion.

Silk tapestry.

Silk tapestry.

Silk tapestry based on Chinese painting called 'Red Dawn'.

Silk tapestry of San Francisco.

Silk tapestry of soldier.

I spent about a full hour in the exhibition. When I left, I had intended to look around the university more, but found that I had accidentally exited into an area outside the university grounds. I noticed there were many displays for graduation dotted all around.

Graduation Day.

Graduation Day.

I decided to stop off in Tsim Sha Tsui on my way back home, because I had read there was a giant Deadpool model on the roof of Ocean Terminal. This is where there was once a giant T-rex model and I decided to see if Deadpool looked impressive next to the harbour background.

Deadpool is there to advertise the new Wolverine and Deadpool movie about to be released this month.

Deadpool and Wolverine.

Deadpool.

Deadpool.

Deadpool.

Deadpool and Wolverine.

Marvel drinks machine.

There are good views over the harbour from here. It was a lovely sunny day with bright blue skies.

Hong Kong.

Victoria Harbour looking towards Central.

Looking towards Kowloon West Cultural District.

Victoria Harbour piers.

When I headed out towards the star ferry I found even more birthday tributes to Anson Lo. Whoever he is, he's certainly popular.

More Anson Lo tributes.

More Anson Lo tributes.

I headed past The Museum of Modern Art and the bottom of Nathan Road then off to Tung Chung to shop, then home.

Clock tower.

Hong Kong Museum of Art.

Nathan Road.