The University Museum and Art Gallery, The University of Hong Kong, is honoured to present Bamboo Baskets: Chinese Origins, Japanese Innovations, a major exhibition offering an overview of the finest achievements of bamboo art in East Asia. The expansive yet meticulously curated selection prompts a reassessment of the central role played by continental prototypes, or Karamono (唐物, literally ‘Tang things’ or ‘Chinese things’), in the remarkable development of Japanese basketry over the past 150 years. Supported by two visionary collectors, this exhibition marks the first time that Chinese and Japanese baskets are being presented side by side in Hong Kong.

The display of bamboo baskets encompasses more than 200 objects that illustrate a wide range of weaving techniques, tracing the evolution of early Ming and Qing dynasty vessels to their influence on Edo period artefacts and the innovative development of contemporary kogei. Focused on the transfer of knowledge and the preservation of long-practiced bamboo weaving techniques, the exhibition also explores the cultural context of the traditional tea ceremony and the related art of ikebana flower arrangement. Together, the exhibition documents the handcrafted creation of some of East Asia’s finest decorative arts and celebrates a significant form of intangible cultural heritage, still perfected by family workshops that have passed down their skills through generations.