M＋博物館以天價收購「偽術品」、部分藏品意識不良以及西九文化區管理不當等問題，早就備受詬病。一百多名本地文化界人士曾聯名寫信要求正視有關問題，亦提出不少改善建議，可惜一直石沉大海。如今，隨着傳媒跟進報道，公眾對西九及M＋亂象的廣泛關注，事情出現轉機。特首林鄭月娥昨日表示，如果文化工作與法律有衝突，便需要嚴肅及認真處理。正視問題，是解決問題的開始。
事實上，香港不僅是國際金融中心，也是中西文化薈萃之地，這正是「一國兩制」下香港的重要特色。中央非常重視保持香港的特色，在國家「十四五」規劃中，支持香港發展中外文化藝術交流中心。西九文化區生逢其時，承擔新的使命，它將成為中外文化交流的重要平台，使香港特色進一步發揚光大。
其實香港有很多優秀的本地文化與藝術人才，但在港英時代，瀰漫濃厚的崇洋媚外風氣，本地藝術家被邊緣化，有志難伸，加上香港沒有大型文化設施，其作品難登「大雅之堂」。今後就不同了，依託西九文化區這個重要園地，一方面促進中外文化藝術交流，一方面培養本地人才。國安法落實後，香港社會穩定、政治穩定，天時、地利、人和俱備，必能發展成為文化重鎮。
百花齊放春滿園。藝術家需要在自由自在的環境中創作，而香港的創作氛圍也一直寬鬆。然而，自由並非絕對，藝術創作也不是沒有邊界，最起碼是不能違反法律，不能違背公序良俗，不能挑戰國家主權、安全與發展利益。毋庸諱言的是，的確有一些人熱衷於掛藝術之羊頭，賣政治之狗肉，他們將創作自由歪曲為宣傳政治主張甚至侮辱國家民族的自由、「洗腦」的自由。M＋部分展品被指「低劣」，近乎「垃圾」，譬如有人展示自己裸體不過癮，還要展示一群未成年人的裸體，這就叫創作？對着天安門舉起不文手勢，這就叫藝術？高價購入外國「爛裝修」，這就叫文化交流？浪費公帑搜羅一些不知所謂的藏品，是無法向市民交代的。
西九是公眾博物館，應該為公眾服務，豐富市民文化生活及提升其藝術品味。西九決不能異化為別有用心者傳播政治偏見、煽動仇恨甚至違法的平台，也不能成為純粹滿足小眾愛好的私人博物館。說穿了，那些水平低劣的作品旨在表達個人政治理念，討國際反華勢力的歡心，提供攻擊中國的彈藥，這不是藝術，而是對藝術的褻瀆。與其說那些人是藝術家，不如說是藝術騙子。
M＋及西九問題首先是專業問題，其次是法律問題。不要一提到審視M＋藏品及檢討西九管理，就動不動攻擊是「壓制創作自由」、「一國一制」，事實上這恰恰是維護「一國兩制」及發揚香港特色的必要之舉。西九，必須回歸到促進文化藝術發展、促進中西文化交流的正道上來。
2021-03-24
West Kowloon Cultural District must get back on track to promote cultural exchange
Problems with the M+ Museum such as it has paid sky-high prices to buy fake artworks and some of its collections have undesirable social values as well as the mismanagement of the West Kowloon Cultural District (WKCD) have long been much criticised. Over 100 local personages from the cultural sector once jointly signed a petition calling for such problems to be addressed and suggesting improvement measures, which regrettably fell on the deaf ears. Now, the matter seems to take a turn for the better as media's follow-up coverage draws growing public attention to the problems with the M+ Museum and WKCD. Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor yesterday said it must be seriously dealt with if any cultural work is in conflict with the law. Facing up to a problem marks the first step toward solving it.
As a matter of fact, Hong Kong is not only an international financial hub but also a place where Chinese and Western cultures converge. This is exactly an important feature of Hong Kong under "one country two systems." The Central Government attaches great importance to maintaining Hong Kong's unique features. The 14th Five-Year Plan for the National Economic and Social and Development (2021-2025) mentions support for Hong Kong to develop into an exchange centre of Chinese and foreign cultures and arts. Born at the right time to shoulder the new mission, WKCD will become an important platform for Chinese and foreign cultural exchange to further promote and enhance Hong Kong's unique features.
Hong Kong in fact has many local talents in culture and arts. Yet during the British rule, Hong Kong was permeated with the atmosphere of worshiping and having blind faith in foreign things, and local artists were marginalised and hardly able to fulfill their aspirations. Moreover, there was a lack of large cultural facilities so there was no venue for local artists' works to appeal to refined taste. This will change from now on. Based on this important venue of WKCD, Hong Kong can on the one hand promote exchanges between Chinese and foreign cultures and arts and, on the other hand, foster and train local talents. With the implementation of the Hong Kong National Security Law, there are social stability and political stability in the SAR. With the favourable conditions of "being in the right time, at the right location and with the support of the people" fulfilled, Hong Kong is bound to develop into a major cultural city.
Spring truly arrives only when various kinds of flowers blossom together. Artists need a leisurely and carefree environment to work creatively, and Hong Kong has a relaxing vibe for creation. Nevertheless, freedom is by no means absolute and artistic creation by no means boundless. At the minimum it must not break any law, violate public order and good customs, or challenge national sovereignty, security and development interests. Frankly speaking, there are indeed some people who are keen on sailing under the false colour by twisting freedom of creation into freedom to advocate their political views or even freedom to insult our country and nation and to "brainwash". Some of the M+ collections are criticised as being "of low taste" and almost like "garbage". For instance, a certain person was not satisfied to show his own naked body but went so far as to show the naked bodies of a group of juveniles. Could this be called creative work? Could raising the middle finger before the Tiananmen gate tower be called a piece of art? Could paying a high price to buy in some foreign inferior interior decoration be called cultural exchange? There is no way to give the public an explanation why public funds should be wasted to gather such nonsensical collections.
WKCD is a public museum, which should serve the public to enrich citizens' cultural life and elevate their artistic taste. WKCD must not be alienated into a platform for those who have ulterior motives to spread political bias, inflame hatred or even incite law-breaking activities. Nor should it become a private museum to merely cater to the taste of a small minority. To put it bluntly, those low-level pieces are aimed at expressing the authors' personal political ideas to fawn on international anti-China forces and provide ammunition to attack China. These are not arts at all but desecrate arts. And their authors are frauds rather than artists.
The problems with M+ and WKCD are firstly professional issues and secondly legal issues. Hence one must not rush to attack it as "suppressing freedom of creation" or "one country one system" whenever examination of M+ collections and review of WKCD management is mentioned. In fact, this is a necessary move to safeguard "one country two systems" and make Hong Kong's unique features magnificent. WKCD must get back on track to promote cultural and artistic development and promote Chinese and Western cultural exchange.
24 March 2021
