Hong Kong handover: an artistic response from the People’s Republic
Today marks the 20th anniversary of the ceremony in which the UK Government returned Hong Kong to China.
This transfer of sovereignty marked the end of a lease agreement - known as the Second Convention of Peking - between London and Beijing, signed in 1898. In this agreement, control of the islands surrounding Hong Kong, known as the New Territories, was ceded to the British Empire. In return, China received a promise that the islands would be returned after 99 years.
The triptych shown above, which hangs in Beijing's National Art Museum of China, is a fascinating artistic representation of how the ceremony may have been viewed in the People's Republic. The painting also depicts, in the top-left corner, the 1984 summit in Beijing between UK Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and Chinese President Deng Xiaoping, which led to the signing of the Joint Sino-British Declaration. Under this declaration, London agreed to return Hong Kong to China 13 years later.
What is particularly striking about this artwork is the contrasting body language of the two delegations participating in the handover ceremony: the British look awkward, even stiff, while the Chinese look relaxed, yet authoritative. It is as though the artist is mischievously responding to Prince Charles' notorious "appalling waxworks" comment, which was leaked to the Daily Mail and published by the newspaper in 2005.
Incidentally, if anyone knows the name of this triptych or its artist, please let us know.
