Hong Kong movie costumes and props, from Wong Kar-wai films and other famous productions, celebrated in major exhibition
- ‘Out of Thin Air: Hong Kong Film Arts & Costumes Exhibition’ celebrates the props and costumes from productions that date all the way back to the 1950s
- Items include Maggie Cheung’s costume from Hero, outfits worn by Chow Yun-fat and Gong Li in Curse of the Golden Flower, and mementos from Wong Kar-wai films
In film, the art department is responsible for the sets, props, costumes and other visual prompts that help bring a screenplay to life.
While these artefacts are often thrown away or left to collect dust in some forgotten warehouse, they are sometimes collected by the studios, cast or crew who recognise how such objects embody the stories and spirit of film history.
“Out of Thin Air”, a new exhibition at the Hong Kong Heritage Museum jointly organised with the Hong Kong Film Arts Association (HKFAA), brings to light many such treasures from now-iconic productions that date all the way back to the 1950s.
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Nearby is a historic gem – a Shaw Brothers Studio album containing detailed set designs of the studio’s period films in the 1960s. As one of the biggest names in the Hong Kong film industry, the studio’s archives have also lent 11 exquisite qipaos – traditional Chinese dresses – as well as period costumes used in martial arts dramas to the exhibition.
A notable highlight is Maggie Cheung Man-yuk’s period costume from Hero (2002), designed by the late Emi Wada. For the Hong Kong-mainland co-production, Wada dressed Cheung in four different shades of red to enhance the ethereal effects of the action scenes.
The film won best costume and make-up design at the 22nd Hong Kong Film Awards.
With painstakingly detailed dragon and phoenix designs in dazzling gold brocade, each robe measures around three metres long (9 foot 10 inches) and weighs 18 kilograms (40 pounds).
The film received three awards for its costume design – from the 26th Hong Kong Film Awards and, in the United States, the 9th Costume Designer Guild Awards and the 33rd Saturn Awards.
Brigitte Lin Ching-hsia’s trench coat from Wong Kar-wai’s Chungking Express (1994) is far more down to earth, but no less recognisable to cinephiles.
Artistic director William Chang Suk-ping decided that the trench coat would be the only outfit worn by Lin’s unnamed character – referred to as “woman in blonde wig” in the credits – as it added to her air of mystique.
There are mementos from Wong’s other films, such as the bedside lamp with a waterfall lampshade from Happy Together (1997), tableware from In the Mood for Love (2000) and the pendant lamp from 2046 (2004).
All this was made by individuals thoroughly devoted to their art – as made clear by two documentaries screened in the exhibition based on video interviews with 60 Hong Kong-based practitioners between 2021 and 2022.
As art director Silver Cheung Sai-wang says: “There is nothing more serious than spending your whole life doing one thing.”
Man Lim-chung, the chairman of the HKFAA and an award-winning film art director and costume designer, says he will continue to do what he is doing because he loves Hong Kong and he loves the industry.
Exhibition co-curator Tina Liu Tien-lan, vice-chairman of the HKFAA and an esteemed image director and costume designer, also says she cannot quit the business.
“It’s contemptible, really. I can’t help myself from embracing new challenges, because each project brings out boundless creativity and imagination in spite of all the sleepless nights and drudgery.”
Hong Kong may no longer be called the “Hollywood of the East”, but this exhibition is a powerful testament to the heritage of the city’s profoundly influential film industry, and a signal that creativity still flourishes within it.
“Out of Thin Air: Hong Kong Film Arts & Costumes Exhibition”, Thematic Galleries 1 & 2, 1/F, Hong Kong Heritage Museum, 1 Man Lam Road, Sha Tin, New Territories. March 5 to September 4.
