A Laugh at the World: James Wong

Free Admission

Thematic Galleries 1 & 2, 1/F, the Hong Kong Heritage Museum
17 July 2024 – 10 February 2025

Presented by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department
Organised by the Hong Kong Heritage Museum

The "A Laugh at the World: James Wong" exhibition commemorates the 20th anniversary of the passing of genius James Wong. James Wong was a renowned cultural figure in Hong Kong. Since the 1950s, he had been active in a variety of cultural and performing arts media. He excelled in composing lyrics and music, writing columns, making films, creating advertisements and performing on stage. His life coincided with several important stages in the development of Hong Kong after the war, and had a significant impact on the formation of and changes in Hong Kong’s popular culture. This exhibition will select relevant museum collections and loaned items from the Leisure and Cultural Services Department will demonstrate the cultural integration of James Wong's works, how he translated traditional contents into the contemporary pop culture creations.

The exhibition is one of the programmes of the "Hong Kong Pop Culture Festival 2024". The Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) presented the first Hong Kong Pop Culture Festival last year to great acclaim. This year, the second edition features "Arts & Action" as its theme, taking audiences on a journey through time to explore the charm of Hong Kong's pop culture. It encompasses both "Arts" (creative works) and "Action" (martial arts), an attempt to show the dynamic inheritance, diffusion, integration and breakthroughs within Hong Kong's pop culture.

Among them, other programmes themed under the legendary icon James Wong include Tai Kwun’s Summer Show "Soundtrack of Our Lives: Joseph Koo x James Wong x the Rise of Cantopop" Exhibition and "The Hong Kong Musicians Series: Music Document Highlights of Joseph Koo & James Wong". Learn more: www.pcf.gov.hk/en

Exhibition Leaflet

Special Programmes for "A Laugh at the World: James Wong" Exhibition

Sound Clips

Exhibit Highlights

"Voco" orthotonic harmonica designed and produced by Leung Yat-chiu 1970s Leung Yat-chiu was always James Wong’s greatest enlightenment teacher. They met in junior secondary school, and James began to learn the harmonica with him. Soon Mr Leung was taking him to radio stations and music studios, where he became engaged in broadcasting and music composition thereafter. Collection of the Hong Kong Museum of History

Campaign Poster of The Family Planning Association of Hong Kong 1970s The Family Planning Association of Hong Kong launched a publicity campaign on birth control entitled "Two is Enough". James Wong wrote the music and lyrics of the advertising song sung by Sandra Lang. This tune went on to become an iconic TV advertising song which many Hong Kong people grew up with. Courtesy of the Family Planning Association of Hong Kong

Cover of vinyl record of Let's Rock 1975 In 1975, Wu Sau Yee and James Wong jointly directed the uplifting Cantonese youth comedy Let’s Rock, starring The Wynners. James was also the screenwriter and songwriter, as well as actor for the film. Collection of the Hong Kong Museum of History

Painting of Joseph Koo and James Wong Painted by Joseph Koo c. 2010s James Wong said, "Everyone thinks Joseph is a person of few words, but when he is with his close friends, he can absolutely talk non-stop and he is also very humorous." Joseph Koo was very fond of this painting, which was based on a photograph of the pair laughing heartily. Courtesy of Joseph Koo’s Family

Introductory leaflet: "James Wong, A Master of Cantopop Lyrics, CASH Hall of Fame Award 2000" 20 October 2000 In 2000, James Wong was given the CASH Hall of Fame Award by the Composers and Authors Society of Hong Kong. Donated by Composers and Authors Society of Hong Kong Ltd. Collection of the Hong Kong Heritage Museum

TV programme poster for Celebrity Talk Show 1990s Produced between 1989 to 1990, this was a late-night adult talk show hosted by James Wong, Ni Kuang and Chua Lam. It was an open platform for free discussion on a wide variety of topics. Prominent artists and celebrities were also invited to the show to share their deepest thoughts. Collection of the Hong Kong Museum of History