About Us
About our exhibition
Step into a world prior to the age of GPS and wayfinding within our fingertips.
How did people create and utilize maps centuries ago? When we examine old maps, besides appreciating their beauty, we may ponder why they were not primarily created for navigation and did not accurately describe geographic reality. Here is an era of ancient mapmaking when representation of reality was not of foremost concern.
The HKUST Library has amassed a significant collection of Western printed maps of China spanning the 16th to 19th centuries. Since 2015, thanks to the generous donation by Dr. Ko Pui-Shuen, this collection was further enriched. The exhibition features a curated selection of items from this valuable collection, highlighting how the land and geography of China were portrayed by European and Chinese mapmakers.
These maps guide us in transitioning from viewing the world through our contemporary lens to embracing the perspectives of mapmakers from different times in the past. Their presentations may break perception stereotypes, challenge our preconceived notions about the advancement of knowledge and technology throughout history, and impart fresh understanding of ancient maps and mapmaking.
To enrich the stories we convey, the exhibition includes important maps and artifacts beyond those of the HKUST collection. While most of these are image reproductions, there are also notable exhibits such as a special original map on loan from local collector Mr. Ronald Tham and Nestorian crosses from the University Museum and Art Gallery of the University of Hong Kong. We express our deepest appreciation for their support of this exhibition.
Acknowledgements
Project Management Team
Kevin HO, Clara KWAN, Peggy LEE, Irene LI, Edward SPODICK, Joyce YAU
Exhibition Curation
Curators
Marco CABOARA, Christine Maria KAISER
Content Support
Lester CHAN, Samson CHOI, Qiuzi GUO, Peggy LEE, Gabi WONG, Leo WONG
Text Editors
Catherine KWOK, Shirley ZHANG
Exhibits Loan
Ronald THAM
University Museum and Art Gallery, The University of Hong Kong
Exhibition Designer
Studio Cassells Limited
Exhibition Fabricator
Happy Blue Ocean Limited
Conservation Consultant
Karina JAGUDINA
Book Cradle Production Team
Tze Wah LU, Fiona MA, June OR
Running Game
Development Team
Sam CHU, Liuruo HAN
Content Support
Jeffrey CHAN, Giann CHUNG
AR Ricci Map (Mobile App)
Development Team
Kentaro TAKAHIRA, Boyu LI, Wai TONG, Linping YUAN
Early ideation
Yifang WANG, Leni WANG
Video Production
Paola CALANCA, Andy CHEUNG, Anthony HO, Ziqian MA, Felicia PANG, Jeffrey TUNG, Delores YIP
Website
Adrian LAI
Promotional Materials
Thomas NG, Vanaie LIU, Simon WONG, Hoiyin WONG
HKUST Partners
Shaw Auditorium
VisLab, Department of Computer Science & Engineering
Content Contributors
Biblioteca Nacional de Portugal
Bodleian Libraries, University of Oxford
James Ford Bell Library, University of Minnesota
Seoul National University Museum
Advisors
Advisory Committee for HKUST Library Special Collections
Student Docents
Masieh ALI, Ka Wai CHAN, Samuel Hei Ching CHAN, Yuen Ying CHAN, Hou Tin CHENG, Zhi Yu CHUA, Wing CHUNG, Yuyu FU, Muhammad Shaheer GHAZNAVI, Chengru HAN, Wing Miu HO, Tzu-yao HSIAO, Tayeeb Bin KALAM, Ho Wun LAU, Tsz Hin LEE, Tsz Lun LEE, Haixin MA, Wan Tsz PANG, Yu Hong PANG, Karthik PRAVEEN, Saruttaya SANGKHAPHAN, Paolo Mendoza SILVA, India Filippa SILVESTRINO, Anastassiya SOLOVYOVA, Oengus SWAN, Padmini THIRUMALAI ANANTHAN PILLAI, Hiu Man WO, Yu Ching WONG