The Little Prince of Hong Kong
Since falling to Earth from an asteroid, Exupéry's iconic protagonist, the Little Prince, has captured the hearts and imaginations of readers worldwide. By now its famous line “draw me a sheep” must be one of the most widely translated in the world, the book having been read by a staggering 400 million people in 270 languages. This cannot be due to its utility - how often have you ordered someone to draw you a sheep? - but instead is due to the universal appeal of this galactic prince.
First translated into Chinese in 1974 (by Pituan Ku), by 2014 Antoine de Saint-Exupéry's The Little Prince has garnered enough cultural capital in China to merit its own exhibition in Hong Kong. Seventy years after Exupéry's disappearance (1944), The Little Prince exhibition has been launched as a tribute to both Exupéry and his timeless creation.
Exupéry's tale laments how adults, “never understand anything by themselves,” and that, “it is tiresome for children to be always and forever explaining things to them.” Children can enjoy a break from this onerous task, thanks to this exhibition (2014.05.02 – 2014.06.02). People of all ages are invited to the Main Atrium, Olympian City 2, Hong Kong, to enter into the world of The Little Prince, where they can enjoy guided tours, see the pilot's plane and rose garden as described in the novella, and even draw their own sheep or versions of the prince. The exhibition boasts large-scale art installations inspired by the world of The Little Prince, as well as photographs and manuscripts which illuminate the life of its illustrous author.
The exhibition forms part of Hong Kong's 22nd annual “Le French May” festival (2014.05.02 – 2014.06.28). Established in 1993, Le French May sees both Hong Kong and Macau brimming with exhibitions, film showings, and performances which aim to celebrate the exchanges and confluences between French and Chinese cultures since the establishment of their modern diplomatic relationship. Highlights in 2014 include: the French Film Festival at UA Galaxy Cinemas, Macau; The Ink Discipline, the first solo exhibition of Fabienne Verdier, French-born artist and student in Sichuan for more than a decade; and France-China – Heritage, Tradition and Modernity, which presents photographs of Paris taken during the 1900s, as well as images of Hong Kong as taken by French artists, thereby offering side-by-side portraits of the countries' development and interaction.
Le French May offers visitors over 120 performances, events, and exhibitions, leaving no stone unturned in its ambition to make Hong Kong “Asia's World City.” For more details see its website at: http://www.frenchmay.com/en/about/lfm
The Little Prince Asia Tour at Olympian City
A tribute to Antoine de Saint-Exupéry's life and adventure
Antoine de Saint-Exupéry's manuscripts and manuscripts replicates
Three-year-old Henry Oliver reading The Little Prince at a signature scene installation "Please...draw me a sheep..."
DIY 3D faux-leather cord keychain workshop
