All the shades in between

Red objets d'art include underglazed burgundy hue derived from copper oxide, in a dragon-with-flaming-pearl design on a white porcelain Qing vase from the early 18th century. Yellow naturally implies gold, with that salon featuring gilt drinking vessels typical of the Tang Dynasty (618-907) and Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms (907-960), dating from the early seventh to mid-10th century.

In the White Salon, one finds a vessel with a twisted handle in unwashed white clay. This early ceramic ware is typical of Neolithic pottery from 2500 BC. In contrast to prehistoric ceramics, an ivory folding fan - depicting human figures in pavilion settings - showcases the intricacy and fine workmanship of delicate carvings on bone.

In a similar fashion, the Black Salon juxtaposes a rudimentary Neolithic cup - blackened by smoke when the kiln was soused with water - against the shiny, black-lacquer glaze on a carved cup from the 10th century in the time of the Song Dynasty (960-1279).

Visitors with an eye for more-playful and modern aesthetics can view an adjacent installation of colorful mobile phones by Jane Lee, aka Messy Desk. A display of raw materials that went into making paint reveals the elements contained in natural pigments. In another corner, a coloring book and low table get the little ones involved.

"It's very unique to use color as a base for organizing the collection, as Chinese artifacts are typically monochromatic," said Cheung Kee-wee, a member of the Min Chiu Society and an avid collector of Chinese antiquities.

"We planned this show over several years," explains museum Director Maria Mok said. "Our new DNA is all about mixing traditional and new exhibits. To that end, #popcolours is a study in contrasts."