Permanent Collection - Photographic Club Of Mexico - 1953

Dr. Francis Wu's prints were added to the Permanent Collection of the Photographic Club of Mexico.

Singapore Free Press – A Superb Show By Francis Wu – Great Artist And Skillful Technician – July 1, 1954

The Commissioner-General, Mr. Malcolm MacDonald discusses a picture with Mr. Francis Wu, famous Hong Kong photographer. Mr. MacDonald opened the exhibition of photographs by Francis Wu at the British Council Hall, Singapore.

Francis Wu’s photographic exhibition, which opened at the British Council Hall, Singapore, yesterday, is undoubtedly the finest one-man show I have seen presented in the Colony.

This Hong Kong photographer has a world reputation and the prints he has chosen for this exhibition show us how h deserved it.

Not only is he a great artist with the camera, but he is also a great technician, for in his work there is evidence of skill in processing which rivals the finest.

Mr. Wu thinks that his best work has been done in the portraiture field, but the quality, range and variety of his Singapore exhibition clearly show him as a photographer of distinction in almost every field.

Among his portraits, I like best the one of Sir Robert Ho-tung. In this fine sepia-toned print the camera has caught the character and wisdom in the handsome bearded face of one of Hong Kong’s most celebrated merchant princes.

Striking Studies

In contrast, alongside it, is an equally remarkable full face color portrait of Mr. Duncan MacIntosh, Hong Kong’s former Commissioner of Police, in ceremonial uniform.

But Mr. Wu is by no means only a photographer of the celebrated. There are some striking head studies which range from the early simplicity of peasant girls and fishermen to the smooth serenity of the “Goddess Of Peace”

The scenic studies are of rare quality. Here I like best the exquisite high-key pictures of dawn scenes in placid Hong Kong waters. The delicate texture of the backgrounds of mist an mountain contrast brilliantly with the sharp simplicity of the main subject, often a single junk.


In the technical tricks of photo-montage. Particularly in one fine nude, “Woman Behind The Camera” taken on his American tour, he shows again his lively creative ability and of course, the technique at his best

Mr. Loke Wan Tho, vice president of the Singapore Camera Club and the Council of the Singapore Art Society deserve our thanks for making it possible for us to see the work of this outstanding camera artist.

The exhibition which was opened yesterday by Mr. Malcolm MacDonald, the Commissioner-General of Singapore.

South China Morning Post – Hong Kong – October 21, 1954

International Photo Salon – Record Entry

The judging was open to the public and over 200 persons were present to view the entries. The judges were Mr. R.A. Bates, Mr. Ernest To, Mr. Francis Wu, Mr. Peter Dragon and Mr. Kaan Se-Leuk.

Before judging began, Mr. Francis Wu, President of the Photographic Society of Hong Kong, said that it was the first time anywhere in the world that judging in an International Salon was thrown open to the public. The Hong Kong International Salon was first begun in pre-war days, when very few prints were received for exhibition, and members entered these. The exhibition gradually developed into an All-China photographic exhibition. And the Society later widens its scope and invited photographers from all over the world to submit prints. The first international salon was held in 1941 when 500 prints were received from only three foreign countries. Today there were over 1,500 prints from 37 countries.

The standards of the entries received was extremely high, and compared well with any other International Salon of its kind in the world. The judging was based on the recommended practice of the Photographic Society of America.

He expressed regret that the Salon was only able to accept 230 prints for hanging. He asked those who had failed to get their prints hung not to be discouraged and said it was common that prints rejected for one salon be accepted in another.