Basking in the exotic flavor of Macao’s art

Occupying an area of 28.6 square kilometers, Macao comprises the Macao Peninsula and the islands of Taipa and Coloane. With a population of some 520,000, the metropolis of Macao is one of the most densely populated areas in the world. Over the centuries, it has been a meeting point for Chinese and Western cultures.

The foregoing represents a typical introduction to Macao these days. But has it ever occurred to you that half a century ago this little place had a population of barely 200,000 - and looking down from one of its hilltops, structures exceeding four floors were few and far between in those halcyon days.

Macao society has progressed a long way since then, and its outlook is a far cry from what it once was. The advance of photographic technology means that many of those cherished views from the past have survived the passage of time. Over the years, Macao Museum of Art has amassed a valuable collection of more than 1,000 photographs documenting scenes of bygone Macao, through collecting and generous donations from individuals and sympathetic parties.

This exhibition “Confluence: Collection from the Macao Museum of Art” , which is held from February 27 to March 22 at National Art Museum of China, presents 300 artworks from the MAM’s Collections, including historical paintings of Macao in the 19th century, Macao watercolours, Macao contemporary paintings and paintings in commemoration of Macao's return to the motherland.

In Macao, limited by information exchange and the general environment, traditional wash painting, watercolour and oil painting had been major art forms until the 1970's. The romantic atmosphere of combining both oriental and western styles was still a unique feature of Macao.

In the mid 1980's, Macao had stepped onto a fast growing stage, bringing about new opportunities for art development. From then to the early 1990's, several master painters from China, Hong Kong, Portugal, Singapore, Australia and Russia had come to live in Macao, bringing with them new thoughts and motives for art creations. Together with local artists, they had tried to find inspiration from the rich cultural background of combined western and oriental cultures, and to express strong personalities through various means of abstract art, as well as considering the properties and implications of objects.

Up to the mid 1990's, modern art which focused more on subjective perception and expression had become one of the most important visual art forms in Macao, and had a great impact on the new generation of artists. Some new artists, with the exception of the traditional means of painting, photography and sculpture, had introduced new methods such as art installation, art behavior, video art, and the electronic media to express their independent thoughts on the living environment of modern society.

Through the effort of many years by various means, such as collecting award-winning works, donations and purchases, the Macao Museum of Art has collected a significant number of art works since the 1980's. It is the hope of Macao Museum of Art that by exhibiting these old valuable paintings in Beijing for the first time, and making them available for research, that visitors may catch a glimpse of the territory at different points in time, not only for nostalgic reasons but to contemplate Macao’s vital roles in the exchange of ideas between Chinese artists and western counterparts.