‘Macau Firecrackers Industry – New Works by Lio Man Cheong’ is on display at the Taipa Village Art Space through to October 5, offering a rare and intriguing glimpse of the industry that was once the backbone of the city’s economy.
Why did you choose the firecracker industry as the theme of your paintings?
Lio Man Cheong:I've always liked depicting the history and events in Macau. At a very young age, I became familiar with firecrackers. The firecracker industry used to be a pillar of the economy, with several big-name factories feeding a lot of people. Many of the impoverished households worked in the industry: men were in the factories making gunpowder or lifting finished products, and women and children were doing the less dangerous procedures of firecracker-making in their own homes. I had classmates, friends and neighbours doing it. That left a deep impression on me.
How did you do your research on the industry? The motions, even the facial expressions of the characters in your paintings are so vivid.
The Firecracker Industry in Taipa, written by Lai Hung Kin, has been a tremendous help. Mr Lai used to live in Taipa, and knew the firecracker industry very well. His book also has many old photos that captured the manufacturing process of firecrackers, which was a great source of reference. I spoke with him, along with other experts, to learn about the exact procedures.
Did you visit any sites of those big factories?
I once went to the ruins of Iec Long Factory to paint from life. But the factory has long been deserted and was beyond recognition. Trees and weeds occupied the place, and the traces of the past prosperity were nowhere to be found. I could not help but wonder how the industry, once so dynamic, could disappear in a blink of an eye. The industry that once made Macau so famous in the world just vanished like the morning dew, and I felt it was such a pity.
The works in this exhibition are all watercolours. Why did you choose this approach?
With watercolour, I felt more confident in recreating the expressions and movements of the characters and their surroundings. But I also experimented with traditional Chinese ink and wash method before deciding on watercolour. I painted a long scroll of over seven metres, but Mr Lai pointed out that the production scenes there were not accurate, for example, there should not be any metal tools in the gunpowder making process, as they might create sparks and cause explosions.
Have you incorporated some features of that ink and wash painting in your watercolour creations?
Yes, you can see the characteristics of Chinese paintings in terms of the brushwork, the strokes.
Your works seem to leave an impression of 'unfinishedness', in particular with the absence of a clear frame, which is quite unusual in watercolour paintings.
I did it on purpose. I did not fill the entire space, just as you always leave a blank in traditional Chinese paintings. A blank is what makes the image linger in the viewer's mind.
Besides watercolour, you also do oil painting on canvas. Did you have different intended themes for the different painting media?
Overall, my paintings are figurative. But there are differences when it comes to different painting media. With watercolour, I mostly draw landscapes. But if I want to be more creative, oil painting is preferred. Sometimes I also resort to ink and wash paintings to draw imaginary scenes and characters, like mixing ink painting techniques with cartoonish characters to draw historical figures, like the ones of Camilo Pessanha and Matteo Ricci.
Some say that watercolour, or painting in general, is losing its dominance to other emerging art forms, e.g. art installations, multi-media art, etc. Do you feel the same?
To some extent, maybe. I do feel there are more and more works of 'emerging' art forms. But if you look at the mainland, Taiwan, or Southeast Asian countries, watercolour is still very popular. The reason might be that it is beginner-friendly, and easy to appreciate. I believe watercolour painting still has its unique charm.
Of all the paintings on exhibit, do you have a favourite one, a painting that gives you the greatest pleasure?
Actually there is. It is the painting of the famous firecracker factories in the old days. I walk past the walls of Iec Long Factory when I go swimming every morning. The image is sort of imprinted in my brain. But in the painting, the walls of Iec long are also intertwined with the facades of other factories. The bosses, the guard with the dog, the porter…they are right there in the picture, walking out from the past. Also, the rendering technique is again borrowed from traditional Chinese painting, to create a dream-like atmosphere. The reality is mingled with imagination, and the present blurred by memories of the past.
Many of your works are about the city in the past, evoking a sense of nostalgia. Do you feel a strong attachment to the old days?
I moved to Macau at the age of 10, and the city was very different then. The community was tight-knit, and the human touch was so much stronger. You knew every neighbour, you played with their kids on the street, you were on good terms with people nearby…But now it's all gone. We don't even know the name of the guy next door. Of course, development is inevitable, and there is no way we could stop it. We can only take things as they are, and adapt to the circumstances. But history should not be buried and forgotten altogether. For my part, I choose to paint as a way of remembering the city I first encountered. Art, as well as written records, play a distinctive role in preserving our collective memory.
