New York artist Jason Naylor returns to Macau to provide a message of love and positivity for Mid-Autumn Festival with his Fly Me to the Moon Immersive Art Exhibition at One Central Macau
譯 Translation Daisy wong
We can all probably agree that life in Macau is pretty great, but of course it’s not without its challenges and we all go through tough times. And watching the news from around the world, it’s easy to feel a bit bleak some days. In presenting his vibrantly coloured artworks, award-winning Brooklyn artist and designer Jason Naylor hopes to bring some joy and positivity to our lives and leave us with a feeling of hope and love to brighten up our days.
“Most of us live life one day at a time, and that means that there’s a routine, which can be mundane, and there’s going to be points in every single day that are not fun or exciting,” Jason Naylor observes. “So, I believe we have to sprinkle excitement and positivity into our daily lives as much as we can, to balance out the regular aspects of life. And if I can play a role in that through my art, that matters to me.”
We sat down to chat with the artist when he was in Macau in September to unveil his most recent art project Fly Me to the Moon Immersive Art Exhibition, a collaboration with One Central Macau as part of the 7th Macau Lantern Festival. The exhibition features a number of large-scale pieces that bring Naylor’s colourful creations off the usual walls and canvasses that he paints on, and into a very tangible and interactive 3D reality.
The centrepiece of the exhibition is located in the Atrium of the One Central shopping mall, the giant full moon installation, Fly Me to the Moon. This artwork features touch-sensing and AI scanning technology, allowing visitors to press gently on the soft white clouds causing them to rise up and reveal a full moon, as well as creating a unique handprint that merges with Naylor’s design.
Further along, OPN Heart Wishes features Naylor’s iconic ‘Heart’ motif. When touched, this installation activates a voice message with warm festive blessings, extending heartfelt wishes to guests.
And outside on the promenade, overlooking Nam Van Lake, stands Chasing the Moon, a boldly colourful moon that complements the beautiful sunset hues over Hengqin Island and the neon lights of Macau’s skyline at night.
As an American artist, Jason admits that he wasn’t all that familiar with the traditions of Mid-Autumn Festival when first approached by One Central, but in the process of doing his research for the exhibition, he found that the themes of the celebration matched perfectly with his approach to his art.
“One Central are very passionate about art and they were looking for an artist who would represent the values of this festival. I’m very interested in promoting family values with my work, and Mid-Autumn Festival is a time for families to be together,” Jason says. “This festival is such a special thing in the local culture, and as I developed a deeper understanding of it, it was exciting for me because it all culminates in this idea of family values and that’s very important to me in my work, so it was perfect.”
Mid-Autumn Festival is traditionally a harvest festival held around the time of the Autumn equinox on the 15th day of the 8th month of the Chinese Lunar calendar when the moon is at its fullest and brightest. Families gather outside at night to look at the moon, while children play with paper lanterns, and of course everyone eats the famous mooncakes with their deliciously dense pastry and various fillings.
“I love that there’s so much symbolism with the moon, in astrology and traditional cultures. I feel that my art can take people away to other destinations, and for me, the moon is the most exciting and extreme place we can go to,” notes the artist. “So how do we get there? For me ‘the how’, is always love. The answer is always love. When we focus on the emotional side of things – kindness, love, positivity – that’s how we get to where we want to go.”
While the eye-catching kaleidoscopic colours of Jason’s artwork are what obviously draw audiences in, Fly Me to the Moon also features an added level of engagement that is a first for the artist.
“I’ve done a lot of interactive art but is the first time that AI has been involved in that interactivity and an actual part of the installation,” Jason explains. “I think the technology always enhances the experience. It can add a layer of magic and intrigue.”
“But the important thing to remember is that the technology does not make the art. The art always stems from creativity, and the technology can only make it that much better. I use AI a lot in the exploration and development of my work. It’s a fun way to research ideas or even visuals that represent certain things that I want to include in my work,” he adds.
While this was Jason’s first experience of Mid-Autumn Festival, it was not his first time to visit Macau. Last year, he was invited to participate in Art Macao: Macao International Art Biennale, when his artwork was presented at The Venetian Macao. The Meet the Magic exhibition featured a collaboration between Naylor and British contemporary pop artist Philip Colbert, with each presenting their unique artistic interpretations of Mickey Mouse in celebration of Disney’s 100th anniversary. Naylor’s works included a large-scale sculpture of his iconic OPN HEART located in the main lobby of The Venetian, and a giant rainbow-coloured Mickey Mouse in the gardens opposite The Parisian, with Macau’s Eiffel Tower in the background.
As a graffiti artist based in New York city, Naylor’s art is obviously inspired by a big city vibe, so has he taken any inspiration from his visits to Macau?
“Big city energy is always magnetic to me, and Macau has this energy about it. There’s a hustle and bustle and a passion that I really like. And even though it’s not a huge city, it has that big city energy,” he responds. “I also love the whole neon light energy. The skyline is a very neon lit scene which is very magical to me. The view from my hotel window is neon lights and fountains, so yes, visually, there’s something very inspiring about Macau.”
“Of course, New York is one of the biggest cities in the world, and that’s what drew me there in the first place. I love the energy and I also love diversity. Even here in Macau, everywhere you go you meet people from all over the world.”
Jason has been living in New York for 20 years, but he hails from a much smaller hometown, Salt Lake City, Utah. After earning a BFA in Graphic Design from Brigham Young University, he moved to the Big Apple and began his professional career working in the Creative Department of M·A·C Cosmetics. Six years later he made the bold decision to pursue his career as a full-time artist. He admits that it wasn’t easy in the beginning, but fairly quickly his work became more widely recognised.
He has received the Golden Novum Design Award and two CLIO Bronze medals, and in 2018 he was named by BUMBLE as one of the ‘100 Most Inspiring New Yorkers’. Through his creations he has partnered with a number of brands such as Coach, Pepsi, Fanta, Jo Malone, Guess, XBOX and Maybelline. In 2019, he was commissioned by French makeup brand Sephora to create an illustration for their Belong to Something Beautiful campaign, which appeared at the grand opening of their Times Square flagship store.
Jason’s first solo gallery exhibition, Reading Between the Lines was held in 2021, featuring an expansive range of paintings in acrylic and spray paint on canvas, but he acknowledges that he remains close to his street art origins and still loves creating large scale works for public spaces.
“I think it comes from my personality. I love to be around people and I like to be in the spotlight. I want to display my work in a setting where everyone can enjoy it. If the point of the work is to spark joy and bring some positivity and make people feel love or motivation, why limit that to an exclusive group of people?” Jason comments.
“I do show in galleries sometimes, but I like putting the work where everyone can enjoy it and experience it. It seems to resonate with people, and we all need some positivity. And I do it for myself too. I love making the work because it makes me feel good. I’m generally pretty happy and positive, but I also have my dark side and I make the work because it balances out my dark side. I love painting with spray paint, because there’s like a catharsis to it, it’s sort of my therapy,” he admits.
So far, most of Naylor’s work has been based in the US, but with projects like Fly Me to the Moon, the artist is starting to get more international exposure.
“I do want to grow more internationally, and I’m trying to do as much as I can each year overseas. It’s not so much about getting global recognition, which of course I enjoy, but it’s more about getting my message out there as much as I can,” he explains.
“The convenient thing for me is that the message in my work is universal. The basis of the work is love and kindness and joy and positivity, and these are all human things. The better I understand another culture, the better I understand how I can present these concepts visually, but it doesn’t change the message. At the end of the day, the theme of the work will fit because it’s all about people.”
The 7th Macau Lantern Festival
‘Fly Me to the Moon’ Immersive Art Experience
Date: From now till 31 October, 2024 | Admission: Free entry
Location: Promenade, G/F of ONE CENTRAL Macau
Address: Avenida de Sagres, Nape, Macau
