March was quite a month for arts and culture in Macau. We had none other than the Rolling Stones performing in town, followed by The Script Road – Macau Literary Festival, organised by our sister publication Ponto Final, with talks by major literary figures, film screenings, concerts and exhibitions that we highlight in this issue. The Festival was again a great success and we are thankful to all the sponsors and supporters.
The calendar is moving on fast and the pace doesn’t seem to be slowing down in terms of the cultural agenda. The Macao Arts Festival is coming up with very promising shows. Some of the highlights include the Lucinda Childs Dance Company, from the US, taking the stage on May 18, and Robert Lapage’s Ex Machina, scheduled for May 23 and 24. In terms of cinema, the Macao International Film and Video Festival is now moving from its overseas programme to local productions, with the Macao Indies hitting the big screen soon.
Paying attention to the local arts scene is of course one of our main missions at CLOSER, and something that differentiates us from other lifestyle publications. Every year we choose a time to take an in-depth look into some form of art in our city. For 2014 the time is now and the style of art we’ve decided to focus on couldn’t be less unanimous: street art.
The work of local crew Gantz5 is just one example of how graffiti and other street art forms can change our urban landscape, not without a good amount of polemics – which usually involves discussions about 'what is art' – and perhaps a few run-ins with the police. We look into Macau’s resident street art scene and then widen our scope to travel the region in search of interesting artists working outdoors. From Beijing to Japan, local Hong Kong graffiti legends to the world-renowned artist Banksy (you must watch the documentary Exit Through the Gift Shop), we take you on a tour around the best art out there – literally.
In our Closing Story this month, we find out why the Macau Government is determined to change the colour of every single door and window on Rua da Felicidade, from red to green. It’s certainly not some new formula for street art, but it will for sure have a strong impact on one of the city’s more charismatic places.
