The old and the new

by

What is it to be old? In life, just as in art and fashion, someone’s current value shouldn’t be determined purely on the basis of age. We all know how old fashioned some young people can be when they reveal to us their line of thinking; and how exuberant and lively some elderly citizens are, even when the charms of youth are long gone.

Visual artist Mio Pang Fei, our cover story this month, is one of those men: a creative mind incapable of being quiet; someone who continued painting under the most adverse conditions while in Mainland China; a soul who found his new home in Macau and delighted the city with the quality of his works.

Now 78, Mio Pang Fei is again in the spotlight. Portuguese Director Pedro Cardeira decided to shoot a biographical documentary about him, the world premiere of which happened just last month at DocLisboa, a film festival in Portugal.

In this issue of CLOSER we interview both Mio Pang Fei and Pedro Cardeira, going from the abstract painter who invented neo-orientalism, to the filmmaker, who followed Mio’s steps not only here but also back to his hometown, Shanghai.

For Mio Pang Fei, and also for the Macau arts scene, this is a significant moment. Mio’s exposure through this documentary will make him more well known internationally and, by extension, will drive more attention to our local artistic talents.

Mio deserves this and more. His works can and should be shown in major art events around the world where Macau is already represented, such as the Venice Biennale; and others where local institutions should aim to be, like the Sydney or São Paulo Biennales.

As for Pedro Cardeira, having his film at such an important showcase is very good news – and that’s not all we discuss in terms of cinema.

This month we also look into the work of the four directors selected by the Cultural Affairs Bureau to shoot full-length fiction films in Macau. It’s the first time the local government has given substantial financial support to film projects, making it possible for teams to develop co-productions with other regions and countries, and to do so professionally. Developing cultural industries must be more than just a nice expression, and to make it happen we need initiatives like this.

November is also the month of Macau Grand Prix, with our city being visited by some of the best drivers out there, as well as by thousands of tourists. CLOSER will be there, as we are at every event that matters.

And now you can also be CLOSER to us, since our magazine has just become available for smartphones, tablets and computers. Visit Magzter.com or Rockstand.in and search the two magic words: “Macau CLOSER”. Enjoy your reading.

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