Think of Chinese art and you probably conjure up an image of ancient porcelain bowls or cloudy black and white calligraphies of traditional mountain scenes. But in the past decade, a whole new group of contemporary Chinese artists have burst on to the scene, producing a wide variety of inspiring pieces – colourful, expressive and thought-provoking, yet all rooted in a respect for thousands of years of artistic development and practice.
Each new hotel-resort that opens in Macau has to think of ways to differentiate itself from the others, as the competition intensifies and brand name shops and fine-dining restaurants become almost common-place. So when MGM COTAI was officially unveiled in February, it presented to an inquisitive public, a superb art collection comprising over 300 pieces by contemporary artists from around the region.
In this issue’s Closer Look, we speak to the two talented curators of the collection, as well as a number of the inspiring artists, as we explore this impressive addition to the city’s cultural landscape.
Staying in the world of art, we preview the latest exhibition ‘Emptiness is Form’ from local artist and head of the Art for All Association, Alice Kok. We also speak to Macau-based director Maxim Bessmertny about his two newest short films, and check out the award-winning images from Portuguese photographer Edgar Martins, who grew up in Macau and recently achieved recognition at the Sony World Photography Awards.
In anticipation of its opening later this month, CLOSER had a sneak peak at the amazing Morpheus Hotel at City of Dreams, designed by the late Dame Zaha Hadid. Tasked with complimenting the iconic exterior, Hong Kong based designer Peter Remedios talks to us about his inspirations for the hotel rooms and the spectacular roof top swimming pool.
We also grab a delicious bite to eat at Caffe B Italian restaurant down by Nam Van Lake, take a tour of a chic home in the new Windsor Arch complex in Taipa, and get to know Jandira Silva, a talented Brazilian jazz singer residing in the city.
Finally, we look back at a local production presented at this year’s Macao Arts Festival, Migration, which tells the emotionally charged stories of Indonesian migrant workers living in the city, and their struggles and hopes for the future.
Enjoy!
