Beauty has intrigued us humans since the beginning of time. Confucius had a saying that went more or less like: “Everything has beauty, but not everyone sees it”.
So what is beauty and where can we find it? How do we differentiate who and what is beautiful from that which is not? And, above all, how can we explain the sensation one experiences when watching a breathless sunset over the ocean, while reading a timeless piece of poetry or when confronted with a stunning woman or man?
Vivian Chow, our cover story this month, is one of those examples of unceasing beauty. She knows how to take care of her looks, and also her soul. At a time when fashion and glamour are so often associated with an empty and meaningless life, Vivian Chow has not only kept on developing her career as an actress, singer and model, she has also remained heavily involved in a number of causes and charities. She is also a talented painter and CLOSER is excited to publish two of her works in this issue.
People can find beauty in diverse forms and some of us experienced this during the recent Macau Literary Festival, organized by our media group. In March, The Script Road brought to the city a remarkable group of writers and other artists, hosting around 50 events at the Old Court Building and in many different schools, universities, movie theatres and other venues around town. Once again, it was a remarkable experience, and this month, we bring you a series of interviews with some of the Festival’s outstanding guests. Be sure to keep following these names, because they will certainly be among the ones creating some of the best books and other artworks in years to come.
Over the years, many other events have also established themselves in the city, and the Macao Arts Festival is indeed a standout, this year in its 26th edition and returning with another excellent programme. We give you a preview of just some of the great performances on offer, and also take a look at the Macau International Film and Video Festival, with a particular focus on its local section, Macao Indies.
Still on the topic of beauty – and because it can also be found in the objects that surround us – we take a tour of the brand new Macau Design Center, a space like no other in town, where innovative concepts and ideas come to life.
Here at CLOSER, our 100th issue is coming very soon and we’re doing our best to prepare a number of surprises for you, our readers. Macau is changing and so are we. Let’s keep walking that road together.
