Our retrospective look back at Macau's evolving art scene continues as we speak to some of the city's most prominent figures
Ung Vai Meng
Ung Vai Meng entered public office in 1983 and served as a designer at the Cultural Affairs Bureau. In 1999, under the recommendation of António Conceição Júnior, José Luís de Sales Marques invited Ung Vai Meng to be the director of the Macau Art Museum, a position in which he served from January 1999 to August 2008. From 2008 to 2010, he served at the Civic and Municipal Affairs Bureau. On February 24, 2010, he was appointed Director of the Cultural Affairs Bureau. He took office on March 1 and retired in 2017.
“The establishment of the Macau Art Museum is of great significance to Macau’s culture and art. It has carried out regional and international exchanges, and has created a platform for local artists, making the art museum a symbol of Macau’s art and culture,” notes Ung Vai Meng.
“As the Director of the Culture Affairs Bureau, there were a lot of tasks at that time. One of them was to promote the cultural and creative industries, because Macau started relatively late.
“Another task was the conservation of cultural heritage. The city was to establish a number of cultural and artistic hotspots, to promote the appreciation of culture to the public, and to provide more qualify cultural services,” he adds.
“To achieve cultural popularisation, we created spaces such as the Black Box Theater, Cinematheque Passion, The Navy Yard, Ye Ting’s former residence, etc. In terms of policy, our hope was that local cultural workers and artists would have more space to survive and develop.
“Therefore we created mechanisms, such as funding for the film industry, for the promotion of the cultural and creative industries, and even the annual Latin Parade; these were all our efforts. I personally feel very happy about these because I can see a lot of local talents were involved.
“Although Macau is small, the development of culture and art still encounters many difficulties. The most important thing is that we need to cooperate among various aspects; the local art and cultural workers of the government and non-government units should cooperate with each other in all aspects. It’s hard to be alone.
“There is always a great demand for cultural and artistic spaces. We can make more use of the restored cultural heritage sites and buildings, and make good use of the reclamation areas. Our cultural characteristics have their own roots. These are our resources and it is wise for us to make good use of them and provide better conditions for the development of Macau’s art and culture,” he concludes.
Albert Chu
Born in Macau, Albert Chu holds a master’s degree in film from the University of Southern California, and his graduation work Ah Ming’s Macau was screened at several film festivals. Albert completed his second work, I am not a silent Macau, and his work continues to focus on the feelings of people in the city of Macau. On the night of the handover, his work I can’t forget, December 20, 1999, was shown in the Three Lamps Square. The work was also shown at the Hong Kong International Film Festival.
In addition to filming works related to Macau, he also promotes film/video culture. In 2000, he established the CUT Visual Arts Association, which became the most active video/film group in Macau. It held regular screenings, video classes and taught in secondary schools and curated numerous movies/video festivals.
“After the establishment of CUT, Leal Senado at that time also wanted us to hold more activities related to video and filming art. There were many ideas to be implemented, such as screenings, lectures, workshops, etc., everything, apart from films, so we also created video art and installations, etc,” notes Albert.
“CUT rented its first meeting place and started a regular screening event every week. This was really good because we could gather some interested people and have a physical space to use, such as putting equipment and creating editing studios for post shooting.
“In the early days of CUT, the goal was to create more filming opportunities and experiences for those who were interested in film in Macau. So, a filming project for community film was presented, reflecting how people lived in Macau. And Macau Stories 1 was created.
“At the same time, the government began to talk about cultural and creative industries, and the issue of a shortage of local film funding was discussed in the Legislative Council. So, we continued to launch Macau Stories 2 with this in mind, adding some commercial elements, including packaging, publicity, etc.
“After its success, we made another Macau Stories 3. The biggest difference was that when shooting Macau Stories 2, many of the team were from Hong Kong, while for 3, the team was basically local. These projects brought together a group of people who were interested in film work.
“Later, because of soaring rents, the association moved to a factory building, but later had to move out again. At the same time, Cinematheque Passion started to be planned. Previously, CUT had a leading role in the field, and then the direction of local film making became relatively clear, so we didn’t have to stay in this position. We went with the flow and started working at Cinematheque Passion to deepen the appreciation of Macau people for film.That is to say, we have been following the trends, we are willing to accept change and continue to go, not stop in the middle, or go ashore,” Albert comments.
“The difficulty in the development of Macau is that we have not continued our efforts, so to promote development, the continuity of the association is very important.
“After the handover, the administrative work of the entire government has become more complicated and difficult. It involves a lot of administrative processes. Many issues become entangled and it takes a lot of time to deal with these problems.
“But I believe that if there are discussions and voices in the community that reflect these issues, people who work in the government can propose some work to go forward.”
莫少忠 Mok Siochong
Mok Sio Chong has been working in theatres since high school. From 1999 to 2003, he worked as a drama teacher at the Cultural Affairs Bureau. He then went on to join the Step Out Theatre group where he is currently the director, and in 2006, he established the Macau Theatre Culture Institute, of which he is the chairman. He currently works in a full-time theatre, mainly engaged in planning, editing, and commenting.
“We rented a place as our first address in 2005, but because the space was not suitable for rehearsal and had hygiene problems, we relocated one year later. In early 2007, we found another place near the Fire Station Museum. The rent was about MOP5,000 a month, but we spent some money to decorate it, and it became the first art space that combined hand-made shops and a small theatre. We called it the Poor Space,” comments Mok Sio Chong.
“In the beginning of 2011, due to plumbing problems, we decided to leave the first small theatre we had established. Finally, we found the current location at No. 47 Coelho do Amara Street in the spring of 2011, a three-story building with a rooftop transformed into a commercial building.
“It was a bit of a dream place. I called to ask about the rent and visit. Entering this space, I saw a large glass window on each floor, and a view of the old city from the window. Old walk-up buildings, Bao Gong Temple, the Macau Fortress and the Grand Lisboa all overlapped one another. It was a kind of shock, and it seemed that there was some new imagination on the path afterwards. With the encouragement of good friends, I decided, and then Pin-to Books wanted to find a place to continue to operate, so the bookshop moved into the ground floor and shared the rent, and we stayed.
“Theatre is an art that pays special attention to time and space. In the past 20 years, the development of Macau theatre can be said to be super speedy. From only a few amateur drama clubs, with less than ten large-scale performances a year, to now nearly 90 performances this year. Most of the troupes have undergone specialisation and professionalisation, which was unimaginable in the past.
“In particular, after 2012, the Cultural Affairs Bureau successively established a series of funding schemes, together with the conversion of the Old Court Building into a temporary Black Box theatre, which played a key catalytic role in the specialisation and professionalisation of Macau theatre.
“In order to survive, in addition to a large number of production activities, the Step Out Theatre group has recently toured a large number of schools to promote policies for government departments. The promotion of their own artistic works (such as performance training, aesthetics, social observation, etc.) and the artistic direction of the group seems to have been neglected as a result.
“We are constantly repeating the process of funding applications, the process of production, the original emphasis on creative work, becoming modular; it is easy to follow the trends, but it is not a way to create a theatre belonging to Macau’s culture.
“In the past two decades, Macau theatre has been in a learning period, and has naturally taken the theatre culture from all over the world as the object of study. However, regardless of the growth of people or theatre art, it is necessary to establish its own image. This image is not an appearance, nor is it to be bought with a brand name, but to start thinking about a life attitude that suits us, a unique theatre culture. Especially in the era of new media, why does theatre, as an ancient art medium, still exist? How to continue to develop it? What is the essence of it that cannot be replaced in this era? And what do all these questions mean for Macau? These are the problems. We need to think about all these things, experiment and practice.”
馮文偉 Dirco Fong
Since 1992, Dirco Fong has been engaged in advertising and design. After the handover, with the liberalization of the gaming industry, the market demands of the industry became more diversified. Various advertising media and design categories entered the market one after another. Dirco’s work as mainly a designer slowly transformed to market expansion, cultural innovation and exhibition planning.
“The construction of the Macau Design Centre began more than a decade ago. At that time, we were a group of young people who met at the Macau Designers Association. We often hoped that if we could have a similar design centre in Macau as in other regions, we could slowly integrate everyone’s ideas and the experiences of other design centres.
“But only when the Macau government began to promote the cultural industry, including the preparation of the Cultural Industry Fund, were we able to finalise the concept of the design centre and a lot of references were submitted to the government,” explains Dirco.
“Finally, in 2013, we were lucky enough to receive approval from the Secretariat for Social Affairs and Culture and fund the project, and formally established the Macau Design Centre (MDC).
“Under the cultural and creative industries policy, the platform centres of all walks of life that have appeared in Macau. Even if we didn’t have a design centre, there would be similar platforms. Of course, the MDC has been built to the designer’s ideal model. It can be regarded as the first landmark in the local development of the creative design industry.
“In addition to its symbolic meaning, the centre is the focus of Macau’s top design strengths and resources, and it is active between the design industry and commercial organisations and government cooperation.
“In recent years, with the rapid changes in Macau’s environment and rapid market transformation, small design companies have encountered many difficulties in terms of human resources, space costs and business expansion. The MDC can indeed help them solve some of these problems.
“We plan to introduce more professional and practical workshops and course lectures to enhance the software of the Macau design industry and strengthen competitiveness in the face of a larger market in the future.”
“The government has been using the same way to finance the activities of associations. Whether the project is good or bad, there has been too much of an even sharing I think. The living conditions of society have not improved for many years, and many talents and opportunities have been buried. This is very regrettable.
“Even though the Macau economy has made rapid progress in the past 20 years, and Macau has become an internationally famous city, the vast majority of Macau people are still very localised and conservative. It is not easy to take the road of culture/art/design.
“First, we must recognise culture, art and design. It is very professional. In fact, Macau has ample talents in these fields. To develop these industries, it is necessary to rely on professional people and people need to trust professionals. No matter what industry, only when professional people are doing their jobs is development possible.”
“I think that culture and art in Macau now is indeed more and more colourful, but we have found that most of the projects that can help Macau culture to be branded are outsourced projects. There are very few local audiences. The government has put a lot of resources into outsourcing. However, the development of local culture is rare, so that the pace of development is very slow, and many talents and opportunities are missed. It is too early to say that there is a cultural creative industry in Macau already. We are just embarking from the starting line.”
Vincent Cheang
Vincent Cheang joined Radio Macau broadcasting in 1989, where he remained for 10 years, before going on to participate in the establishment of Green Village 738Radio Station, serving as Programme Director. In the same year, he graduated from the Graphic Design Department of Macau Polytechnic Institute. In 2002, he formed the Toysoldier Band, and established the XL CREATION Entertainment Production Company, while also working as a tutor in design and illustration for the Macau Productivity and Technology Transfer Centre (CPTTM).
In 2007, he formed the L.A.V.Y. Band, and the following year he founded the Live Music Association (LMA), engaging in music promotion and exchanges. In 2011, Vincent returned to Radio Macau to host a Western pop music programme, and in September 2012, he released L.A.V.Y.’s first album, My Lonely Journey.
“As a member of the Macau’s music scene, we were aware that performance space was very important, but there were no venues in Macau. If there were venues, we could perform or invite foreign bands to perform and exchange, so I started to have the idea to establish LMA. At that time, I rented a unit in a commercial building, which had a Band room, but after the lease expired and the rent soared, I chose a cheaper factory building in 2008 and established an LMA with performance venues and equipment,” recalls Vincent.
“But then the government announced a policy that if one sells real estate in the first two years after purchasing, they will be charged an additional tax. This did not include industrial buildings however, so investors turned their attention to industrial buildings, making the prices and rents rise rapidly. At that time, I decided that no matter how hard it was, I had to buy a property in order to develop.
“Our association has never asked the government for funding, and we are responsible for our own profits and losses. It is natural to do things in this way for me because it is natural to invest in a career that I like.
“There is a big difference between the government before and after the handover. Before 1999, applying for permission to do performances on the streets or at other venues was relatively simple and straightforward. Now the government is imposing regulations on the applications and we need to use a lot of words to explain the expected results. The approval decisions are based on this text, which is not our specialty. We see that the organization now mainly spends time on administration, not in terms of quality. Music is hard to quantify in words,” he notes.
“The biggest music festivals or performances are now done by the government. Due to a lack of resources and space and professional staff, it is difficult for local associations to create performances on a bigger scale. But the orientation of the government and the orientation of private independent groups are very different. It is necessary for the people to see different things, but the current policy does not support local efforts, so even though we try our hardest efforts to go at a fast pace, we cannot breakthrough. In order to change, we must change the whole line of thinking and system to have better development. Otherwise, in 200 year’s time, I’m afraid we will still be stuck in the current state.”
Veiga Jardim
Born in Brazil, Veiga Jardim came to Macau in 1988 and founded the Macau Chamber Orchestra and the Macao Sinfonietta, comprising 52 musicians at the time. He has also worked with the Macao Youth Symphony Orchestra, and has published a book about the history of music in Macao, entitled Watching the Band Go By.
“When I arrived in Macau for the first time, the city was almost a ‘desert’ in terms of music activity. I still remember hearing comments such as “In Macau, the music you hear is the sound of mah-jong tiles clashing against each other…” comments Veiga Jardim, Conductor and Artistic Director of the Macau Chamber Orchestra.
“In my opinion, in the years following the change of sovereignty, there was a strong desire by the new government to develop classical music in the city. The Conservatory was reorganised, and the music course at the Macao Polytechnic, created in 1997 exclusively for the training of music teachers, has expanded and nowadays offers training for instrumentalists. In the case of the orchestra, there was a significant restructuring in 2001, and in the following years, it continued to expand, changing its name and becoming professional,” explains Jardim.
“We also witnessed the emergence of new musical associations, choirs, bands and orchestras. Musical groups and associations established in the past also gained more prominence as government institutions, notably the Macao Foundation, developed funding schemes to support their projects.”
Other important milestones identified by Jardim include the establishment of vocational training for pupils interested in pursuing a career in music at the Macau Baptist College in 2008, and the creation of the University of Macau String Orchestra in 2010. The Macao Young Musicians Competition, now in its 37th year, the Macao Orchestra, whose origins date back to 1983, and the International Music Festival, created in 1987, have all come to be recognised as the city’s most significant musical initiatives, he believes.
“The changes we have witnessed over the past 20 years have been extraordinary,” Jardim expresses. “Nowadays, there is a much larger audience for classical music than before and, as you know, this kind of audience can’t be built overnight.”
Nonetheless, challenges remain: “The challenges are the same as two centuries ago. They are all linked to the city’s image, tarnished since the second half of the 19th century by negative stereotypes related to gambling. Macau has a peculiar past and telling its history to the younger generations requires a commitment of time, dedication and impartiality to defend its culture and promote its most praiseworthy aspects, including music.”
Jardim believes that local youth have a strong desire to learn music, and he is encouraged to see a number of local musicians who have graduated from overseas conservatories, now returning to the city. However, he is concerned about their future prospects once they arrive back.
“They are instrumentalists, composers, musicologists, conductors, art administrators; you name it. But when they return to their birthplace, it’s hard for them to find jobs in these fields. I have seen many talented people in Macau devoting themselves to other professions for fear of not finding a job in music. I think these fantastic young people who dared to choose an arduous career like that of a professional musician should receive more support from the community and the government,” he argues.
Joe Tang
Joe Tang is a Macau-based author. His works include Macau Literature Award Winner, Fortune Switcher, and Assassin, and his published novels include The Lost Sprit (Macau Novella Prize Winner), The Floating City and book of essays Words From Thoughts. His children’s drama Journey to the West, was invited to be performed at the Shanghai Expo 2011.
“I’ve noticed there are more people writing about Macau, creating ‘Macau stories’ that are only about Macau. At the same time, more local creators are trying to ‘walk outside the city’, taking local literature to the world,” he comments.
In terms of particular events that have helped to boost the production and quality of local literature, Joe notes the impact of an increasing number of competitions and platforms provided to writers.
“For example, a variety of awards like ‘Macau Literature Award’, ‘Macau Novella Prize’, the short story competition held by The Script Road – Macau Literary Festival. Also, ‘the Colectânea dos Artistas de Macau’ held by Macao Foundation (FMAC) and Macau Association of Composers, Authors & Publishers (MACA) have also proliferated a lot of works.”
Regarding his own projects that have challenged him as an author, Joe recalls: “I had the pleasure to be a part of the ‘Macau Literature Award’, ‘Macau Novella Prize’, which provided me an opportunity to publish my works, and also enabled me to meet people with the similar interests in literature. Moreover, I have also collaborated with people from different fields, like engaging in drama and movies.”
Joe observes that there are quite a number of young, established and emerging artists in the city, producing writing that is “more open-minded and freer, created with more visualised mindsets from interesting perspectives.
“They also skilfully integrate their works with the use of new media, and although their skill, vision and configuration still need to be improved, this is still very exciting.”
One of the most significant challenges for developing literature in Macau is getting writers to more effectively connect with readers.
“Writers need step outside and get a closer look at events occurring in society; on the other hand, the public should pay more attention to local works in terms of active readership and discussion. I hope the relationship between the authors and readers can be developed into a positive sphere of literature in which both parties are engaging, encouraging and challenging each other,” the author suggests.
He also sees opportunities for local writers as they engage more with other writers and readers from the greater China region and Chinese audiences throughout Asia.
“We should expand the international market of local Chinese work by translating them into English and Portuguese, and also the other way around. Furthermore, I hope there can be more interesting cross-border cooperation in literature, movies, TV, drama and dance.”
AN ENTERTAINMENT HUB
Arguably the most dramatic example of how the city’s cultural and entertainment spaces have changed is to be found amidst the glittering lights of the Cotai Strip. While most local arts and cultural venues remain quite small and low-key, the exact opposite can be said for the many large-scale, high-tech theatres and arenas located within the massive integrated resort complexes on Cotai.
“The Cotai Strip now includes six theatres and two arenas, with plans for the opening of two more arenas and one more theatre within the next two years,” notes David Baxley, Vice President, Entertainment for Sands China Ltd. “It has become the most venue-rich entertainment precinct in all of Asia and will be even more densely packed with venues by 2021. Only Las Vegas can claim to have more venues per square kilometre.”
“Macau is now competing head-to-head with Hong Kong for arena and theater shows touring the region. Thanks to the quality of the new venues, the proximity to mainland China and the financial resources of the major operators, Macau is now considered equally attractive to concert promoters, artists and agents alike,” he adds.
Frederic Winckler, Executive Vice President, Chief Creative and Brand Officer of Melco Resorts and Entertainment concurs with this view: “The depth and amount of change in the last 10 years alone has to be unique in the world. Macau is now firmly established as a player in the world of entertainment globally.”
The 15-thousand seat Cotai Arena at The Venetian Macao kicked off the new generation of entertainment venues in the city when it opened in 2007. Since then it has hosted some of the biggest entertainment names in the world including Beyonce, The Rolling Stones, Bruno Mars, Katy Perry, Rihanna, Celine Dion, Maroon 5, Justin Beiber and Bon Jovi, just to name a few.
“These artists do not play in ‘secondary market’ cities, so the fact that they came to Macau and performed at Cotai Arena was a de facto announcement to the entertainment world that Macau is on the same level as the major cities of Asia – Tokyo, Shanghai, Seoul, Manila, Singapore etc,” observes David Baxley.
Across the road at City of Dreams, The House of Dancing Water theatre opened in 2010 at a cost of more HK$2 billion. The state-of-the-art venue is the permanent home to the spectacular show created by Franco Dragone, and has welcomed over six million visitors. The purpose-built 270-degree theatre-in-the-round contains one of the most dynamic commercial pools in the world, holding approximately 3.7 million gallons of water, more than five Olympic-sized swimming pools, and includes 239 automated fountains and 11 hydraulic 10-tonne elevators.
“This has been a real game-changer for Macau, as it demonstrated that the city could create world-class entertainment experiences that can drive visitors from around the world,” notes Frederic Winckler.
“The Theatre has just undertaken a 10-week remastering programme to enable a major equipment renovation and technical upgrade for its audio, projection and special effects systems, which will keep the show going at the extraordinarily high levels it is famed for into its 10th anniversary in 2020 and beyond,” he adds.
More recently, another ground-breaking theatre opened at the new MGM Cotai property. It is the world’s first theater to offer 28 million pixels of viewing experience to audiences by utilizing a giant 900-square-metre 4K (ultra HD) LED screen, which is the size of three tennis courts combined – the world’s largest permanent indoor LED screen.
“The MGM Theater is our star. It’s been designed to challenge the current perception of how you produce entertainment. No show is ever going to look the same as when you see it in our theater, because the theater itself brings so much more in terms of the content and construct,” comments Grant Bowie, Chief Executive Officer and Executive Director of MGM China Holdings Ltd.
“We are challenging boundaries, not because we want to be artistically superior, but because we want to find things that will change and enhance people’s perceptions of what entertainment and theater is,” he adds.
Having been open for just over a year, the venue has already hosted some major international acts including Kylie Minogue and Sam Smith, as well as Hip Hop sensations Jabbawockeez, innovative Argentinean entertainers Fuerza Bruta Wayra, and the Harry Potter Film Concert Series.
One of the unique features of the MGM Theater is its versatility. With a seating capacity up to 2,000 people, it has more than 10 different seating configurations, making it able to accommodate a wide range of events with a high degree of customization.
More exciting venues are set to open in Cotai in the near future. Galaxy Entertainment Group (GEG) recently announced its Galaxy Arena project, set to open in the first half of 2021 with a capacity of 16,000 seats.
Meanwhile, part of Wynn Cotai’s phase 2 development will include an impressively large glass structure – dubbed the Crystal Pavilion – featuring what has been previously been described by CEO and President Matt Maddox as a “fully immersive” theatre, with screens on the walls and on the ceiling, so the audience has a 270-degree experience including live entertainment on the stage.
And as Sands Cotai Central is transformed into The Londoner, it will also include a new 6,000 seat theatre, complimenting The Parisian Theatre and Venetian Theatre across the road.
“It is being designed to be the best sounding live-music venue of its size in Asia and perhaps the world,” claims David Baxley.
In a small city like Macau, challenges remain of course.
“The biggest challenge I think is how tourists can browse what entertainment is on offer and what is actually happening while they are here or while they plan their visit,” notes Frederic Winckler. “I think the best thing that could happen is if a tool could be developed for people to see what is going on in Macau, and what they can do. The more people see all that’s on offer, the more they’ll want to go enjoy themselves.”
Nonetheless, he is very bullish about the future of entertainment in the city going forward: “The Government’s development plan for the Greater Bay Area will create huge opportunities and a platform for Macau to leverage and showcase its advantages as an entertainment hub.”
Twenty years of Evolving Art through Space and Time