“Art Macao”, the mega international cultural and artistic event, will be held from July to October, with the aim of connecting the world with creativity.
Under the patronage of the Secretariat for Social Affairs and Culture and the Secretariat for Economy and Finance, the event is organised by the Macao SAR Government Cultural Affairs Bureau and the Macao Government Tourism Office, and is co-organised by the Macao SAR Government Education and Youth Development Bureau, with the participation of the city’s hotels and integrated resorts, various creative cities and higher education institutions.
With its theme “To create for well-being”, “Art Macao: Macao International Art Biennale 2021” gathers creative ideas from around the world, promotes Macao’s reputation as a World Heritage city, and hopes to reshape the humanistic spirit in the post-epidemic era.
“Art Macao: Macao International Art Biennale 2021” is divided into several main sections, including Main Exhibition, Special Exhibition of Resorts and Hotels, Public Art Exhibition, Creative City Pavilion, Selected Works by Local Artists, and Collateral Exhibition.
The Main Exhibition is based on the theme “Advance and retreat of globalisation” and is divided into three parts: “The Dream of Mazu”, “Matteo Ricci’s Labyrinth of Memory”, and “Advance and Retreat of Globalisation”.
The exhibits here provide room for reflection and discussion on globalisation and individuality, lives and dreams, remoteness and proximity, and security and happiness – among others. The Main Exhibition echoes Macao’s geographical and cultural identities, and triggers an in-depth dialogue between local and global artistic concepts.
“Art Macao” not only hosts international masters and local celebrities, but also attracts the participation of the UNESCO Creative Cities, namely Nanjing Creative City of Literature; Wuhan Creative City of Design; and Linz Creative City of Media Arts, that will join Macao Creative City of Gastronomy at the biennale’s Creative City Pavilion.
This year’s “Art Macao” is curated by Professor Qiu Zhijie, the Dean of the School of Experimental Art of the Central Academy of Fine Arts, and an influential contemporary artist. He has won the annual Award of Art China by Artron twice, and was shortlisted for the Hugo Boss Prize of the Guggenheim Museum in New York in 2012.
In July, Qiu Zhijie will host two lectures at the Macao Museum of Art. The first lecture, “The Curatorial Logic of the Macao Biennale”, will be held on 6 July, while the second lecture entitled “Where is Asia?” will be held on 18 July.
Organisers will pay close attention to the epidemic situation, follow the relevant guidelines of the Macao SAR Government Health Bureau, and make appropriate arrangements. For more information visit www.artmacao.mo, the Instagram account “artmacao”, “IC Art” page on Facebook, and the WeChat account “IC_Art_Macao”.