A joint photography and painting exhibition titled “The Tea in Macau: Revealing Details and Leaving Space for Imagination” opened last week at the Rui Cunha Foundation (FRC) gallery, bringing together works by Brazilian photographer Cássia Schutt and Chinese painter Lily Lee, aka Li Chunlian, inspired by Macau’s tea culture and traditional tea houses.
Both are based in Macau.
The exhibition features 34 works, comprising 16 photographs and 18 paintings, exploring Macau’s tea traditions through the contrasting yet complementary artistic approaches of the two artists.
According to a statement by the gallery, the works “appear whispering back and forth in a subtle conversation”, with Schutt focusing on intimate gestures and textures while Lee portrays wider and more atmospheric scenes.
The artists began collaborating in 2024 through repeated visits to tea houses across Macau, the statement said, underlining that through conversations and observation, they developed what they described as an “ongoing artistic dialogue” centred on tea culture and its enduring presence in the city.
Meanwhile, according to an information board at the gallery’s entrance, the exhibition describes the project as “an encounter between two artists, a Brazilian photographer and a Chinese painter, united by the same curious gaze”. The message adds that although their cultures “speak in different tongues”, their art connects through “a shared way of expressing Macau’s tea traditions”.
Schutt, who has lived in Macau for nearly two decades, is a photographer, producer and creative director, according to the statement. She has published books, participated in multiple exhibitions and is a member of the Halftone Macao Photographic Association, the statement noted.
Meanwhile, Lee holds a master’s degree in oil painting from the Huaqiao University’s Faculty of Fine Arts, the statement said, highlighting that she is the founder of Lily Handmade Art Co. Ltd. in Macau and also a member of the Macau Artists Association.
The exhibition highlights not only the tea ritual itself but also the old tea shops that are gradually disappearing from the cityscape. Through photography and painting, both artists aim to preserve these visual memories for future generations, the statement said
“The Tea in Macau: Revealing Details and Leaving Space for Imagination” will remain on display at the Rui Cunha Foundation through Saturday. With free admission, exhibitiongoers can visit the gallery at 749 Avenida da Praia Grande, Luen Pong Building, open Monday to Friday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., and from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturdays.
Photos: Khalel Vallo
