SJM Resorts is hosting an exhibition titled “Harmony of East and West – The Exhibition by Famous Local Artists” at its Grand Lisboa Palace Resort Macau (GLP) in Cotai.
The exhibition’s theme revolves around “East meets West”, according to a recent statement by the casino-hotel resort operator.
According to the statement, the exhibition features work by Ambrose So Shu-fai (蘇樹輝), Carlos Marreiros, Guilherme Ung Vai Meng (吳衛鳴), Konstantin Bessmertny, Denis Murrell, Erik Fok (霍凱盛) and Cai Guo-jie (蔡國傑). Their works aim to unleash people’s imagination and create awareness around people’s lives, showcasing Macau’s unique role as a platform for Sino-Western cultural exchange, the statement points out.
The exhibit entitled “Humility Scroll” (謙卦) by So is on display in the west lobby near the lift lobby entrance. The artwork features the 15th chapter of Yi Jing (易經), which is a treatise on the virtue of true humility. It is a traditional Chinese black brick ceramic with inscriptions of calligraphic seal script. It has been baked in a long and thin “dragon kiln” in Zhongshan, by means of time-honoured techniques. The finished work is framed by Portuguese hand-painted azulejos (tiles), the statement underlines.
So is a well-known calligrapher in Macau and Hong Kong. He is the founder and chairman of the Jiazi Society of Calligraphy (甲子書學會). He is an advisor to the Centre for Studies of Hong Kong, Macau and the Pearl River Delta of Sun Yat-sen University in Guangzhou, and he also chairs the Association of Chinese Culture and Art of Macau (澳門中華文化藝術協會), according to the statement.
So is the CEO and vice-chairman of SJM Holdings.
The other exhibit entitled “Serene Dawn of Tomorrow” (明亮曙光的明天) by Marreiros, is displayed in the east lobby behind the hotel’s check-in counter. This artwork features traditional southern Chinese architecture and traditional Portuguese architecture, the two main matrices which have shaped and moulded Macau’s local fusion architecture, generating a vibrant yet serene natural landscape, according to the statement. “This idyllic landscape eternalises the beauty of Macau through iconic landmarks which reflect the city’s modern growth…,” the statement points out.
Macau’s location in the Pearl River Delta is embraced by water and the water runs everywhere around this artwork, making Macau an everlasting spring to be born every dawn, the statement notes.
The Pearl River Delta is the main geographic feature of the Greater Bay Area (GBA), which comprises nine cities in Guangdong province and the nation’s two special administrative regions (SARs) – Hong Kong and Macau.
Marreiros is an architect, artist and university professor. He is the founder, partner and president of MAA Marreiros Architectural Atelier Ltd. and president of Albergue SCM / ALBCreativeLAB.
Another exhibit by Marreiros entitled “Macau Glory” (澳門榮耀) is located in the east lobby across the group check-in counter. The work features the traditional art of Portuguese glazed tiles – azulejos, depicting the development of Macau’s socio-culture and history from the 16th century until today. The first panel represents the initial encounter between the Chinese and Portuguese, illustrating their mutual curiosity and first exchange of gifts, while the second panel shows the continuing deepening bond between Macau’s different communities. The artworks tell the stories of Macau’s different communities over the past five centuries, according to the statement.
As part of the government’s COVID-19 pandemic prevention measures, all visitors entering the venue must wear a facemask, have their temperature checked and present a digital health code.
The artwork is on display this month at Grand Lisboa Palace in Cotai (adjacent to the Macau East Asian Games Dome). Admission is free.
Photos: Camy Tam and Rui Pastorin
