Interview by William Chan
Local art group MyLand Culture co-founder and full-time art curator Pal Lok (陸竹) told The Macau Post Daily recently in an exclusive interview that the organisation launched in February its alternative art space – MyLand Living Room – at At Light in Praia Grande.
According to Lok, the alternative art space is a venue for presenting art in a more independent and experimental way that is distinct from the traditional commercial art galleries and conventional art museums.
The exclusive interview was held at At Light. The gallery, situated in a Portuguese-style building, has a small bakery inside which sells pastries and coffee.
Founded in 2013, MyLand Culture’s vision is centred on “people, community, creativity, and lifestyle”. While pursuing her master’s degree in Art Management in Hong Kong, Lok worked on a thesis project titled “One Day Villager” in Coloane’s Lai Chi Vun shipyards and the village there. Since then Lok and a group of artist friends had recognised the need for an organisation to facilitate future projects, leading to the establishment of MyLand Culture.
“Our goal is to foster a platform for dialogue between contemporary art and the community through independent curation and collaboration,” Lok said.
The Macau Post Daily published an interview last May about an interdisciplinary performance between three musicians (Hong Iat U, Akitsugu Fukushima and Ivan Wing) visual artist Fan Sai Hong, its curator Lok, and bakery owner Cecilia Wong, who has relocated the bakery to At Light.
MyLand Living Room
According to Lok, there are limited options for artists to hold events in government-owned and private commercial venues in Macau, particularly in a “lifestyle space”. “MyLand Living Room was established to address this gap and to envision a public space for art that reflects the cultural essence of the city,” Lok said, adding that MyLand Culture hopes to promote cultural exchanges and inspire creativity.
Lok emphasised the need to provide alternative art spaces for artists to showcase their creations to the public, as well as to provide a unique experience for tourists to see the city’s art and culture.
Lok cited Hong Kong’s Para Site as a successful example of an independent art space that features contemporary art, which has been recognised worldwide as one of most important art venues in Hong Kong. “Hong Kong has many iconic independent art spaces that shape the city’s unique art landscape. The Hong Kong Arts Development Council and philanthropists provide continuous support for the long-term development and daily operations of these art spaces,” Lok said.
It is unfortunate that in Macau private donations to support art organisations and events are uncommon, according to Lok. “Many organisations rely heavily on government support, which may not cover all aspects of cultural development like operating art spaces and creating art archives. This can pose challenges for the art community in Macau, highlighting the importance of fostering philanthropy and private arts support,” she noted.
Why Space
Lok said that face-to-face communication is a crucial aspect for both artists and audiences to fully immerse themselves in an exhibition. The conversational exchange of ideas and opinions in real life is more meaningful and allows for a deeper understanding and appreciation of the art. “While virtual reality can be a useful tool, it cannot replicate the experience of being physically present in a public space and engaging with the art and community,” Lok noted.
Lok expressed disappointment that in Macau most art events attract the same groups instead of diverse audiences. In other places, she noted, people from different backgrounds visit art events, sparking creativity between artists and viewers. “Diverse engagement is meaningful in art as it brings people together to share art and culture. MyLand Culture thus wishes to build an art space and community through a lifestyle approach that gathers different people,” she said.
Lok expressed the view that it is a unique opportunity for MyLand Culture to have the chance to establish an art space with the great support of the landlord of the At Light property, and she and the team have planned projects a year ahead for the organisation.
When asked about the future, she said the organisation faces uncertainties after COVID-19 and in the era of artificial intelligence (AI), and all they can do is to try their best to keep creating. The first two exhibitions at MyLand Living Room, “light does not occupy anything” and “Twenty Exercises for the Body to Be the Soul’s Companion”, are related to the idea of healing. “Art may be one of the solutions for us to heal our insecurities in such a high speed and complex world,” she underlined.
For more information, visit: https://www.instagram.com/mylandculture/
This undated photo shows MyLand Culture co-founder Pal Lok (陸竹) giving a speech at MyLand Living Room at At Light in Praia Grande. – Photos provided by MyLand Culture
This undated photo shows artist Fan Sai Hong painting at the exhibition “light does not occupy anything”.
This undated photo shows bakery staff preparing to display pastries at At Light.
