Interview by William Chan
The Taipa Village Cultural Association has invited local artist Felix Vong (黃雅諾) to host his inaugural solo exhibition, “The First Contemporary Art Museum of Macau,” which is scheduled to run until September 22.
The exhibition, staged in Taipa Village, features over 25 art pieces inspired by renowned international artists, according to Vong.
Vong recently sat down for an interview with The Macau Post Daily to discuss his work and the exhibition.
Vong, a Macao Polytechnic University (MPU) graduate with a degree in graphic design and advertising, is currently based in Lisbon, where he is pursuing a master’s degree in Multimedia Art at the School of Fine Arts (Faculdade de Belas-Artes) of the University of Lisbon. His artistic oeuvre spans various mediums including painting, drawing, institutional critique, illustration, and photography, as he explores the implications of imitation, appropriation, vandalism, satire, dark humour, and hoaxes in the context of authenticity and artificiality.
In his artistic endeavours, Vong employs appropriation to reconsider contemporary art and cultural history. Half of the exhibited works are his solo creations, while the other half represents collaborative efforts with other Portuguese artists. Vong said that his works are forgeries, i.e., reproductions of notable works by internationally acclaimed artists.
ARCO: Inspired by Richard Tuttle’s sculpture and textile-based works, which challenge the conventional understanding of art.
Brillo Box: Vong reimagines Andy Warhol’s 1964 wooden Brillo Box sculptures, which blurred the boundaries between commercial packaging and art. Vong’s version features a replica of an unfolded cardboard Brillo Box, which he has described as his “biggest disappointment” due to its small size.
Felix Vong erased Sara Mealha: A piece inspired by Robert Rauschenberg’s 1953 “Erased de Kooning Drawing.” Vong had Mealha draw his dream house and then erased the drawing.
VONG: A collaboration with Eduardo Fonseca e Silva, this piece draws inspiration from Robert Indiana’s LOVE painting.
Landscape of an Artist (Pool without figures): Vong commissioned Martîm to paint a rendition of “Portrait of an Artist (Pool with Two Figures)” by David Hockney, but without the portraits.
Felix’s study Sara & André study for Paula Rego, Salazar Vomita Pátria: An imitation of an imitation, Vong recreates Sara & André’s interpretation of Paula Rego’s original work, “Salazar Vomita Pátria.”
Lisbon Rock: Vong emulates street artist Banksy’s stunt of covertly installing his own artwork, a stone carved with a bison, a spiked figure, and a trolley, in a prestigious exhibition.
Wrapped: A nod to Christo and Jeanne-Claude’s “Wrapped” project, where they used fabric or other materials to cover various structures or landscapes. What could be the thing behind Vong’s fabric?
