Interview by Rui Pastorin
There are only three days left to appreciate architect and sculptor Cristina Rocha Leiria’s solo exhibition “Moments of Light with Kun Iam” at the Kun Iam Ecumenical Centre in Nape, with exhibitiongoers invited to view the 34 sculptures showcased at the tranquil venue.
The ongoing exhibition features sculptures mainly created using natural and man-made crystals, Cristina Leiria told the Post in an interview at the centre yesterday, while other materials like jade, amethyst, wood and brushed steel were also used in creating the pieces. The pieces that exhibitiongoers may admire include creations featuring Kun Iam (aka Guanyin in Putonghua), who is the goddess of mercy and considered to be the physical embodiment of compassion, along with other works such as one that depicts a parent holding up a child.
Cristina Leiria, who is nearly 80 years old, originally designed and created the centre, which was inaugurated on March 21, 1999. And for her, it felt good to exhibit her works there, noting: “It’s good because I feel at home.”
The exhibition kicked off in December last year and throughout its run, guided tours led by Cristina Leiria have been available by appointment. She noted that although tiring, it has been great to both see and meet people who really appreciated being there as well as “really felt” what she said, an experience that has been overall very rewarding for her, especially when, at the end of the day, she reads the comments that they have left behind.
Cristina Leiria said that among the visitors that the exhibition has seen so far, most have been tourists. The exhibition has received not that many visitors from Macau, but there have been some who came with their children, which she said makes her very happy. “I love children and for me it’s a pleasure to receive them”, adding that kids know where the “good points of energy” are.
However, hosting the exhibition has not been without its challenges, with Cristina Leiria noting that although a lot of effort has been put in setting it up, she noted that she feels a bit disappointed with the visitor turnout. Moreover, while all of her works are for sale, none have been sold throughout the exhibition’s three-month-long run, creating additional challenges. Neither has it received much news coverage since it opened in December, while she is not paid for anything regarding the exhibition.
In spite of these challenges, Cristina Leiria said that she understood that people have their reasons, choosing to think about the situation differently: “I think if this happened to me, it’s because I need to learn some lesson. Our life is our best university. It’s our best school. We learn a lot and we learn more from the things that happened to us, different to what we wanted. We learn a lot with the difficulties.”
Now in its last few days, Cristina Leira remains steadfast in promoting her exhibition.
Exhibitiongoers can view the works daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. until Thursday. Moreover, those interested in learning more about the creation of the venue and the work behind may visit the lower floor to learn more about the centre through photos and a video in Chinese, English and Portuguese, alongside other exhibits.
Cristina Rocha Leiria poses after yesterday’s interview at the Kun Iam Ecumenical Centre in Nape. – Photos taken yesterday by Rui Pastorin
