The Cultural Affairs Bureau (IC) announced yesterday that this year’s “Art Macao” Biennale will get off the ground on July 19, involving exhibitions and performances by 46 artists from four Chinese regions and 12 foreign countries.
The bureau said at a one-hour press conference held at the Macau Cultural Centre (MCC) in Nape yesterday morning that it was looking forward to greater participation in the art-fest by residents and visitors alike, which emcee Nicosia Lok Fai said aimed to offer spectators a chance to “embark together on an aesthetic journey through Macau’s urban landscape where art transforms the city and touches hearts”.
According to the trilingual brochure – Chinese, Portuguese and English – promoting the 2025 Macao International Art Biennale, the 46 artists are from China – encompassing the Chinese mainland and the Chinese regions of Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan, as well as from 12 foreign countries – Germany, India, Iran, Japan, Mexico, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Singapore, South Korea, the UK, and the US.
IC President Deland Leong Wai Man told the press conference that “Art Macao” has garnered widespread acclaim since its inception in 2019. This year’s biennale brings together contemporary domestic and foreign artists, significantly increasing international participation and expanding Macau’s global art networks, Leong said, adding that the total expenditure for the event has been budgeted at 4.5 million patacas.
Leong also said that the event features a collaborative public art installation entitled “Time Tower” by artists from the Chinese mainland, Japan, and South Korea to be permanently displayed in Macau. This would further advance Macau’s role as a multicultural exchange hub rooted in Chinese traditions, she said.
Asked by the media about local artists’ involvement, Leong highlighted that 27 percent of the participating artists in this edition are from Macau. The biennale’s “Local Curatorial Project” has expanded from four to six projects, while the open-call “Collateral Exhibition” has reached a record high of entries, Leong said.
Feng Boyi*, the chief curator of this year’s event, said that this year’s theme is “Hey, what brings you here? (“嗨，你幹甚麼來了?”in Chinese and “Olá, o que fazes aqui?” in Portuguese). The primary objective was to examine and respond to Macau’s local history, collective memory, and globalised presence by adopting a proactive artistic approach to redefine the city’s positioning in a new era, Feng said.
According to a statement by the bureau, the upcoming edition features 30 exhibitions across six key segments: Main Exhibition, Public Art Exhibition, City Pavilion, Special Exhibition, Local Curatorial Project, and Collateral Exhibition running from July to October, solidifying Macau’s unique role as a bridge for cultural exchange.
According to the event’s brochure, the main venue is hosted at the Macao Museum of Art (MAM), open Tuesday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Featuring 80 artworks, the displays span paintings, sculptures, installations, video and photograph presentations, as well as AI-generated media. The Art Macao Biennale ends on October 19.
According to a follow-up statement last night, Macau’s six integrated resort (IR) operators will hold “Special Exhibitions”, such as “In the mind of Bruno Moinard” at Galaxy MacauTM – GalaxyArt by Galaxy Entertainment Group (GEG); “The Haas Brothers: Clair de Lune” at City of Dream by Melco Resorts & Entertainment; “cAITM Lab 2.0 - Is it Your Gaze that Meets Mine, or Mine that Seeks Yours?” at MGM Macau; “Dopamine: Fountain of Happiness” at the Venetian Macao by Sands China Ltd; “Picasso: Beauty and Drama” at the Grand Lisboa Palace Resort Macau by SJM Resorts, S.A.: and “The Odyssey of Jingdezhen Porcelain: A Heritage Voyage from Macau to the World” at Wynn Palace by Wynn Resorts Macau.
For more details about the biennale, readers my visit the official website, where they can also view promotional videos –https://www.artmacao.mo/2025/cn
* Feng Boyi (冯博一) is a prominent contemporary art curator and critic based in Beijing, known for his extensive work in promoting experimental and avant-garde art. – DeepSeek
Cultural Affairs Bureau (IC) President Deland Leong Wai Man (front, second from right), Education and Youth Development Bureau (DSEDJ) Deputy Director Wong Ka Ki (front, second from left), Macau Government Tourism Office (MGTO) Tourism Promotion Department Chief Lau Fong Chi (front, right), “Art Macau 2025” Chief Curator Fong Boyi (front, left) and representatives from Macau’s six integrated resort operators look on before yesterday’s press conference at the Macau Cultural Centre (CCM) in Nape.- Photo: Armindo Neves
This poster provided by the Macau Cultural Affairs Bureau (IC) this week promotes the upcoming “Art Macao – Macao International Art Biennale” event.
