Artworks by Macau’s Julia Lam Tsz Kwan and Leong Kit Man have made their way to Rome, where the exhibits are being showcased in an ongoing dual solo exhibition at Galleria La Pigna (“The Pine Cone”) that kicked off last Thursday.
Titled “If Buildings Could Speak—Works by Julia Lam Tsz Kwan” and “Spices for Soul—Leong Kit Man’s Debut Exhibition in Rome”, the simultaneous exhibitions have been curated by Tong Yanfe and will end their run today.
According to a statement provided by the organisers to the Post yesterday, the exhibitions, which coincide with the 55th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Italy, have drawn “significant attention” from galleries and collectors in Rome and marks a milestone for both artists’ journeys.
In showcasing their works at the gallery, which was established in 1966, the two artists have different approaches and aims, according to the statement. For Lam, she was quoted by the statement as saying: “If buildings could speak, what would they say? By deconstructing and reconstructing features of global cities’ architecture, I aim to narrate, layer by layer, their transformations and whispering narratives across time and space through fusion and infusion”.
Meanwhile, the statement quoted Leong, who takes on the theme of spices, as saying that inspiration for her exhibition is drawn from “the historic spice trade along the Silk Road—cloves, frankincense, pepper, cardamom… these traversed Eurasia, bridging diverse culinary cultures and ways of life. Through the theme of spices, I hope to convey the classical Song Dynasty aesthetics from the East”.
The gallery’s director, Anna Maria Borsatti, was quoted by the statement as saying: “In our exhibition history, we have rarely had the opportunity to present such delicate and spiritually resonant painting languages imbued with Eastern sensibilities”.
She added: “Through their highly personal contemporary expressions, the artists have expanded our gallery’s understanding of the relationship between imagery, the body, and urban spaces, while also offering Italian audiences an opportunity to encounter artworks with visual poetry and cultural depth from Macau, China, beyond the familiar realm of Italian art.”
This photo, taken last Thursday and received by the Post yesterday, shows local artist Leong Kit Man posing with her artworks at Galleria La Pigna in Rome.
Local artist Julia Lam Tsz Kwan poses in front of her paintings at Galleria La Pigna last Thursday.
