Macau and Guangzhou are both Greater Bay Area (GBA) cities that each have characteristics that make them distinct, from their recognisable cultures and architecture to their overall layout.
With the ongoing exhibition at 10 Fantasia gallery “Layered Realm – Visual Observation Study of Everyday Cities”, mainland Chinese artist Miao Jiu (喵九) highlights these through a show of colourful drawings on the gallery’s second floor.
Miao, an emerging urban illustrator and picture book author, uses observation and visual records of both cities, their culture, history and contemporary life, all the while blending them with a creative take, according to a statement displayed at the gallery.
Defining its title, the statement noted that it refers to the “juxtaposition and interweaving of multiple realities”, also representing the layering of urban spaces, overlapping of memories, emotions, and imaginations.
A piece that will greet visitors upon entering is one with a seemingly 3D effect, with a shifting blend of both cities and their recognisable characteristics found when viewing it from different angles. Other works one will find are a blend of bustling scenes of events and festivities in both cities and a unique take to highlight each respective place’s infrastructure and architecture, such as those that see recognisable landmarks stacked on top of each other.
Accompanying most of the artworks, meanwhile, are details of what is being depicted, along with thoughts from the artist from his first visit to Macau and his impressions of the city to how Macau and Guangzhou are connected through the Mid-Autumn Festival.
The statement said the gallery hopes that exhibitiongoers will be able to slow down, “rediscover the genuine warmth of both cities between the familiar and the unfamiliar”, as well as think back at the ongoing relationship with their urban environments.
The showcase at the gallery, located on Calçada da Igreja de S. Lázaro (瘋堂斜巷), is entering its final run, with the event ending on July 29. One can visit from Tuesday through Sunday from 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. from Tuesday to Sunday, being closed on Mondays.
Photos: Rui Pastorin
