Local artist-cum-interior designer Benson Lam Iam Sang – in cooperation with the St Lazarus Church District Creative Industries Promotion Association – is hosting an exhibition of 3D paper art lanterns at the G32 Gallery in Rua de São Miguel, and last weekend held workshops in conjunction with three associations.
The Macau Post Daily chatted with Lam earlier this week about his latest exhibition, the workshops and plans for the future in a small restaurant behind Praça do Tap Seac.
Lam said that the exhibits at the B.I.S. Lam Paper Art Tropical Fish exhibition are all 3D paper art – some are free standing and some are in frames, and all can be used as a lamp.
The LED lamps have a very low voltage. There are no bulbs, just a small round circuit board that will not burn or cause a fire as they are in line with European standards.
Lam said that he had done three workshops at the past weekend. The first was last Friday in conjunction with the Obra das Mães (“Mothers’ Work”) association; the second was on Saturday together with the St Lazarus Church District Creative Industries Promotion Association in the lane outside São Lázaro Church, and the final one was in Taipa on Sunday organised by the Taipa Village Association at the Macau Art Space.
According to Lam, the workshops proved to be very popular with people of all ages and nationalities as each participant was given a pre-laser-cut rabbit head to assemble and all were very happy with their finished creation. Lam said that “the parents of some of the children that took part wanted to know if they could buy other packs as it kept them and their children amused and busy for hours. When I told them that I also have puppies, they [parents] were very interested”.
Lam went on to say that “assembling the kit is also very good for the elderly as it can help maintain mental and physical dexterity. I have to make the kits as simple as possible otherwise some of the people, young or old, might get discouraged and give up.”
Lam said that during this time of COVID-19 it has been “quite hard” for artists as there has not been a lot going on. However, he was quick to add that “after this exhibition here, I have two Taiichi rabbits at the “Autumn Salon” exhibition from October 30 to November 30 at the AFA (Macau Art For All Society) gallery.
“The St Lazarus Church District Creative Industries Promotion Association has also asked me to do another exhibition from November 7 to December 31, this time it will be 3D paper dogs and I have entered the Cultural Affairs Bureau’s 2020 Macau Visual Art Exhibition, for which each applicant had to enter three pieces for judging, so I was able to keep pretty busy.”
Lam said that he had been working on making some of the world’s classical paintings into 3D paper art and had managed to do Leonardo da Vinci’s “Mona Lisa” and Edvard Munch’s “The Scream” so “I shall work more on that in the future”.
Anyone interested in seeing more of Lam’s work or wanting something interesting to do while not being able to travel, visit his Facebook page DogQmen or his current exhibition at the G32 Gallery in Rua de São Miguel until November 1. The gallery is open every day, except Mondays, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Admittance is free.
In line with government guidelines on COVID-19 prevention all visitors must wear a facemask and have their temperature taken on entering.
3D paper cut tropical fish are on display at the G32 Gallery. Photos: Lesley Wells
Benson Lam poses with some of his tropical fish creations at the gallery on Monday.
A 3D paper cut tropical fish is attached to a photograph.
A large 3D paper cut tropical fish.
Photos of the workshop near St Lazarus church last Saturday.
Photos supplied by Benson Lam.
