Las Vegas of the Orient — A dystopia is born
Dystopia — An imagined place or state in which everything is unpleasant or bad, typically a totalitarian or environmentally degraded one. The opposite of utopia.
Stories
Solid as a rock
Local cultural association Comuna de Pedra is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year. September will be the month to (re)discover a group that started out of a will to question Macau's social, political and cultural reality artistically, and that two decades later is still thinking out of the box. In an interview with mART, the current president of Comuna de Pedra, Jenny Mok, talks about the future without forgetting the past.
A new time for AFA
Art for All Society (AFA) exists already for almost 10 years, but still needs to build up its “base,” the former president, James Chu Cheok Son, tells mART.
An art land of freedom
Few galleries in Macau can brag of having so many people showing up for the opening of an exhibition as Ox Warehouse did last Saturday. As the artists mingled with visitors in joyful, strident chats across the venue, colourful drawings hanging from the walls showed creativity has no rules nor age — all it needs is a chance to blossom.
Music to learn about the world
For 10 years Macau's indie CD and vinyl record store Pin-To Música has been showcasing high quality works from around the world. Now, it is closing, as the lease they have in the city’s centre will not be renewed. But owner and founder Anson Ng refuses to play the victim and is already looking for a new location for the store and its sister bookshop. In an interview with mART, the music-lover tells the story and the philosophy behind the record store, and how he sees music as “a window to learn about the world”.
“Macau inspires anyone”
Portuguese painter Natália Gromicho has just finished an artistic residency at Fundação Oriente, in Macau. The result of her live painting experience at Casa Garden is a total of 13 abstract paintings made in and inspired by Macau. mART talked to the artist before she went back to Portugal. And witnessed why she says her art is her soul.
Chinagture — a journey
"never say no to a Chinese train. never too late to try (mobile) photography," Macau-based journalist Catarina Domingues writes in a photo-feature for mART. Follow her journey through China.
Red: body and memory
Wen Hui believes “the body memory is linked to society and history”. The Chinese choreographer and contemporary dancer will be performing in Macau in Red, a documentary theatre piece inspired in the Cultural Revolution.
Art jamming bros
Platform Art Jamming Studio is a small family business with a big challenge ahead: to get Macau people to relax and try new things. mART visited the studio and talked to Mil Tang and Rico Tang— two brothers passionate about creativity.
The art next door
Macau’s alternative theatre feast Bok Festival is looking for much more than new ways of performing on stage. In a talk with mART, ahead of next month’s event, the festival’s executive director, Erik Kuong, explains how his team is on a mission to grow Macau’s artists, audiences and communities. Something he says is not easy to do in Macau’s “product-oriented” system.
Integrating art with tourism
Ho Kin U says the locally based art fair Art Mo is much different than when it started, four years ago. In an interview with mART, the director of operations of Art Mo says they are now trying to draw collectors' attention to Macau, as an art destination.
doMEmentary in Macau
The 1st Macao International Documentary Film Festival will be held at the city’s Cinematheque – Passion from April 22 to May 1. Penny Lam, the curator of the event, talked to mART about the festival.