Exhibition “YiiMa” Art Group: Allegory of Dreams inaugurated at International Art Exhibition – La Biennale di Venezia
Organised by the Macao Museum of Art, under the auspices of the Cultural Affairs Bureau of the Macao SAR Government, and co-organised by the Venice-based PDG Arte Communications as a Collateral Event from Macao, China at the 59th International Art Exhibition – La Biennale di Venezia, the exhibition “YiiMa” Art Group: Allegory of Dreams was inaugurated on 22 April 2022 in Venice, Italy. Curated by internationally renowned curator João Miguel Barros, the exhibition showcases 11 pieces (sets) of the latest integrated works by artists Ung Vai Meng and Chan Hin Io from “YiiMa” Art Group, which show a unique perspective that merges land and sky and offers a reinterpretation of the richness and density of some hidden corners of Macao and memories of the city that are fading away like dreams. It is the eighth year that Macao contemporary artworks have been featured in this century-old international art event, giving visitors an overview of the city’s visual art. Many guests attended in the ceremony and expressed support and congratulations for the exhibition, including the Italian Curator, Paolo De Grandis; the Italian entrepreneur, Aureliano Schirripa; the Director of the Milan-based cultural and creative brand YouthPlus, Qiu Lesha; and the representative of the art association Círculo dos Amigos da Cultura de Macau, Konstantin Bessmertny. On the day of the inauguration, a “foil stamping” art performance was given by the “YiiMa” Art Group at the collateral event and was concluded in a lively atmosphere.
Conceived and developed as an “Allegory of Dreams”, the exhibition is divided into four sections, namely “Boat of Dreamers”, an 4.5-metre-tall outdoor sculpture; “Symbols of Dreams”, which comprises several large hanging scrolls of performance art images; “Space of Dreams”, which comprises videos of the “four causes” series; and “Iao Hon Dynasty”, a group of high-definition 2-meter-tall photographic works, leading visitors into the city’s unique cultural environment full of memories and history by means of “dreams”, and offering them an opportunity to experience its dreamlike yet allegorical scenes of daily life through the visual impact presented in the works. The “YiiMa” Art Group stated that the exhibition portrays humanity’s insights into and adaptations to their living environment. Through this exhibition, they also hope to showcase the unique cultural life and ambience of Macao characterised by over 400 years of cultural fusion between China and the West as well as a strong living ethos reflected therein. The President of the Cultural Affairs Bureau, Leong Wai Man, delivered a speech in which she wished the exhibition a complete success and noted that the exhibition embodies the vitality of artistic and cultural creations in Macao despite the pandemic. The works reflect and present Macao’s collective memory, promoting the urban characteristics of Macao as a hub where Chinese and Western cultures converge, to audience around the world.
The exhibition “YiiMa” Art Group: Allegory of Dreams is held until 20 October 2022. The event venue is located in front of the Arsenale with the address at Arsenale, Campo della Tana, Castello 2126/A, Venice, Italy. In order to allow the public to have a better understanding of the exhibition, the Macao Museum of Art will invite the participating artists to host a talk entitled “The Challenging 59th International Art Exhibition – La Biennale di Venezia”. During the exhibition period, a number of promotional activities will also be held. More information will be announced on the Macao Museum of Art’s website www.MAM.gov.mo in due course.
