Candida Höfer
The exhibition “Candida Höfer: Epic Gaze”, organised by the Macao Museum of Art (MAM), under the auspices of the Cultural Affairs Bureau, will be inaugurated on 5 December at 6:30pm on the first floor of the museum. The exhibition features a total of 60 photographic pieces by internationally renowned contemporary photographer Candida Höfer, including representative works from the past two decades and some of her more recent works, inspiring the public to reflect on how these spaces continue to shape and influence the collective memory of future generations through the presentation of different types of Western cultural architecture in different periods. All are welcome to visit.
Candida Höfer is recognised as one of the most important conceptual photographers of the latter half of the 20th century and has garnered a number of international awards including the Cologne Fine Art Prize, Outstanding Contribution to Photography of the Sony World Photography Awards, and the Lucie Awards for Achievement in Architecture. She is known for her signature eye-level orthogonal views of architectural interiors of public spaces that are devoid of human presence. This exhibition features a rich variety of selected works created by Höfer over the last 20 years, which are organised in six major themes: “Passages”, “Theatres”, “Museums”, “Libraries”, “Worldview” and “Unseen Works”. The exhibition will be complemented with a video projection entitled Silent Spaces, which inspires the audience to reflect upon the meaning of these spaces that embody religious faith, aesthetics and cultural spirit.
In addition, MAM will host two artistic dialogues at the auditorium of the museum. The “Candida Höfer: Artistic Dialogue in Macao”, conducted in English, will be held from 7pm to 8pm on 6 December, introducing the public to the artist’s creative ideas and photographic techniques and the meanings of her works through her exchange and dialogue with art critic Herbert Burkert, and curators João Ó and Rita Machado. Curator João Ó and local photographer Wong Ho Sang will host the talk “Photography x Architecture: Dialogue on the Art World of Candida Höfer”, conducted in Cantonese and English, from 4pm to 5pm, on 9 December, explaining the relationship between photography and architecture. Interested parties can register through the “Activity Registration” of the Macao One Account (activity.mo.gov.mo/activity-h5/). Admission is free.
The exhibition “Candida Höfer: Epic Gaze” will be held from 6 December 2023 to 3 March 2024 on the first and second floors of MAM. Guided tours in Cantonese will be available at 3pm on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays from 16 December. MAM is open daily from 10am to 7pm (no admission after 6:30pm), including public holidays, and is closed on Mondays. Admission is free. For more information about the exhibition and activities, please visit the MAM’s website at www.MAM.gov.moand the “Macao Museum of Art” page on Facebook.
