The Cultural Affairs Bureau (IC) of the Macao SAR Government, in cooperation with the Architects Association of Macau and the Macao Urban Planning Institute, organises the Macao Exhibition at the 7th Shenzhen and Hong Kong Bi-City Biennale of Urbanism/Architecture 2017 (hereinafter called “Bi-City Biennale”), themed “Cities, Grow in Difference” this year. The call for submission of proposals is now open until 2 August. All individual curators and curatorial teams are welcome to submit their proposals.
The “Bi-City Biennale”, first organised in Shenzhen in 2005, is the only international biennale dedicated to urbanism. Entering its 7th edition, it has featured an aggregate of over 930 exhibits from around the word, and organised over 510 events and forums, attracting over 1.1 million visitors.
Through the participation of this year’s Bi-City Biennale, the Macao SAR Government hopes to strengthen the cooperation between Macao and Shenzhen and to promote Macao’s external cultural exchanges, allowing Macao to have a better understanding of the cultural trends of the city and architecture in China and overseas, thus enriching the cultural life of Macao and raising the public’s interest in architecture, urban planning, arts and design. The purpose of the call for submissions of proposals is to select outstanding local talents and works for the participation of the Bi-City Biennale, ensuring the quality of the works and the event running in a fair and open manner, encouraging the public to actively participate.
Themed “Cities, Grow in Difference”, the Bi-City Biennale explores the concerns on urban spaces like “urban villages” and shares the spirit of conservation of the city’s historical buildings and continuation of the historical context. It seeks to trigger exploration and reflection on a new urban growth model by introducing familiar topics related to daily life. Through the application of “urban village” and its organic regeneration in the exhibition, it is hoped that a more diversified and open understanding and imagination on urban living and evolution modes are introduced, summoning a diversified and dynamic urban system and re-examining the significance and value of urban life.
The exhibition project will be supervised by the “Working Group of the Macao Exhibition in 2017 Shenzhen and Hong Kong Bi-City Biennale of Urbanism/Architecture”, and the proposals for the Bi-City Biennale will be reviewed and selected by the Jury Commission for Macao Pavilion Exhibition Proposals. IC will hold a briefing session on 9 July (Sunday), at 10am, at the Cultural Affairs Bureau building meeting room, located at Tap Siac Square, introducing the Bi-City Biennale’s background, the venue and theme of this year’s exhibition and other relevant information.
For enquiries, please contact IC through email szhkbiennale2017@icm.gov.mo before 13 July. IC will reply all relevant queries by email before 14 July and all replies will also be uploaded on its website.
The application form and regulations (only Chinese and Portuguese version available) for the submission of proposals can be downloaded at IC’s website www.icm.gov.mo.