Taipa Village Cultural Association is delighted to present Show-Off 2.0, the second chapter of the first-ever art collectors’ exhibition to debut in Macau last year. Building on the cultural influence brought to the community by the first show, Show-off 2.0 is a treasure trove of art acquired by three renowned collectors whose backgrounds are a study in diversity: artist and scholar Ung Vai Meng, architect Irene Ó and curator Margarida Saraiva.
The exhibition sees the three collectors share exclusive collections amassed over the years both locally and internationally, including beloved artworks that adorn the most intimate spaces in their homes. The show explores ideas related to collecting art and aims to promote collecting as a cultural asset that starts with individual initiative but which may also broaden a sense of commonwealth, foster vitality in society, add diversity to local economies (including though such activities as art trading) and nurture local and international talent. Each collection in the exhibition reveals aspects of the collector’s personality.
Photo credit: Macaulink / Antonio Sanmarful
As a former president of Macau’s Cultural Affairs Bureau, and an artist and scholar imbued with vigour, passion and motivation, Ung Vai Meng has received extensive artistic training locally and internationally over the years that has seen him make distinctive contributions to the art and cultural scene. In this exhibition, he showcases a collection of Chinese ancestral portraits that he has been researching for more than 20 years. Ung obtained a doctoral degree in art history from the China Academy of Art in 2010, after which he published a valuable book on the subject that will be displayed in the show.
Photo credit: Chan Hin Io
Irene Ó, the founder and principal architect of O.BS Arquitectos, a renowned Portuguese architecture firm in Macau, together with her husband, António Bruno Soares, are fixtures of Macau's contemporary architectural landscape whose work includes the Macau Cultural Centre, the Banco Nacional Ultramarino (BNU) headquarters, the Hotel Bela Vista (currently the residence of the Consul General of Portugal in Macau and Hong Kong), the Military Club and the United Nations Software Institute, to name but a few. Irene started collecting art when she was 19 years old, beginning with a drawing class in which she was the model, with one of her classmates generously offering her a charcoal portrait of herself that will be on display in the exhibition. Most of her collection has deep sentimental value and is linked to family and friends.
Photo credit: Ieong Man Pan
Collector Margarida Saraiva is a researcher, curator and educator. She works between Asia and Europe, and between arts and cultures. Saraiva co-founded the BABEL cultural organisation in 2013, initiating projects such as Influxus (2013-16), New Visions (2013-19), the Macau Architecture Promenade (2015) and Stolen Objects Stories (2021-22). In 2022, she established BABEL in the Portuguese city of Alcobaça, where she founded Central-Periférica, a centre for artistic research. Margarida and her husband, Tiago Quadros, have been involved in curating and promoting art and culture both in Macau and abroad, a beneficial result of which is that their collection is based on their relationships with many artists. Some of the works on display from Margarida’s collection were inherited from Tiago's father, António Quadros Ferreira, a Portuguese painter and professor emeritus in the Faculty of Fine Arts of the University of Porto.
“It is our honour to invite the three art collectors to showcase their diverse art collections in Taipa Village, following the success of our experimental show last year,” said João Ó, President of the Executive Board at Taipa Village Cultural Association. “This rare and special exhibition aims to explore the nature of collecting and prompt visually stimulating conversations on the cultural possessions of individuals with very specific, highly personal interests.”
Taipa Village Cultural Association continues to bring together the endeavours of local and international artistic talents to exhibit myriad artworks in Taipa Village. Show-Off 2.0 further cements Taipa Village’s position as a leading cultural and artistic destination in Macau and underlines its invaluable contribution to the promotion of the territory’s cultural and creative industries.
Organiser:Taipa Village Cultural Association
Time of Event:12:00-20:00
Venue of Event:Taipa Village Art Space (No. 16-18, Rua dos Clerigos, Taipa, Macau)
Inquiry:(853) 2857 6212
E-mail:info@taipavillagemacau.org.mo
Website:
www.taipavillagemacau.org.moStart Time of Event:11/04/2024
End Time of Event:15/06/2024
Supporting Unit(s):Cultural Development Fund of the Macao SAR