'Illumination – Zhaoying Zhang & Sisi Wong Dual Solo Exhibition' Opens at Sands Gallery

Featuring the winners of "Time is on My Side – 2021 Greater Bay Area Young Artists Scheme"

(Macao, Feb. 22, 2023) – Sands China unveiled Illumination – Zhaoying Zhang & Sisi Wong Dual Solo Exhibition as Sands Gallery's first exhibition of 2023 Wednesday at The Grand Suites at Four Seasons.

Zhaoying Zhang and Sisi Wong were the first-prize winners in the painting and photography categories, respectively, in the Time is on My Side – 2021 Greater Bay Area Young Artists Scheme launched by Sands China. Launched in support of the Art Macao: Macao International Art Biennale 2021 series of events organised by the Macao government, the scheme created a platform for young artists to showcase the uniqueness of their works, inviting them to explore their creativity and imagination through the contest.

Illumination – Zhaoying Zhang & Sisi Wong Dual Solo Exhibition is part of Sands China's ongoing commitment to the diversification of art and culture in Macao, providing a platform for promoting extensive exchange and cooperation among local and international art talent. With reference to "intensity of illumination," a term that describes a given amount of light, the exhibition showcases nearly 60 magnificent works of diverse art forms and media including oil painting, sculpture, installations, photography and projection. It probes into the cultural connotations of light through the exhibits, and explores, from the perspective of technique, how the artists interpret the diverse aspects of the artworks using light.

Dr. Wilfred Wong, president of Sands China Ltd., said: "Macao is a melting pot of Chinese and Western cultures, and the Outline Development Plan for the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area has endowed the city with a new mission of the times to establish itself as 'a multicultural exchange and cooperation base with an emphasis on Chinese culture.' The diverse culture of Macao is best exemplified in the array of artworks created by these two artists. We are delighted to once again offer the Sands Gallery as an exchange platform for artists and young art aficionados from Macao and around the globe. Through presenting this exhibition, we hope to foster art appreciation among visitors, inspire local artists, bolster the vibrant growth of Macao's cultural and creative industries, and help boost artistic exchange between artists in the Greater Bay Area ─ in support of Macao's integration into the national development plan. Our thanks go to Professor Hu and the two artists for helping make this exhibition possible. I would also like to express my gratitude to the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the Macao SAR, the Cultural Affairs Bureau of the Macao SAR Government, and the Macao Government Tourism Office for their continual support and encouragement to help promote the development of the local cultural and creative industries."

Professor Hu Bin, the exhibition curator, said: "In Macao, a frontier where Eastern and Western cultures meet and collide, we are hosting an exhibition of works from two contemporary artists closely related to this idea, in hopes of exploring how the cultural and technical 'illuminations' clash with their multi-dimensional art forms. The juxtaposition of the two artists' works not only presents their contrasting responses on the theme and shows the similarities and differences between various media such as painting and video, but also demonstrates the spirit of intention of each artist. It is my hope that such a dual solo exhibition featuring artworks created by young artists can continuously provide impetus to the emerging art atmosphere and cultural interaction in Macao."

Hu is the dean of the School of Arts and Humanities of the Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts. His research interests include the history of Chinese revolutionary art and the history of modern and contemporary Chinese art exhibitions, and he has long been engaged in critique and curatorial practice in contemporary art.

Exhibition artist Zhaoying Zhang has utilised materials across cultures and times to depict dazzling theatrical and carnival scenes, employing uncanny visual effects along with sharp contrast between brightness and darkness. Sisi Wong, on the other hand, has taken different narrative forms and approaches such as giclée prints, projection lamps, and videos to create special effects that reveal the vastness of the spiritual world and the universe – which are both poetic and intriguing.

Zhang received an art education in mainland China and furthered his studies in Europe, and is now pursuing a doctorate degree at the Faculty of Humanities and Arts of Macau University of Science and Technology. He creates works with a broad international vision exhibited through themes that transcend time and continental boundaries, demonstrating a hybrid mentality across different media, languages, and times.

He said: "I'm honoured to have been one of the winners in the Time is on My Side competition, which was a great opportunity for me to grow as an artist. The 'Illumination' exhibition showcases both my early work, the 'Myth Party' series, and my recent work, the 'Epistle' series, among others, which together demonstrate my changing understanding of illumination at different stages of my life."

Wong, locally born and raised, unleashes boundless imagination about the world across her photography and videos. The theme of light has been prominent in her works, where she explores the possibilities of light in various forms of media.

She said: "I look forward to presenting my artworks in this exhibition, which express my feeling of nostalgia for Macao's culture as a local artist. With Macao's East-meets-West culture, I tried to capture light through different forms of media to reflect the cultural spectrum of Macao. I explored the essence of light and its possible meanings, while deducing various postures of light through the video arts. I'm grateful to the Time is on My Side competition for helping me earn recognition from both local and overseas professionals, and I hope this exhibition creates a dialogue for the development and outlook of contemporary art in Macao."

Guests attending the exhibition's opening ceremony included Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes, director of the Macao Government Tourism Office; Bai Bing, head of the Division of Culture and Sport of the Department of Publicity and Culture of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the Macao SAR; Cheang Kai Meng, acting vice president of the Cultural Affairs Bureau; Dr. Wong; Professor Hu, and artists Zhang and Wong.

Illumination – Zhaoying Zhang & Sisi Wong Dual Solo Exhibition at Sands Gallery is open to the public 11 a.m.-7 p.m. daily until March 26.

Sands Gallery is a permanent art space on the 6th floor of The Grand Suites at Four Seasons, and provides an opportunity for guests to explore an ever-changing variety of art exhibitions. The gallery was born out of Sands China's desire to help cultivate an environment that nurtures creativity and art appreciation in Macao. It also aims to support the development of art and culture and to bring a greater diversity of experiences to the city, while promoting and encouraging professional artists in Macao and across the region.

Sands China plans to invest more resources into inviting renowned local and international artists of different art forms to host exhibitions at the gallery in order to enrich the cultural experience of Macao residents and visitors.

 

Photo caption: Guests of honour cut the ribbon Wednesday at the opening ceremony of Illumination – Zhaoying Zhang & Sisi Wong Dual Solo Exhibition at the Grand Suites at Four Seasons. The exhibition is open to the public 11 a.m.-7 p.m. daily until March 26.