Sands China Presents Contemporary Art Seminar by Ung Vai Meng for Art Macao 2023

Over 100 participants receive Ung's academic insights and learn more about Sands China's Behind the Forms exhibition featuring three local artists

(Macao, Sept 18, 2023) – Sands China held a seminar Saturday at the Macao Museum of Art titled Behind the Forms: The Essence of Contemporary Art, featuring professor Ung Vai Meng, a prominent scholar and local artist – as part of Art Macao: Macao International Art Biennale 2023.

The free-admission event drew the attendance of over 100 participants, including local artists, art students from higher educational institutions, and the general public. Co-organised by the Macau Artist Society and coordinated by Macau Youth Art Association, it was held as an extended academic event in tandem with Behind the Forms: Aesthetics of Contemporary Art – Trio Exhibition by Lei Ieng Wai, Leong Chi Mou and Lai Sio Kit, a collateral exhibition currently being staged at Sands Gallery in support of Art Macao 2023.

Besides inviting Ung to deliver the Behind the Forms seminar, Sands China commissioned him to create a work of his own for Art Macao. Titled The Genesis of Rationality, it is currently on display at Art Macao's Invitational Exhibition by Local Artists at the Macao Cultural Centre.

"Professor Ung is regarded as the pioneer of Macao's art industry, and Sands China is so pleased to have him share his ideas on contemporary art with up-and-coming local art talent," said Dr. Wilfred Wong, president of Sands China Ltd. "We were glad to hold this seminar to facilitate a conversation between Professor Ung and the artists of the Behind the Forms exhibition, where they were able to exchange ideas about their creative concepts. And we hope this meaningful activity will engage art enthusiasts, cultivate art appreciation among our visitors, and inspire Macao's young artists as we delve into the essence of contemporary art. Our thanks go to professor Ung for sharing his valuable insights through this seminar, and for accepting our invitation to create a commissioned work for Art Macao."

Lok Hei, president of the Macau Artist Society, said: "Since the opening of the exhibition 'Behind the Forms: Aesthetics of Contemporary Art,' a good number of individuals within the art community have shown a keen interest in the innovative expressions of young artists from Macao. With the intention of disseminating the approach to interpreting contemporary art to a wider audience, we are thrilled to have extended an invitation to Professor Ung Vai Meng to share his profound insights on the topic 'Behind the Forms: The Essence of Contemporary Art.' Our aim is to foster enhanced communication and cultivate a more profound comprehension of the conceptual underpinnings of artistic creation, thereby collectively propelling the advancement of Macao's art scene."

Saturday's event was moderated by Kitman Leong, curator of the Behind the Forms exhibition, and was structured into two parts. In the first, Ung led a seminar delving into the profound significance of contemporary art by examining the ideas put forth by ancient Greek culture and Western philosophers such as Plato.

The second part of the event offered profound insights into the works of the three young local artists. Ung also had a panel discussion with the exhibition's artists Leong Chi Mou and Lai Sio Kit, coordinator Julia Lam Tsz Kwan, and curator Kitman Leong, encouraging the audience to collectively explore the fundamental questions that arise in contemporary art.

Ung said: "Contemporary art is a reflection of our present lives and a product of this era. Therefore, through this lecture, I hope to assist art enthusiasts in breaking away from past habits and embracing a different approach and perspective when appreciating contemporary art."

In addition to Behind the Forms and The Genesis of Rationality, Sands China is supporting Art Macao 2023 with a special exhibition titled Meet the Magic: In celebration of Disney 100 by Philip Colbert and Jason Naylor. Visit https://en.sandsresortsmacao.com/artmacao-2023.html to learn more about all three.

For more information about Art Macao: Macao International Art Biennale 2023, visit www.artmacao.mo/2023/en/.

 

Photo caption: Professor Ung Vai Meng (right) participates in a panel discussion Saturday at a seminar titled Behind the Forms: The Essence of Contemporary Art at the Macao Museum of Art, with two of the artists of the exhibition Behind the Forms: Aesthetics of Contemporary Art, Leong Chi Mou and Lai Sio Kit, and with coordinator Julia Lam Tsz Kwan and curator Kitman Leong.