MACAO: UM exhibits artworks by Greater Bay Area masters and UM faculty and students

MACAU, September 22 - The exhibition ‘Celebrating the 45th Anniversary of the University of Macau—An Artistic Ode to the Bay Area: Chinese Painting Sketching Exhibition by Greater Bay Area Masters and UM Faculty & Students’ is being held at the Exhibition Hall of the Wu Yee Sun Library at the University of Macau (UM). Jointly organised by the Centre for Chinese History and Culture (CCHC) and the Department of Fine Arts of the Faculty of Arts and Humanities at UM, and the Contemporary Lingnan Art Research Institute, the exhibition features more than 80 exhibits, showcasing the tradition of sketching in Chinese painting and highlighting the vitality of Chinese painting in the contemporary era. All are welcome to visit.

At the opening ceremony, Zhang Yan, director of CCHC, said that the exhibition serves as a platform for artistic exchange and cultural integration within the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, while fostering a sincere dialogue between artists, the times, and the land. He added that the centre will continue to build cultural bridges linking masters with faculty and students, Macao with the Greater Bay Area, as well as tradition with the future. Li Jun, head of the UM Department of Fine Arts, said that the establishment of the Department of Arts reflects the university’s top‑level planning for the discipline. He also mentioned that the exhibition explores a distinctive artistic path rooted in the culturally diversity of the Greater Bay Area through sketching. Ieong Tai Meng, a renowned artist in the Greater Bay Area and director of A.M. Painting Macao, expressed hope that UM will continue to facilitate the exchange of artistic resources across the Greater Bay Area.

The exhibition is jointly planned by Prof Zhang Yan and Xu Xiaosheng, executive director of the Contemporary Lingnan Art Research Institute. Prof Li Jun is the academic advisor, and Li Haihao, a doctoral student in the UM Department of Fine Arts, is the curator. The exhibition embodies four core significances: manifesting the spirit of Chinese history and culture and fulfilling the institutional mission of CCHC; marking UM’s 45th anniversary and enriching the university’s humanistic heritage; taking root in the Greater Bay Area and fostering regional cultural identity and integration; and capturing the pulse of the times through sketching and connecting traditional heritage with the future. As a phased showcase of the outcomes of fine arts teaching practice at UM, the exhibition presents collective artistic creations in which faculty and students express themselves through the use of brush and ink. It highlights Macao’s role as a hub where Chinese and Western cultures converge, and its mission to promote Chinese culture. It also provides a platform for artistic practice and exchange for faculty and students, while enabling the general public to learn about the artistic landscape of the Greater Bay Area and enhance their cultural identity.

Inspired by the classical Chinese artistic principle of ‘learning from nature and drawing inspiration from within’, the exhibition is divided into four thematic sections, each showcasing the contemporary vitality of traditional Chinese culture through the use of brush and ink. ‘Masters of Fine Arts’ showcases selected works by leading contemporary Lingnan artists, highlighting the academic nature of the exhibition. ‘Beautiful Campus’ presents paintings of the scenery of UM’s main campus. Using traditional ink techniques, UM faculty and students have captured familiar study and living spaces, such as the tranquillity of the library and the evening light by the lakeside, uncovering poetic dimensions in ordinary scenes and offering a sincere humanistic tribute to mark the university’s 45th anniversary. ‘Charm of Macao’ showcases the Historic Centre of Macao and everyday life in the city. UM faculty and students have sketched landmarks such as the Ruins of St. Paul’s, A-Ma Temple and Rua da Felicidade, as well as other local spots in the city. Their works capture the warmth and colour of this cultural melting pot of East and West, illustrating Macao’s distinctive profile as ‘a base for exchange and cooperation where Chinese culture is the mainstream and diverse cultures coexist’. ‘New Visions of the Greater Bay Area’ features artworks depicting urban and rural landscapes across the Greater Bay Area These include modern urban skylines along the Pearl River and the magnificent spectacle of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge, as well as villages in Zhaoqing (the capital of inkstone in China) and the revitalised Tangjiawan Ancient Town in Zhuhai. These ink-based paintings bear witness to the progress of national strategies and a new era.

The exhibition is taking place at the Exhibition Hall of the UM Wu Yee Sun Library (E2-G007). It is open daily from 10:00am to 5:30pm, including public holidays, until 6 November 2026. Admission is free.