Arts | Sculpture exhibition celebrates local traditions

Sculptor and University of Macau (UM) professor, Zhang Zexun, has put together a sculpture exhibition at the Mandarin’s House entitled “Sculpting the History of Macau.”
The exhibit, organized by the Cultural Affairs Bureau, features works by Zhang Zexun, in the style of her family clay figure collection – artistic representations of figures inspired by legends, theater, fiction and daily life.
“Zhang’s Clay Figures” were first created by Zhang Mingshan in the mid-19th century, during the Qing Dynasty. The clay figures are created through a process of moulding and painting, and their characteristics are portrayed through the use of colour. The works symbolize the mix of contemporary culture with Chinese cultural and artistic traditions.
The essence of this art has been inherited and carried forward through successive generations.
Zhang Zexun, the fifth-generation descendant, is showcasing her work at the Mandarin’s House in an exhibition that comprises 19 sculpture works themed on historical figures. Such figures include Zheng Guanying, Luis de Camões, Lin Zexu, Matteo Ricci and George Chinnery’s “The Fisherwoman.”
Zhang Zexun has been a professor at the University of Macau since 2004, and has previously been honoured with two solo exhibitions in 2007 and 2009. In addition, her sculpture works and Chinese paintings have been selected for a number of art exhibits in China and have also received awards.
The “Sculpting the History of Macau” exhibition was inaugurated at the Mandarin’s House on Friday. It is open to the public from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. except on Wednesdays. Admission is free.