AFA 10th ‘Autumn Salon’ presents high-caliber artists

The annual Autumn Salon of the Art For All Society (AFA) is presenting some of Macau’s most renowned artists at the Casa Garden.
The event has been co-organized with the Orient Foundation. The director of the Foundation’s Macau Delegation, Ana Paula Cleto, who has worked with the Foundation for as many as nine years, said the idea of the Autumn Salon was “magical.”
Cleto noted, “[It was] an innovative idea by James Chu, an idea that defied the ‘established’; the idea of creating an Autumn Salon similar to the acclaimed French Autumn Salons.”
The director described the AFA Autumn Salon as “a representative display of Macau art and is intended to remain a space for local artists to promote their work, a stimulus for artistic production.” A platform was intended to be created for emerging artists, too.
Meanwhile, the curator of this year’s event, James Chu – also a distinguished artist in the city himself – has recapped his choices of essentials in the preface to the program notes to offer viewers a clearer picture of the idea behind the salon.
Citing the original French meaning of “salon,” being a gathering for the exchange of ideas that attracts artists, poets, musicians, painters, philosophers, among others, in the introduction to the 2010 event he projected that the Autumn Salon would become a stage for dynamic interactions and to create professional synergies.
Chu stressed that the platform should be appreciated and utilized for the development of the art scene in Macau. “The predecessors planted trees, so that the descendants can benefit from the shade,” Chu wrote.
Wong Weng Iao’s Genesis on 600 Screens won the Gold Award of the Orient Foundation Art Prize. It is a combination of images projected by 600 mobile phone screens. The element of reality was retained, as fingerprint traces were left on some of the screens as part of the artwork.
The composition of the background of the artwork, meanwhile, has taken its reference from the mural painting “Genesis” in the Sistine Chapel by Michelangelo. Wong’s work revolves around the myths and stories about “origin.”
Another work, titled The Law of Happiness and Ho’oponopono Therapy, made by Ernest Van, used mixed media to present the artist’s view of blissfulness. The 40 x 120 centimeter art piece places two partially overlapping circles in the center, bounded by tiles with Chinese words for “gratitude,” “love” and “apology” written in calligraphic style.
A massive mock credit card, made by Leong Chi Mou, was presented as comedy involving art and lack of income. AL