The second iteration of “Curiouser and Curiouser – Exploring Alice’s Wonderland” kicked off over the weekend at the Macau Tower, presenting art installations that also hosted miming performances by various art clubs.
The curator, Mel Cheong Hoi, uses “Alice in Wonderland” as a blueprint and presents a “fantasy world” to the public.
Speaking to the Times, Cheong said that it is high time for enterprises to be more open to the works of local artists, allowing them to present their exhibitions and installations inside their premises.
“I think they have to think more about local artists since foreign artists are not able yet to come to Macau. Another problem though is whether they can find us [someone who caters to their specific style],” said the curator.
For Cheong, it is also challenging for local artists to look for premise sponsorships, particularly depending on the artist’s style or genre.
Cheong focuses on large paper art, therefore her works need to be exhibited at a large indoor site.
“We don’t have much [in the way of enterprises] to choose from. Fortunately, Macau Tower agreed for us to use this space. They have been supporting us since last year. Our proposal for next year is even ready to be turned in to them,” said Cheong.
The curator also stressed that local artists need to be invited to the international stage, to allow them to gather ideas and inspiration, and excel at marketing.
“I believe there are a lot of good artists in Macau. They may just not have good marketing or organizing skills to make the whole project suitable for a commercial area,” Cheong said.
The curator noted that artists still need time to understand how collaboration and operations with enterprises work.
Meanwhile, another challenge that local artists face is the government’s tight schedule for subsidy and budget applications, as it can take up to seven months for funding to be approved.
For some artists, they use the seven-month period to start their work without financial support. Others wait for the government’s approval.
“I always ask my collaborators that even if we don’t have any funding yet, are we still willing to contribute? Funding comes next, it is just a bonus. In case there is really no funding, we’ll still do it but in smaller in scale,” said Cheong.
“We have to try our best to acquire other assistance.”
The exhibition “Curiouser and Curiouser – Exploring Alice’s Wonderland” will run until October 9.
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