Macau’s transition remembered in photos

25 years after the historic handover of Macau to China, a photographic exhibition revisits the final days of Portuguese administration in the territory. The exhibit, showcasing the work of photographer António Duarte Mil-Homens, offers a glimpse into the transition process that unfolded in 1999.

Mil-Homens, who covered the handover for Revista Macau, had the opportunity to capture images of the last meetings of Macau’s governing bodies, including the final session of the Leal Senado. His lens also documented the ceremony where Governor Rocha Vieira was awarded the title of Honorary Citizen of Macau.

The exhibit features photographs of other significant events, such as the unveiling of a plaque at the Camões Cave, attended by Portuguese President Jorge Sampaio and his wife, as well as the Macau community. Mil-Homens also documented the presentation of Portugal’s first Consul-General for Macau and Hong Kong.

The culmination of the transition process was the ceremony marked by the lowering of the Portuguese and Leal Senado flags, and the raising of the flags of the new Macau Special Administrative Region and the People’s Republic of China. Mil-Homens’ photographs capture the historic moment, as well as the speeches by the presidents of Portugal and China.

“The photographs that make up this exhibition simply aim to remember, 25 years later, the events that marked the transition,” said Mil-Homens. “They are historical, unrepeatable documents, still originating in analogue format, with the ‘technical quality’ impaired by contingencies.”

The exhibition showcases Mil-Homens’ extensive experience, which spans commercial, scientific, and artistic photography. He has held 25 solo exhibitions and participated in 35 collective shows, in addition to teaching photography courses and workshops since 1989. Victoria Chan