MGM stages Macau debut for Chinese ‘sugar king’
Arguably China’s pioneer in fondant sculpture art, Zhou Yi will stage his first solo exhibition at MGM Cotai, with five of about 10 pieces exclusively made for Macau.
Dubbed the “Sugar King of China,” the artist first started his career in learning Chinese sculpture and dough sculpture from masters of the field, and later on stumbled upon fondant art, teaching himself the craft.
After mastering both the eastern and western art forms, he became an internationally renowned artist, with his traditional Chinese dough sculptures made in the medium of fondant art.
Fondant art gained its fame in the western world. It refers to decoration or coating on baked pastries, usually cakes, using icing made from sugar. It is usually colorful.
In contrast to fondant coating commonly found on the market, Zhou concentrates on creating artworks that celebrate the characteristics of Chinese culture. He also aspires to showcase commoner lifestyle through his works, which usually take at least two months to make from scratch.
For example, one art piece on show at this exhibition, which Zhou identified as the most challenging of all the pieces being showcased, is a nearly two-meter-tall sculpture fully made with colored fondant, portraying the renowned Cantonese yum cha culture, accentuated by white sugar resembling steam that transforms into clouds, alongside a lion dancing, and a Chinese porcelain roof.
The dim sum is presented with painstaking details, such as little shrimps atop each siu mai, and the orangey tone protruding from the little dumplings’ skin that reminds viewers of the fillings.
Overall, the exhibition revolves around the concepts of auspiciousness and courtesy, which are treasured in traditional Chinese culture. The exhibition leads its audiences to explore the charm of intangible cultural heritage and Chinese culture, and at the same time tells the great Chinese story through the marvelous craftsmanship of contemporary days.
Although set around the theme of tradition, Zhou tends to instill certain new takes and perspectives into existing conventions. This is demonstrated in his work depicting the imaginary Chinese figure Chang’e, which is also on show in Macau. He has painted the eyes of Chang’e red, which irritates some viewers, who say that this is not Chinese characteristic. In fact, the artist intended to make a connection between Chang’e and the rabbit she holds in her arms. Traditionally, Chang’e is believed to have ascended to the Moon with several rabbits.
He is also a big fan of Qing-dynasty reformist Zheng Guanying, who spent some years in Macau. Therefore, he has also made a sculpture depicting Zheng.
Zhou is also a multi-accolade winner, his most renowned prize being the Best Award at Cake International 2017. He was also commissioned to make showpieces for several national mega projects, such as the Beijing Winter Olympic Games and the National Museum of China.
He also runs programs to train newcomers who are interested in the art, but learning the basics takes at least three months.
The exhibition at MGM Cotai is a resident exhibit and open to the public every day from noon to 8 p.m. Entry is free-of-charge.
