The Will at the Edge

There has been continuous emergence of talented fine artists in Macao amid the rapid growth of local industries since the city’s handover to China. The young artists have been unremittingly devoted themselves to creative work while coping with the pressure of urban living. Since choosing visual arts as their career, they have remained determined to live off their artistic skills despite their unusual states of existence over the years. It is as if they were maintaining their will at the edge of the city, growing through persistent creation and speaking with their works.

It is our great honor to have a group of competent local artists born after the 70s showcase their masterpieces in The Will at the Edge – Macao Invitational Youth Art Exhibition at Tap Seac Gallery. The event boasts superb and outstanding works ranging from Chinese painting, oil painting, print, calligraphy to sculpture, ceramic, installation and multi-disciplinary arts. They reflect distinctive personal styles and artistic expressions, demonstrating the contemporary perspectives and zeitgeist of local young artists. “There really is no such a thing as art. There are only artists,” wrote the renowned art historian Ernst Gombrich. We hope these artists will serve as a reference for future academics and experts studying Macao’s fine arts.

The exhibition carries significance for the small town, as it helps nurture local artistic seedlings, a better move than merely leaning on the full-grown trees from elsewhere. 

Curatorial team of Macau Youth Art Association

March, 2022