Collateral Event of the 61st International Art Exhibition - La Biennale di Venezia
JACONE’S POLYPHONY: EXHIBITION FROM MACAO, CHINA
Curated by Feng Yan, Cindy Ng Sio Ieng
Organised by the Cultural Affairs Bureau of the Macao SAR Government (IC) and implemented by the Macao Museum of Art (MAM), the exhibition Jacone’s Polyphony: Exhibition from Macao, China will be held from 9 May to 22 November in Venice, Italy, as the Collateral Event for the 61st International Art Exhibition - La Biennale di Venezia. Jointly curated by Feng Yan and Cindy Ng Sio Ieng, in collaboration with artists Eric Fok Hoi Seng, O Chi Wai, and Veronica Lei Fong Ieng, the exhibition focuses on the narrative logic of “polyphony”, revolving around the creative trajectory and spiritual exploration of Wu Li – a painter, poet, and Catholic from the early Qing dynasty – across East and West. Through installations, paintings, and video works, the show explores the resonance of culture, faith and spirit in the context of globalisation, echoing the theme of Biennale Arte 2026, “In Minor Keys”.
In 1681 (during the reign of Emperor Kangxi), Wu Li, who had originally planned to travel to Rome with Jesuit missionaries, went south to Macao. This unrealised voyage to Europe led him to stay in Macao and study theology. He recorded the unique landscapes of Macao – a city shaped by the integration of Chinese and Western cultures – in his poetry collection San Ba Ji (Collection of Poems about St. Paul’s). Through the contemporary reconstruction of this cross-cultural pioneer’s story, the exhibition adopts a progressive layout that connects outdoor spaces with four indoor galleries, forming a narrative loop across time and space between past and present. It presents Wu Li’s unfinished journey to Europe through contemporary creation, achieving a “spiritual arrival” delayed by over three centuries.
Eric Fok Hoi Seng revisits historical scenes with meticulous paintings, creating dislocation and imagination between reality and illusion. O Chi Wai explores the flow of faith and culture through video and installations, while Veronica Lei Fong Ieng’s work intertwines memory and place through keen perception. Together, their creations form a “polyphony” that examines how individuals may achieve cross-cultural understanding and self-dialogue while upholding the cultural roots in a time of cultural convergence caused by the context of globalisation. It also probes the inclusivity and innovation of Macao as an important node for long-term cultural exchange between China and the West.
Since its participation in the 52nd International Art Exhibition - La Biennale di Venezia in 2007, Jacone’s Polyphony marks Macao’s 10th participation as Collateral Event in this prestigious international platform for contemporary art. Jacone’s Polyphony: Exhibition from Macao, China continues in-depth exploration in local historical contexts, while reinterpreting cross-cultural issues through an international artistic language. The exhibition will be held until 22 November 2026 at Arsenale, Campo della Tana, Castello 2126/A, 30122, Venice, Italy. It is open from 10 am to 6 pm, Tuesday to Sunday. For more information, please visit the Macao Museum of Art’s official website at www.MAM.gov.mo.
Organiser:
Ufficio Affari Culturali del Governo della RAS di Macao
Implementing Unit: Macao Museum of Art
Website: www.MAM.gov.mo
Coordinator in Venice: CS Art Management
Curators: Feng Yan, Cindy Ng Sio Ieng
Artists: Eric Fok Hoi Seng, O Chi Wai, e Veronica Lei Fong Ieng
Coordinator in Venice
CS Art Management
Venue: Arsenale, Campo della Tana, Castello 2126/A, Venice, Italy
Exhibition period: 9 May – 22 November 2026
Summer opening hours: 11 am - 7 pm (from May to September)
Autumn opening hours: 10 am - 6 pm (from October to 22 November)
Closed on Mondays (except 11 May, 1 June, 7 September, 16 November)
Free Admission
Media Enquiries
CS Art Management
press@csartmanagement.com
www.csartmanagement.com
Further Enquiry
Macao Museum of Art
Ellie Chan
sfchan@icm.gov.mo
www.MAM.gov.mo
