“Jacone’s Polyphony” – Collateral Event from Macao, China at the Venice Biennale Grandly Unveiled

MACAU, May 11 - Organised by the Cultural Affairs Bureau of the Macao Government and implemented by the Macao Museum of Art, “Jacone’s Polyphony, Exhibition from Macao, China: 61^st International Art Exhibition – La Biennale di Venezia” was officially inaugurated in Venice, Italy, on 8 May 2026. Jointly curated by Feng Yan and Cindy Ng Sio Ieng, the exhibition takes the life trajectory of the early Qing‑dynasty painter, poet and Catholic convert Wu Li (known in Portuguese as Jacone) and the cultural confluence of Macao as its central narrative thread. It brings together three emerging Macao‑based artists – Eric Fok Hoi Seng, O Chi Wai and Veronica Lei Fong Ieng – who, through a contemporary lens, deconstruct and re‑imagine this legacy, focusing on overlooked fragments of history. The project resonates in harmony with the overarching theme of this year’s Biennale, “In Minor Keys”, and offers a compelling meditation on cross‑cultural understanding and fusion within the context of globalisation.

The opening ceremony was officiated by Li Xiaoyong, Chargé d’Affaires of the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in Italy ; Zhang Chenggang, Consul General of the People’s Republic of China in Milan;  Loi Weng I, representative of the Cultural Affairs Bureau of the Macao SAR Government and Acting Director of the Macao Museum of Art; Feng Yan, curator representative, and Eric Fok Hoi Seng, artist representative. Also in attendance were Xue Lijun, Deputy General Manager of Bauhinia Culture Holdings Limited; members of the Macao participating team; and numerous distinguished guests from the art world in Italy, Mainland China, Hong Kong and Macao.

Wu Li was a pioneering figure in cross‑cultural exchange during the late Ming and early Qing dynasties. He travelled to Macao during the Kangxi reign with the intention of proceeding to Rome for theological study. Although he never made it to Europe, he resided in Macao for a period of theological training and documented his experiences in the poetry album Sanba Ji (Collection of Poems from St. Paul’s), leaving behind a vital record of the city’s historical role as a melting pot of Chinese and Western cultural interchange. The current exhibition revolves around Wu Li’s life and cultural practice, employing the language of contemporary art to give tangible form to the European voyage that remained unfulfilled more than three hundred years ago. The three participating artists each respond to Wu Li’s transcultural journey from their distinctive vantage points, carrying forward his spirit of creative courage and exploratory inquiry. Eric Fok Hoi Seng revisits historical scenes through meticulously rendered paintings, creating a deliberate disjuncture between the real and the imagined. O Chi Wai works with images and installation to examine the fluidity of faith and culture. Veronica Lei Fong Ieng, through keen perceptual sensibility, weaves together memory and place. The “polyphony” that emerges from the interplay of the three pieces delves into the pressing question of how, within a globalised context marked by cultural convergence, one might navigate a path towards cross‑cultural understanding and self‑dialogue whilst remaining firmly grounded in one’s cultural roots. In so doing, the exhibition also offers a fresh perspective on Macao’s distinctive cultural identity as a longstanding frontier of East‑West encounter.

The Cultural Affairs Bureau has long been committed to promoting the participation of Macao artists in major international art events, bolstering Macao’s role as a vital window for exchange and mutual learning between Chinese and Western civilisations. By organising overseas exhibition, the Cultural Affairs Bureau allow global audiences to experience the profound cultural heritage and the singular charm of Macao, as well as the historical richness of its fusion between East and West.

“Jacone’s Polyphony, Exhibition from Macao, China: 61^st International Art Exhibition – La Biennale di Venezia”  runs from 9 May to 22 November 2026. The exhibition hall is located in front of the Arsenale, the Biennale’s main building, with address at Arsenale, Campo della Tana, Castello 2126/A, 30122, Venice, Italy. Admission is free. For further information, please visit the website of the Macao Museum of Art at www.MAM.gov.mo and the “Macao Museum of Art” page on Facebook.