Local artist Leong Kitman is presenting a series of gongbi* silk paintings created between 2024 and 2025 at the Rui Cunha Foundation (FRC) gallery.
Titled Urban Myrrh** and on until Saturday, September 13, the exhibition has been curated by Julia Lam Tsz Kwan and features 20 of Leong’s gongbi works.
These include those from the “Spices of Soul” series that debuted in Rome inspired by the Silk Road’s spice trade, her increasingly recognised “Innermost” series that “addresses the oppressive emotions of urban life”, and the “Daily Apps” series, which “reflects on the electronic decline of urban living, depicting the habitual scrolling and browsing driven by muscle memory”.
The statement highlighted the latter series, with the artist noting that modern reading habits have changed due to smartphones, which have created an addictive cycle of distraction. Many people long for the ability to set aside these devices to achieve a more peaceful and serene state of mind.
The exhibition, which highlights Leong’s preferred Song Dynasty aesthetic, also features new works including “Urban Apron”, which depicts a circle of Roman numerals on a round silk canvas, reflecting “the conflict between the fragmentation of daily responsibilities and the pursuit of the soul, as well as the contradictions between duty and freedom that permeate every corner of life”.
Leong, who is also an assistant professor of Fine Arts and supervisor of Master’s and Doctoral students at the Faculty of Humanities and Arts at the private Macau University of Science and Technology (MUST), hopes her work can alleviate these tensions.
One can visit the exhibition from Monday to Friday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturdays. Admission is free.
*Gongbi (工笔), meaning “meticulous brush”, is a traditional Chinese painting technique characterised by meticulous detail and precision. This style emphasises fine lines and intricate patterns, often depicting subjects such as flowers, birds, and landscapes with a high level of realism. - Poe
**Myrrh, according to Poe, is a resin obtained from the Commiphora tree, particularly Commiphora myrrha. It has been used for centuries for its aromatic properties, both in religious rituals and as a traditional medicine.
Photos: Rui Pastorin
