A photography exhibition titled “A White Diamond” by Macau-based Portuguese artist Lúcia Lemos opened yesterday at Creative Macau in Nape, showcasing black-and-white photographs inspired by the Portuguese concert hall Casa da Música in Porto.
The exhibition presents a series of black-and-white photographs, reflecting Lemos’s fascination with the fleeting moment between framing and releasing the camera shutter. According to Lemos, photographing with traditional film brings a sense of happiness and discovery, especially when unexpected details emerge within the image, the exhibition text points out.
A central focus of the exhibition is Porto’s architectural landmark Casa da Música (“House of Music”). Lemos first photographed the building in 2006 using her Rolleiflex camera. The concert hall’s white cement structure, often compared to a diamond, stands in contrast to the surrounding early-20th-century granite houses, creating a distinctive visual presence in Portugal’s northern city.
Lemos also photographed the interior of the building, describing the experience as emotionally dazzling due to its luminous design. According to Lemos, the architecture integrates Portuguese handcrafted glass and tiles within a minimalist framework, forming what she describes as “a symbiosis of tradition and modernity”.
Through the displayed works, Lemos highlights both the exterior forms and the atmospheric qualities of the building, which initially sparked controversy when constructed but later became beloved by Porto residents.
With free admission, the exhibition runs until March 28 on the ground floor of the Macau Cultural Centre (CCM) from Monday to Saturday, between 2 p.m. and 7 p.m.
Stay tuned for more pictures and an interview with Lemos in an upcoming page 4.
Macau-based Portuguese artist Lúcia Lemos addresses last night’s opening ceremony of her “A White Diamond” photo exhibition at Creative Macau in Nape. – Photo: Khalel Vallo
