The centenary of the founding of the erstwhile Iec Long Firecracker Factory is being commemorated this year, with over 400 exhibits related to the history and memory of a once thriving industry on display at Sands Gallery.
Launched yesterday afternoon and lasting over five months until August 31, “A Century of Iec Long Firecracker Factory in Radiance – An Exhibition on the Resonant History and Aesthetic Memory of Macao Firecrackers” features displays related to the industry’s development, the manufacturing process involved and original documents, as well as hundreds of colourful packaging labels, all across various zones. Interactive elements are also found throughout the venue.
The exhibition is presented by the integrated resort operator in conjunction with the private Macau University of Science and Technology’s (MUST) Library and Faculty of Humanities and Arts.
During his speech at yesterday’s launch ceremony, Sands China Executive Vice Chairman Wilfred Wong Ying-wai noted that firecrackers are “a living imprint of generations of Macau people, carrying the name ‘Made in Macau’ across the globe, while bearing witness to countless families and craftsmen who devoted themselves to this industry for their livelihoods”. He added that the exhibition presents the development of the industry as well as the city’s creativity and spirit, reflecting its “unique blend of East and West and its cultural diversity”.
Curating the pieces on display, meanwhile, is veteran local artist and MUST Distinguished Professor Guilherme Ung Vai Meng. He highlighted in his speech that between the 1950s and 1960s, Macau-produced firecrackers were estimated to account for 30 percent, or even more than half of the world’s firecracker output. “It can truly be said that Macau’s firecracker industry once held a pivotal position in the international market”, he said, with enabling members of the public to gain a deeper insight into the local firecracker industry’s history and enhancing appreciation of the artistry in their packaging among its aims.
Meanwhile, outside of the exhibition, Sands China and MUST will also host academic dialogues, along with two joint exhibitions. Firecracker exhibits will also be showcased during Sands Gallery’s participation in Art Central in Hong Kong, where Ung will also deliver a lecture on firecracker packaging.
Ung, who is not only passionate about the local firecrackers, but Macau as a whole, talked more about the exhibits and the former firecracker industry in an interview with the Post yesterday, with more in an upcoming Page 4.
The free-admission Sands Gallery at The Grand Suites at Four Seasons Hotel Macao in Cotai is open daily from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. More exhibition and activity details are available on https://en.sandsresortsmacao.com/sands-lifestyle/sands-art-gallery/iec-long-exhibition-2026.html
Guests and representatives pose for a group photo during the opening ceremony of “A Century of Iec Long Firecracker Factory in Radiance – An Exhibition on the Resonant History and Aesthetic Memory of Macao Firecrackers” at Sands Gallery in Cotai. – Photos: Rui Pastorin
This photo shows some of the many exhibits being presented at Sands Gallery.
