In collaboration with the Macao SAR government, MGM is committed to promote the "Tourism +" concept with the integration of tourism and culture to actively create a new cultural tourism brand for the city. To support the proud return of the large-scale international cultural and artistic event, “Art Macao: Macao International Art Biennale 2021”, MGM has curated the Special Exhibition “Awakening” and organized  the “Greater Bay Area Art Symposium - Contemporary Dialogues of Chinese Culture Awakening”. These happenings are to inspire cultural awakening through contemporary art and bring forth positive energy and confidence to the post-pandemic era, whilst rekindling hope and fostering a conducive social environment.

Conveying the spirit of the lion, the MGM Special Exhibition “Awakening” is a unique and forward-looking exhibition, where Chinese artists from all over the world come together to present their creative ideas in Macau. Many artists have taken the imagery of MGM and the lion motif as the theme, while combining the cultural significance of the “waking lion” from Cantonese Lingnan tradition in their artworks. The opening ceremony of the exhibition was held on July 16 at the Spectacle, MGM COTAI with a line-up of guests of honor, including: Lo Hou Chi, Representative of the Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture of the Macao SAR and Advisor of the Office; Zuo Xianghua, Deputy Director-General of the Economic Affairs Department of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the Macao SAR; Mok Ian Ian, Director of Cultural Affairs Bureau; Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes, Director of Macao Government Tourism Office; Kenneth Feng, President, Chief Strategic and Financial Officer of MGM; Calvin Hui, Curator of MGM Chairman’s Collection and Special Exhibition “Awakening”; Wang Huangsheng, Chief Director of the Art Museum of Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts; and Liu Guofu and Xue Song, Chinese contemporary artists. The opening ceremony began with an eye-dotting ceremony of junior lions and lion dance themed performance by children hip-hop dancers to unveil the special exhibition. It symbolizes the complementarity of the Lingnan “waking lion” tradition and the icon of the MGM Lion, denoting the passing on of Chinese culture.

Ms. Pansy Ho, Co-Chairperson and Executive Director of MGM China Holdings Limited said online at the opening ceremony, “This year marks the beginning of the Fourteenth Five Year Plan, and also the significant historic junction between China’s ‘Two Centenaries’ goals. At this meaningful time, the MGM Special Exhibition ‘Awakening’ takes lion as its motif. The lion symbol of MGM stands for prestige, courage, confidence and tenacity. We push this spirit to new heights as we strive to shape unique cultural tourism experience of Chinese culture. Cohering ‘To Create for Well-Being’, the theme of this year’s ‘Art Macao’, MGM will continue to strengthen its cultural confidence with the spirit of originality and innovation, leading us to create a new chapter in art.”  

The MGM Special Exhibition “Awakening” is one of the core activities of “Art Macao”. Curated by Calvin Hui, the exhibition draws from the cultural symbol of the lion and interprets through contemporary art, in response to the longstanding historical and cultural roots and to demonstrate cultural confidence in the post-pandemic era.

Chinese contemporary artists, Xue Song and Liu Guofu have created brand new artworks inspired by the imagery of the lion. The exhibition also features numerous works from the Chairman's Collection, including important works by such preeminent artists as Cai Guo-Qiang, Wang Huangsheng, Liu Jianhua, Yu Yang, Yuan Jai and Chloe Ho, as well as the imperial carpet of the Qing Dynasty – Five Lions. These grandiose exhibits all explore the old and new artistic traditions with the audience and broaden their mind and sight of the future.

To spread a positive vibe to the guests while echoing the “Art Macao” theme of "To Create for Well-being", famous sculptor Hung Yi, presents the public art project “MGM Lion Party”, in the lush Nature’s Art at the Spectacle, expressing a sense of joy and sustainability. Among his iconic animal sculptures in this project, there are the Mr. and Mrs. Lion, the first MGM Lion Family sculpture in his career, which staged a joyous party with other 12 animal sculptures to bring happiness to all ages through art.

On the same day, the “Greater Bay Area Art Symposium - Contemporary Dialogues of Chinese Culture Awakening” is also held in the MGM Theater with an audience of around 300 guests. Moderated by the Xiao Ge, Co-Founder, Editor-in-chief and Vice President of Phoenix Art, top speakers including Pansy Ho, Calvin Hui, Wang Huangsheng, Liu Guofu and Xue Song, came together to discuss on how to awaken the Chinese art and culture, and explore on its innovation and revival based on the current development of Chinese art. The symposium has also attracted over 140,000 viewers during its livestreams partnering with two popular online media platforms: Artron, Chief Art Media Partner and Zai Art, Official Livestreaming Partner.

At the symposium, Curator Calvin Hui said, “MGM’s ‘Chairman’s Collection’ includes paintings and art installations from various important Chinese contemporary artists. Inspired by Eastern aesthetics while immersed in diverse cultural threads and ideas amid an era of globalization, these artists create a contemporary expression cohering distinctive aesthetics of Chinese art, blazing their own path apart from the monotonous mainstream discourse. Their artworks enrich and diversify the ecology of Chinese traditional culture, hence helping to realize the creative transformation of the fine Chinese culture in the Greater Bay Area and contribute to the development of a Cultured Bay Area.”

From today to October 31, the MGM Special Exhibition “Awakening” will be open to public for 24 hours daily at Lion Lobby, Spectacle and Emerald Lobby of MGM COTAI. Guided tours are available from 11am to 7pm with no advance appointment necessary.

Under the patronage of the Secretariat for Social Affairs and Culture and the Secretariat for Economy and Finance, “Art Macao 2021” is organized by the Macao SAR Government Cultural Affairs Bureau and the Macao Government Tourism Office, and is co-organized by the Macao SAR Government Education and Youth Development Bureau, with the participation of the city’s hotels and integrated resorts, various creative cities and higher education institutions. From July to October 2021, this citywide event aims at developing Macau into a world-class exchange platform for culture and arts.

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About MGM

MGM is an abbreviation for MGM China Holdings Limited (HKEx: 2282) and is a leading developer, owner and operator of gaming and lodging resorts in the Greater China region. We are the holding company of MGM Grand Paradise, SA which holds one of the six gaming concessions/subconcessions to run casino games in Macau. MGM Grand Paradise, SA owns and operates MGM MACAU, the award-winning premium integrated resort located on the Macau Peninsula and MGM COTAI, a contemporary luxury integrated resort in Cotai, which opened in early 2018 and more than doubles our presence in Macau. 

MGM MACAU is a Forbes Five-Star luxury integrated resort inspired by the arts with every element of the resort infused with creativity and style. MGM MACAU has approximately 600 guest rooms and suites and boasts a number of distinguishing features, including the architecturally stunning European-inspired Grande Praça, housed under a soaring glass ceiling. MGM MACAU’s world class facilities include the MGM Art Space, dedicating over 5,000 square feet to display authentic works of art, conference and event facilities, spa, and seven signature restaurants and bars to fulfill any gastronomic craving. Our property is conveniently located on the Macau Peninsula and is directly connected to the luxury retail shopping complex, One Central.

MGM COTAI is the latest integrated resort of MGM in China. Designed as the “jewelry box” of Cotai, it offers approximately 1,400 hotel rooms and suites, Asia’s first dynamic theater, meeting space, high end spa, retail offerings and food and beverage outlets as well as the first international Mansion at MGM for the ultimate luxury experience. The Spectacle at MGM COTAI becomes the record holder of the largest free-span gridshell glazed roof (self-supporting) on January 19, 2019, making it the first architectural and structural GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS™ title for Macau, China. MGM COTAI is being developed to drive greater product diversification and bring more advanced and innovative forms of entertainment to Macau as it grows as a global tourist destination. MGM COTAI is the only mega complex and hotel in Macau to gain three-star certification in both Green Building Design and Operation Label, as well as the first hotel in the Greater Bay Area and second in Greater China to receive the certifications.

MGM China Holdings Limited is majority owned by MGM Resorts International (NYSE: MGM), one of the world's leading global hospitality companies, operating a portfolio of destination resort brands including Bellagio, MGM Grand, Mandalay Bay and The Mirage. 

For media enquiries, please contact:    

Jessie Kuan

Director of Public Relations

MGM

Tel: (853) 8806 3412

Email: jessiekuan@mgm.mo

Karen Lam

Senior Corporate Relations Manager

MGM

Tel: (853) 8806 3421

Email: karenlam@mgm.mo