“Parallel Worlds, Exhibition from Macao, China: 19th International Architecture Exhibition – La Biennale di Venezia” officially opens in Italy.
The “Parallel Worlds, Exhibition from Macao, China: 19th International Architecture Exhibition – La Biennale di Venezia” officially opened on 8 May 2025 in Venice, Italy. The exhibition, jointly curated by internationally renowned architects Wang Shu and Lu Wenyu, showcases the coexistence of “parallel worlds” of Macao through the urban landscape photographs captured by renowned architectural photographer Iwan Baan and installations created by professors and students from the School of Architecture in the China Academy of Art and the Department of Architecture and Design at the University of Saint Joseph in Macao. These presentations highlight the urban texture of Macao, where Chinese and Western cultures coexist, and past and present landscapes have endured for over 400 years.
The opening ceremony was officiated by the President of the Cultural Affairs Bureau of the Macao SAR Government, Leong Wai Man; the curators Wang Shu and Lu Wenyu; the Assistant Vice President of Design & Development at MGM, Terence Lei; the General Manager of the China Arts and Entertainment Group Ltd., Guo Liqun; the participating artist Iwan Baan; and the Head of Department of Architecture and Design of the Faculty of Arts and Humanities at the University of Saint Joseph in Macao, Nuno Filipe Gonçalves Soares. The event was also attended by the Chairman of the Hong Kong Arts Development Council, Kenneth Fok Kai-kong, JP; the Deputy Representative of the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Brussels, Fiona Li Wing Suen; the members of curatorial teams of the China Pavilion and Hong Kong exhibition at the 19th International Architecture Exhibition – La Biennale di Venezia, as well as representatives from MGM, various architects and curators.
The exhibition is divided into four “parallel worlds” of Macao: the profound space of historic town, the symbolic representation of integrated resort architecture, the geometric order of the modern city, and the future projection of a digital and intangible city. These aspects are presented as four mirror images, reflecting how Macao maintains its cultural roots amidst globalization while embracing the future with an open attitude. Through aerial photography and a unique perspective, Iwan Baan portrays the relationship between Macao’s architecture, urban landscape and natural environment in a compelling narrative. Professors and students from architectural schools in both mainland China and Macao showcase a rich variety of creative installations in the exhibition, providing new ideas for the future development of urban architecture in Macao. In her speech, the President of the Cultural Affairs Bureau, Leong Wai Man highlighted Macao’s historical role as a bridge between the East and the West and a hub for cultural convergence. She emphasized the world heritage sites centered around the Historic Centre of Macao, alongside its surrounding modern architecture, which showcase the charm of the past and present and the blend of Chinese and Western cultures. She noted that this exhibition reflects the rich cultural connotations of Macao.
The “Parallel Worlds, Exhibition from Macao, China: 19th International Architecture Exhibition – La Biennale di Venezia”, organized by the Cultural Affairs Bureau of the Macao SAR Government and implemented by the Macao Museum of Art, with the support of MGM, is held from 10 May to 23 November 2025 at Arsenale, Campo della Tana, Castello 2126/A, 30122, Venice, Italy, and is closed on Mondays, except on holidays. Admission is free. For more information about the exhibition, please visit the website of the Macao Museum of Art at www.MAM.gov.mo and the “Macao Museum of Art” page on Facebook.
