Themed “Advance and retreat of globalization”, the main exhibition is divided into three parts: “The Dream of Mazu”, “Matteo Ricci's Labyrinth of Memory  ” and “Advance and Retreat of Globalization”. Over 40 artists from nearly 20 countries and regions to participate in the three sessions of the exhibition on globalization and individuals, on daily life and dreams, on distance and nearness, and on a sense of safety and happiness. More than 100 sets of artworks will be exhibited. Macao is an important transit port for Chinese blue-and-white porcelain, and is set as an important scene in the first wave of globalization. In light of this, the exhibition also features five important collections of export porcelain from the Macao Museum and the Macao Museum of Art.

The Dream of Mazu

In the first episode of the advance and retreat of globalization, it introduces the Chinese export porcelain to Japan, Southeast Asia, and Europe via Macao during the Ming Dynasty. Chinese civilization was spread over the world through the trade of porcelain and other goods, disseminating “The Dream of Mazu”. This section brings together the Ming’s and Qing’s export porcelain transshipped through Macao, the combination of traditional and contemporary creations of Azulejos tiles by artists from Portugal, the brand-new blue-and-white porcelain works by artists from China and the Middle East, as well as the modern interpretation of the spirit of ink and wash embraced in this dream.

Matteo Ricci's Labyrinth of Memory 

The Jesuit missionary Matteo Ricci arrived first in Macao and then went to preach in Mainland China. Meanwhile, he brought the Western culture and technical knowledge to China and demonstrated to the Chinese people the “Memory Palace”, a popular mnemonic technique among orators of the ancient Roman era. This section describes how the Western world’s view of China has been recognized, subverted, and rewritten over 500 years, but ultimately remains a memory maze.

Advance and Retreat of Globalization

Due to the global pandemic in 2020, humanity has faced unprecedented challenges in the process of globalization, which has accelerated dramatically since the 1980s. It seems that the “PAUSE” button has been pushed suddenly in the process of globalization. Globalization is the cause of the problem, and it will also be the solution. As globalization is irreversible, the problems of today’s world can only be solved by the model of global governance. However, the nature of “art”, which is free from ideological bias, has established its value in global governance. In the midst of this tragic pandemic, artists around the world have been continuously working on creation, striving to open a new spiritual path that leads the world from despair. The part “Advance and Retreat of Globalization” is to organize the ideas about tradition and memory mentioned in the first two chapters.