Late Portuguese artist Helena Almeida’s first large-scale retrospective exhibition in Asia, “Helena Almeida: I Am Here – Presence and Resonance”, will open at the Macao Museum of Art (MAM) in Nape on 23 January.
Organised by the Cultural Affairs Bureau (IC), co-organised by the School of Intermedia Art of the China Academy of Art and implemented by MAM, the exhibition is held across the first to third floors of the museum.
The exhibition features nearly 42 sets comprising 190 original works by the esteemed Portuguese contemporary artist, along with 14 sets of Almeida-inspired works created by artists from mainland China and Macau.
The exhibition is structured into two sections: “Presence” and “Resonance”. It aims to not only showcase the works of Almeida (1934-2018) but also reveal how her art and influence continues to reverberate in contemporary Chinese artistic practice.
The “Presence” section, serving as the artist’s first large-scale retrospective in Asia, systematically presents key moments and dimensions of her long career in chronological order. The exhibited works encompass her early explorative paintings, photographic series, final sketch studies, preparatory sketches, as well as video works filmed throughout her life.
This section offers a comprehensive exploration of the unique relationship between bodily performativity and practices of self-representation in her oeuvre, according to IC.
The “Resonance” section brings together works by mainland Chinese artists Min Han, Gao Fuyan and Sun Xiaoyu, as well as Macau artists Pang Yun, Wong Weng Io and Angel, Chan On Kei – all inspired by Almeida. It demonstrates how the enduring power of her art continues to resonate within the international art community. This section has been open to the public since December 2025.
To enrich the public’s exhibition experience and deepen their understanding of curatorial work, MAM is hosting the “Contemporary Art Curating Workshop with Delfim Sardo” today, inviting the exhibition’s chief curator, renowned Portuguese art scholar Delfim Sardo to lead the workshop delving into core curatorial concepts in contemporary art.
Additionally, in conjunction with the exhibition, the thematic lecture “Helena Almeida and Dialogue on Contemporary Art”, and two “Expressing a Name – Bodily Narrative Workshop” conducted by co-curator Song Zhen will be held. Interested individuals can register via the “Registration for Activities” item on the Macao One Account. Participation is free of charge. If the number of applicants exceeds the quota, attendees will be selected by drawing lot.
The exhibition will open to the public from 24 January to 26 April. The museum is open from 10 am to 7 pm (last admission at 6:30 pm). It is closed every Monday but remains open on public holidays. Admission is free. For more information visit MAM’s website.
Source and Image: IC
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