Helena Almeida’s first large-scale retrospective in Asia set to open next Friday, 23 January at MAM

MACAU, January 16 - Organised by the Cultural Affairs Bureau of the Macao SAR Government (IC, from the Portuguese acronym), co-organised by the School of Intermedia Art of the China Academy of Art and implemented by the Macao Museum of Art (MAM), the exhibition Helena Almeida: I Am Here – Presence and Resonance is set to open on Friday, 23 January at 6:30 pm, at MAM, featuring nearly 42 sets comprising 190 original works by the esteemed Portuguese contemporary artist Helena Almeida (1934-2018) , along with 14 sets of Almeida-inspired works created by artists from Mainland China and Macao. Members of the public are cordially invited to visit and appreciate the exhibition.

The exhibition is structured into two sections: “Presence” and “Resonance”. It aims to not only showcase the works of Helena Almeida but also reveal how her art and influence continues to reverberate in contemporary Chinese artistic practice. The “Presence” section, serving as Helena Almeida’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. The “Resonance” section brings together works by Mainland Chinese artists Min Han, Gao Fuyan and Sun Xiaoyu, as well as Macao 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, the Macao Museum of Art will host the “Contemporary Art Curating Workshop with Delfim Sardo” on 18 January (Sunday), 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 mobile app at activity.mo.gov.mo/activity-h5/. Participation is free of charge. If the number of applicants exceeds the quota, attendees will be selected by drawing lot.

Helena Almeida: I Am Here – Presence and Resonance will run from 24 January to 26 April, 2026, across the first to third floors of the Macao Museum of Art. MAM's opening hours are from 10:00 am to 7:00 pm (last admission at 6:30 pm). It is closed every Monday but remains open on public holidays, and admission is free.

For more details about the exhibition and related events, please visit MAM website at www.MAM.gov.mo or its Facebook page, “Macao Museum of Art”.