The Cultural Affairs Bureau (IC, from the Portuguese acronym), in collaboration with the Taipa Village Cultural Association, invited young Macao artists Vitorino Vong and Jane Ieng to create a new mural on the stone steps of Travessa da Boa Vista in the old downtown of Taipa, near Rua Direita Carlos Eugénio and the Iec Long Firecracker Factory. The mural depicts southern European-style cottages in bright vivid colour, which integrate perfectly with the small neighbouring houses, thus reflecting the peace and harmony of Macao. Residents and tourists are welcome to visit.
The mural on the stone steps of Travessa da Boa Vista is a deviation from the usual mural on the exterior walls of buildings, taking advantage of the step height to produce a three-dimensional impression, breaking the limitations of a flat surface. The artists deliberately painted a three-dimensional cat on the stone steps in order to create a vibrant image that complements the calm ambiance of the buildings around the old downtown. IC hopes that the mural on the stone steps of Travessa da Boa Vista will enrich the street scenery of the old downtown and direct visitors from Rua do Cunha to the Taipa Municipal Garden and other attractions such as Our Lady of Carmel Church and the Taipa Houses, showcasing the beauty of Macao’s Sino-Portuguese culture. In the future, more elements will be incorporated to enrich the image of the mural.
Vitorino Vong and Jane Ieng obtained bachelor degrees in visual arts from the School of Arts of the Macao Polytechnic Institute. Vitorino started painting murals during his studies at the university, and his works were mainly inspired by his personal interest, as well as the people and things he had encountered. On the other hand, Jane Ieng specializes in realistic drawing and prefers painting of characters and animals. Her artistic creations were mainly inspired by her daily life, presented through sculptures, sketches and graphic paintings. Both artists have created murals for several local specialty cafes and restaurants respectively, and have collaborated on murals at Travessa da Assunção and Barra Square, depicting the old days of the Inner Harbour.
Currently, IC has set up murals with different themes in places such as Travessa da Assunção, Barra Square and the exterior wall of the Nam Kwong Warehouse located at Rua do Almirante Sérgio, injecting a strong cultural and artistic atmosphere in the community, telling cultural stories behind the scenery through murals.