Exhibition Overview

The Taipa Village Cultural Association presents the latest series of works by renowned Macau painter Lio Man Cheong, titled "Macau's Firecrackers Industry."

This exhibition showcases Lio's unprecedented exploration of one of Macau's four major historical industries: the firecracker trade. The works reflect the industry's rise from the late 19th century, its peak in the early 20th century, and its eventual decline, leaving almost no trace behind.

The series incorporates a new style of Chinese ink painting to visually narrate the traditional production processes of the firecracker industry and the people involved. This industry serves as a priceless witness to Macau's long history and symbolizes locally rooted craftsmanship.

About Lio Man Cheong

"Painting is the most important thing in my life."

• Born in Zhuhai, China in 1951, Lio Man Cheong settled in Macau at a young age.
• Member of the China Artists Association and Vice President of the Macau Artists Association.
• Worked for thirty years in cinema art and advertising design.
• Has participated in stamp design for Macau Post.
• Currently serves as a watercolor and figure painting instructor for the spring and summer art courses at the Macau Museum of Art.
• Since the 1970s, he has participated in annual joint exhibitions organized by the Cultural Affairs Bureau, Civic and Municipal Affairs Bureau, and Macau Artists Association.

Curator's Preface

Lio Man Cheong is a master painter skilled in watercolor and oil painting. His breath lives out the tranquility found in his artworks. In his paintings, light, shadow, and color engage in a continuous, polite dialogue—a sensual play where the white of the paper acts as a unifying element, much like a silent pause in a conversation between old friends is an extension of their mutual respect. The themes of his work can be inferred as space, time, memory, and people.

The theme of this new series of watercolor works is based on the long-vanished story of the firecracker manufacturing industry. As Master Lio's visual research shows, the entire handicraft process is divided into 16 stages. Each stage is faithfully and precisely presented: the humble and dangerous environment, young women and children working with explosive materials to help their families improve their lives—scenes that are difficult to imagine and are undervalued today.

The firecracker industry was one of Macau's four major industries and exports, alongside shipbuilding, incense, and matches. It emerged in the late 19th century and flourished in the early 20th century. The six major firecracker factories were all established and prospered between 1923 and 1960. Later, with the emergence of the plastics and garment manufacturing industries in the 1960s, the local handicraft industry could not compete with lower-priced counterparts from China and disappeared in the late 1970s.

This exhibition holds special significance for Taipa Old Village and its residents, as it re-enacts a specific era and phenomenon. It is a reminder of its rich tradition and a tribute to its ancestors.