101 Bowls - An Art Exhibition Featuring Water Poon's Art & Romy Cheung's Fashion Opens at Sands Gallery Today

Funds raised from artworks donated to Rainbow Road

MACAU, April 27, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Sands China unveiled the second exhibition of its new Sands Gallery Wednesday at the Grand Suites at Four Seasons, with 101 Bowls – An Art Exhibition Featuring Water Poon's Art & Romy Cheung's Fashion.

The exhibition is part of the company's ongoing commitment to the diversification of art and culture, providing a platform for promoting extensive exchange and cooperation among local and international art talent.

With a theme of "Full of Content, Full of Love," the exhibition was created as a labour of love by Chinese artist Water Poon and Romy Cheung. It showcases over 40 bowls painted by Poon, some themed on the 24 Chinese solar terms, alongside one-of-a-kind folk art costumes designed by Cheung, some of which feature traditional Nantong blue calico from Jiangsu province, incorporating modern design into traditional materials to demonstrate the power of guochao, or the rising China cultural tide.

"Sands China is very pleased to present this exhibition as part of our company's determination to support the long-term development of art and culture in Macao," said Dr. Wilfred Wong, president of Sands China Ltd. "By bringing exhibitions like this to Sands Gallery, we hope to contribute to Macao's positioning as a multicultural exchange and cooperation base between Chinese and Western culture. Master Poon is a versatile artist, and has offered art lovers an extraordinary aesthetic experience through his varied art forms. Our sincere thanks go to Master Poon and Ms. Cheung for bringing their unique works, including those in the '101 Bowls' series on display, and for their commitment to utilise the exhibition to benefit a charitable cause. We are also grateful to the Macao Liaison Office and the Macao SAR government for their continued guidance and support."

Poon is an artist, photographer, designer and film director. Over his career he has published over 50 photo albums, art books and travel notes. His works have been exhibited around the world, including in China, Singapore, Japan, Canada and the United States. He has won a variety of awards including Hong Kong's Ten Outstanding Professional Youth of the Year, Hong Kong Artist of the Year for photography and the Martell Artist of the Year in Shanghai, China.

He said: "I am very excited to present these works from the '101 Bowls' series at Sands Gallery. Art is a pillar of culture, and it is an honour to be able to present the rich history of Chinese art and culture with this exhibition. These bowls, which are themed on the 24 Chinese solar terms, not only serve as a container, but as a medium to spread love and goodwill to the community. I'm even happier that my art can turn into goodwill by nurturing the youth in rural areas of China to learn about and appreciate arts. For this exhibition, 10 of my bowls are being donated for a charity sale with all proceeds going to Rainbow Road, a charity campaign contributing to youth education in ethnic areas in China and the development of cultural and art education. My gratitude goes to Sands China for their support and for helping raise visitors' awareness of Chinese art at its properties, and to all philanthropists who have supported this initiative."

As a charity tour, the exhibition has toured in Guangzhou, Shanghai and Dongguan, with donations made to respective NGOs for youth education along the way. For the Macao exhibition, 10 of Poon's bowls are being donated for a charity sale, with all proceeds going to Rainbow Road, a project to help rural teenagers, especially those in ethnic regions of China, enhance their artistic abilities and promote the transmission of the cultural and artistic heritage of ethnic minorities. 

At the opening ceremony, Poon took the occasion to present a MOP 100,000 cheque to Lok Hei, representative of the Rainbow Road Project and president of Macau Artist Society, with the presence of five of the philanthropists who purchased the bowls. Poon and Cheung then gave guests of honour a guided tour of the exhibition.

The exhibition's guests of honour were Yin Rutao, Deputy Director-General of the Department of Publicity and Culture of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the Macao SAR; Lok Po, member of the National People's Congress and Director of Macau Daily News; Dr. Wong; Cheng Wai Tong, Deputy Director of the Macao Government Tourism Office; Sam Hou In, Head of the Department of Exhibitions and Museums of the Cultural Affairs Bureau of the Macao SAR; Lai Ieng, Vice-chairman of the Guangdong Artists Association; Lok Hei, President of Macau Artist Society; Poon; and Cheung.

Inspired by the mantle and alms bowl of a Buddhist monk, the bowls and clothing on display showcase the truth, goodness and beauty of nature. In particular, the bowls were crafted by ceramic company JOYYE, with Poon painting them with elements related to the 24 Chinese solar terms and the idea of positivity in life. The exhibition aims to showcase the beauty of ceramic culture and paintings while benefiting charity. The artist explains that the idea of "101" represents reunification after the achievement of consummation, returning to the starting point, and not forgetting the original intention, which is the communication of love and goodwill via the bowls as the medium.

101 Bowls – An Art Exhibition Featuring Water Poon's Art & Romy Cheung's Fashion at Sands Gallery is open to the public 11 a.m.-7 p.m. daily April 28-May 29, 2022.

Sands Gallery is a permanent art space on the 6th floor of The Grand Suites at Four Seasons, and provides an opportunity for guests to explore an ever-changing variety of art exhibitions. The gallery was born out of Sands China's desire to help cultivate an environment that nurtures creativity and art appreciation in Macao. It also aims to support the development of art and culture and to bring a greater diversity of experiences to the city, while promoting and encouraging professional artists in Macao and across the region.

Sands China plans to invest more resources into inviting renowned local and international artists of different art forms to host exhibitions at the gallery in order to enrich the cultural experience of Macao residents and visitors.

About Sands China Ltd.

Sands China Ltd. (Sands China or the Company) is incorporated in the Cayman Islands with limited liability and is listed on The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited (HKEx: 1928). Sands China is the largest operator of integrated resorts in Macao. The Company's integrated resorts on the Cotai Strip comprise The Venetian^® Macao, The Plaza^® Macao, The Parisian Macao and The Londoner^® Macao. The Company also owns and operates Sands^® Macao on the Macao peninsula. The Company's portfolio features a diversified mix of leisure and business attractions and transportation operations, including large meeting and convention facilities; a wide range of restaurants; shopping malls; world-class entertainment at the Cotai Arena, The Venetian Theatre, The Parisian Theatre, the Londoner Theatre and the Sands Theatre; and a high-speed Cotai Water Jet ferry service between Hong Kong and Macao. The Company's Cotai Strip portfolio has the goal of contributing to Macao's transformation into a world centre of tourism and leisure. Sands China is a subsidiary of global resort developer Las Vegas Sands Corp. (NYSE: LVS).

For more information, please visit www.sandschina.com.

Media contacts:

Corporate Communications, Venetian Macau Limited
Mabel Wu
Tel: +853 8118 2268
Email: mabel.wu@sands.com.mo 

Jesse Chiang
Tel: +853 8118 2054
Email: jesse.chiang@sands.com.mo