In recent years, a well-known visual artist in Macao, Fok Hoi Seng Eric, made a series of artpieces called “The Paradise” based on his inspiration from antique maps. In 2013, he was invited to participate in the Bologna Illustrators Exhibition, one of the most prestigious exhibitions for illustrators. As a post-1990s artist, how does his international reputation help him?
Fok is one of the rare few in Macao who made it as a full-time artist, earning income from making and selling artworks, putting on exhibitions, teaching and undertaking commissioned projects. He revealed that sometimes sales from some significant clients could help support his living for a considerable period, and while the income from various arts activities could be unstable, his average combined earnings are on par with the monthly salary of a secondary school teacher. Nevertheless, he said, an artist’s expenditure is also considerable.
“I am by no means a spendthrift. Honestly, it costs me quite a lot to buy art frames and art materials, and I need to pay to enter exhibitions as well. For example, previously I took part in an exhibition in Taiwan, where I shared half of the exhibition cost with the organiser. Despite that, I had to pay over a thousand dollars, excluding materials, insurance and the airfare.”
Although some costs are eligible for government subsidies, he preferred not to make those applications, given the considerable time and opportunity cost involved in seeking the subsidies.
Fok described a typical artist in Macao as being a local cha chaan tang (literally tea café) owner. “When an artist has the chance to exhibit in a show, he or she is likely to be spending lots of time in compiling materials, especially the image files of the artworks, not in making art. While sketches are sufficient for small exhibits, larger exhibits will require high quality photography. In other countries, artists may rely on their assistants to help prepare information for shows and to undertake administrative tasks. As you know, these processes are all quite time-consuming. Sometimes I feel that I am a cha chaan tang owner who is responsible for everything, from buying the food ingredients and food preparation, to cashier payment and cleaning dishes afterwards. Unlike what most people imagine, local artists do not spend all day making art!”
Fok emphasised that it is not difficult for artists in Macao to exhibit their works, given the sheer number of big and small exhibitions held throughout the year. However, the challenge lies in how to make art a genuine enterprise, so that artists can have the space and time to create, and to sell their work to art collectors. Fok said: “To ensure the artistic and market value of an artpiece, one needs a suitable environment and supportive measures. It is not just about showcasing the artpiece in an exhibition. At the moment, Macao does not have such a mature art market, even though it does offer the space for artists to make and exhibit art.”
This brings us back to an important question: what are the needs of a sophisticated art market, and what is lacking in Macao for such a market to happen? Fok considered that the reason for this inadequacy lies in under-optimised resources. “Art is a market-led phenomenon, and an art market demands artworks of sufficient quality. In Macao, resources are mostly available to associations rather than to artists, granting artists a lesser role. In other words, policies that nurture professional artists are sadly lacking.”
A further issue, as Hong also mentioned, is the absence of discerning local art collectors.
Fok conceded that, surprisingly, his sales abroad far exceed what he could make in Macao. “In Europe and the United States, many of my clients would decide to buy my work provided that they are within their budget. They embrace art as part of their everyday life. For example, when I exhibited in Portugal, I managed to sell as many as seven exhibits on the day of the opening.”
How can Macao lift barriers and improve the conditions to foster the local art market? Fok said: “In some regions, art transactions are tax-exempt. For example, in the UK and Taiwan, art imports benefit from a tax-free customs policy. Initiatives like these will indeed encourage the growth of art markets. Nowadays, some commercial galleries have been set up in Macao, although it is still an initial stage, and that these galleries are still faced with different issues. For example, these galleries may find it hard to find artists, because of the small number of artists in Macao. At the same time, art galleries and artists are so interdependent on each other. Art collectors and artists are like the two sides of the same coin, while art galleries serve as their brokers. Even now, there are far too few brokers of influence in the sector.”
