Macao magazine met up with Giulio Acconci one sunny afternoon in November, at an ultra-secluded location chosen by the musician, artist, and entrepreneur: the old weather observatory, perched atop scenic Penha Hill.
Not many people know about this heavily-graffitied (yet scenic) hideaway, though a young couple and their dog did happen to be there, too. It didn’t take long for the couple to recognise Acconci – who is, afterall, one of the city’s best-loved local celebrities. They requested a photo. Acconci graciously obliged.
“It makes me happy,” he says, when asked whether being an inescapably familiar face ever grows old. “It’s better to be remembered than forgotten.”
Starting Soler
The son of an Italian father and Burmese mum (an ethnic Karen), Giulio and his twin, Dino, were born in Macao, in 1972. The brothers were exposed from an early age to arts and music by culturally minded parents.
The boys’ dad, Oseo, was an architect by trade – but also a skilled sculptor who carved busts out of marble and clay. “My father always saw himself more as a technician than an artist,” Acconci reflects, adding that the outside world tended to consider him the latter.
Oseo arrived in Macao in 1939, the same year World War II broke out. He immediately got to work for the Catholic diocese, designing schools and churches, including the tent-shaped Our Lady of Sorrows in Ka-Ho Village. Oseo’s best-known work, however, was probably a massive, Art Deco-style mosaic at the soon-to-be demolished Hotel Estoril. Considered an icon of Macao’s urban history, Oseo’s 60-year-old mural will be relocated to the city’s new Central Library.
The Acconci twins’ mother, a nurse who loved to sing, was their musical muse. In the ’90s, while living in Italy, Giulio – or ‘Julio’, his more Lusophonic stage name – and Dino christened their pop-rock band ‘Soler’ after what they’d believed to be her maiden name. However, they later discovered that Soler is a special honorific in Karen culture, granted to those who’d achieved an important feat. Their mother inherited it from her father, the first in their village to earn a university degree.
In Soler, Giulio is a frontman who sings and plays bass. Dino also sings, and plays guitar. Over the years, they added other musos to the mix. The band moved from Italy to London and then, in 2000, returned to Macao where it signed a record deal with Hummingbird Music. Fame quickly followed. Soler’s distinct sound was especially appreciated in Hong Kong, where its 2005 album Double Surround Sound took the neighbouring SAR by storm.
The band went on to release six more albums, including the soundtrack for the Taiwanese feature film Young Dudes, directed by Yin-jung Chen. That record earned Soler the prize for Best Music at the 2012 Taipei Music Festival.
Creation at the core
Music is not Giulio’s only creative outlet. The 51-year-old also paints, sculpts, acts and does graphic design. “All of these art forms are part of what I always wanted to do,” he enthuses.
Some of Acconci’s recent digital figurative paintings will soon be on display at the Venetian, in a joint exhibition with another artist. Acconci also recently made his silver screen comeback in the locally produced feature film Dreaming Girls. He portrays Zhou Yiming, a music teacher seeking a meaningful purpose in his life. Acconci admits that this rather serious character was out of his comfort zone, as comedy is his preferred genre. But he enjoyed the role nonetheless: “I am always very happy and proud to work with local productions because I think we need to make a lot more films [in Macao] and I like to be in the mix,” he says.
Prior to Dreaming Girls, Acconci starred alongside his brother in the Taiwanese action film Black & White Episode 1: The Dawn of Assault, from 2012, an adaptation of the eponymous TV show. His first foray into acting was an instructional Hong Kong TV series aimed at teaching English to children in a fun, engaging way.
Acconci says he draws inspiration for his various artforms from a wide array of sources. “I am inspired by people, everyday things, nature, trees. I also eavesdrop a lot. I listen to people and watch how they behave,” he explains.
A diversified future
Acconci is a man who embraces the future. He is constantly dreaming up new ways to create, make an impact and expand his legacy. The Macao-based creative has several projects in the pipeline. Right now he is working on a collaborative venture into fashion, via a lifestyle brand boasting apparel and watches. He’ll be responsible for product design.
As an artist both prolific and approachable, Acconci is often asked to support local initiatives – invitations he readily accepts if they’re for cultural or charitable purposes. Through these partnerships, he’s become deeply involved in his local community. He is always glad to direct his talents towards good causes.
The New Voice of GBA – a televised competition that identifies and promotes vocal talents in the Greater Bay Area – is just one of Acconci’s ongoing, pro bono projects. He’s on the panel of judges. As someone who knows the music realm inside and out, Acconci is perfectly positioned for the role and says he’s enjoyed developing fledgling careers within his industry over the years.
“Ever since I was a kid, I wanted to be a performer, be in front of a camera,” he enthuses. Now, helping others share the limelight is what makes him happiest.
