At first glance, postage stamps may seem like everyday objects: small, functional and often overlooked. A closer examination of philatelic products, however, reveals these two-by-three centimetre sticky rectangles as miniature canvases that hold intricate, meaningful art. Macao’s stamps are celebrated and valued; each one produced for the Special Administrative Region (SAR) bears its designer’s name alongside an image that captures a little something of the city’s character.
To mark the 25th anniversary of Macao’s return to the motherland, Sands Gallery has brought together nine acclaimed local stamp designers for an exhibition titled, “Echoes of a Golden Age: Macro Events through the Micro Visions of Macao’s Legendary Contemporary Artists”. The art on display – more than 120 pieces – was mostly featured on stamps printed between 1999 and 2024. They depict landmarks and landscapes, historical milestones and iconic events in a myriad of styles, from watercolour to photography. According to the gallery, “Echoes of a Golden Age” celebrates “Macao’s prosperity and patriotism since reunification”.
Of course, exhibition goers will not find themselves surrounded by tiny postage stamps, needing magnifying glasses to appreciate the artwork. Rather, the experience is akin to stepping into a gallery displaying large-scale paintings, drawings, photography and other mediums – because that’s exactly what the exhibition is. After receiving their instructions from the Macao Post and Telecommunications Bureau (known by its Portuguese initials CTT), each artist is free to create their stamp art using the same processes they would for a piece intended to hang on a wall. It’s these originals you’ll find at the gallery, alongside their philatelic counterparts.
The CTT oversees the SAR’s stamp production, assigning themes annually and commissioning artists to develop their own designs. The Chinese zodiac has been an enduring theme in Macao; others have included local flora and noteworthy schools. While stamp making does follow a protocol, each design is imbued with its artist’s individual style and offers a glimpse into their personal perspective on Macao.
The exhibition’s curator, Lam Chi Ian, is himself a designer. “It’s truly an honour to be a stamp artist, as your work gets to be featured on posts delivered worldwide,” he tells Macao magazine. “These stamps are 100 percent made in Macao, and are tied to the city’s development since its return to the motherland.”
The exhibition presents an eclectic range of artistic styles, and each exhibitor is a prominent figure within Macao’s arts scene. Lok Hei, for instance, serves on the Cultural Development Consultative Committee and is a national committee member of the China Federation of Literary and Art Circles. Ung Vai Meng, another contributor, was the first director of the Macao Museum of Art. Others apply their creative skills to current roles, such as designer Ao Kuan Kin, who works for the Macao Statistics and Census Service, and the esteemed photographer Chan Hin Io, director of the Macau Image Gallery at the Macao University of Science and Technology.
Several artists, including Lai Ieng and Ng Wai Kin, have been awarded Medals of Merit by the government for their cultural contributions, and most have exhibited widely in Macao and abroad. Macao magazine spoke with three of the group about their journeys in stamp design: curator Lam, veteran watercolourist Lio Man Cheong and the renowned Chinese ink master Lei Tak Seng.
Lam Chi Ian: the curator
Born in Macao but raised in Canada, Lam has spent most of his career in the advertising industry. His major break in the stamp realm came when he was commissioned to design Chinese zodiac stamps for CTT’s 2008-2019 series, and opted to incorporate the five elements, or wu xing (earth, water, fire, metal and wind) into his work. Lam’s watercolours are executed with a bold palette and dream-like quality that’s particularly evident in his 2024 work, Shared Prosperity Across the Coastline. This beautifully-hued landscape depicts urban Macao in front of a mountainous mainland.
Lam, based back in Macao since 2009, was the first Macao artist to design a stamp for Canada Post, creating a 2010 commemorative piece for the Year of the Golden Tiger. He has since produced over 80 stamps for both Canada Post and CTT. Lam is leading CTT’s current zodiac series, which launched in 2020, and is a collaboration with five other artists. His design for the Year of the Dragon appears in “Echoes of a Golden Age”.
A multiple award-winning designer, Lam is the founding president of the Macau Contemporary Watercolour Artists Association and the executive director of the Yu Un Chinese Calligraphers and Painters Association of Macao.
Lio Man Cheong: the veteran
Lio is one of the best-known artists in the exhibition, having shown his work extensively both in Macao and abroad since the 1970s. His journey in stamp design began in 1991, when he won a CTT competition with his illustration of the Eight Immortals from Chinese mythology. Since then, Lio has been a regular CTT designer.
Now in his 70s, Lio remains a very active artist. He has painted numerous local landmarks and industries to be featured on stamps, including illustrations of now-defunct fireworks factories. One of his favourite stamp designs, which is on display in the show, is titled Ways of Life – Tricycle Drivers. This image depicts once-common tricycle drivers against a backdrop of Portuguese-style cobblestone streets. Tricycles, also known as rickshaws, used to be a popular choice for tourists on sight-seeing jaunts around Macao.
“When planning the composition, I aimed to include elements closely associated with the city,” Lio says, “and added a bit of cartoonish flair.”
Lio’s background in painting cinema posters in the 1980s and 1990s influences his stamp designs, where he combines realism with a touch of whimsy. His creative process incorporates various media, including oil, watercolours and ink.
Lei Tak Seng: the ink master
Lei, a master of Chinese ink art, has worked as a stamp designer since the mid-2010s. His 2021 Year of the Ox stamp artwork is in the exhibition, as well as Scroll of Macao (2014) and Lotus Flower (2017).
While ink is Lei’s primary medium, he sometimes combines it with other genres to add vibrancy. “I’m often asked to create richly colourful scenes,” he explains, “so I integrate watercolours into some designs.” Scroll of Macao is a visual feast that blends traditional Chinese techniques with subtle splashes of colour to depict beloved local landmarks like the Ruins of St Paul. In Lotus Flower, Lei uses ink alone to convey simplicity and purity.
Lei is a five-time winner of the Collective Exhibition of Macao Artists’ Best Work award and has twice won its Best Creation Special Prize. His works are part of collections in museums across Macao and the mainland.
This exhibition aims to show how stamp design goes beyond decoration in the SAR: it’s the intersection of art, history and culture.
“Echoes of a Golden Age: Macro Events through the Micro Visions of Macao’s Legendary Contemporary Artists” is showing at Sands Gallery until 5 January. Entry is free.
