Macau’s Magnificent Mosaics: Ground Floor Art Gallery
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There are over a dozen museums throughout Macau. Many feature examples of the area’s finest artwork. However, we found some art on display throughout the city that didn’t require an admission ticket.
Macau’s sidewalks, alley ways and public squares showcase innumerable pieces of art. Intricate black and white mosaics range in size and pattern. There are delicate flowers blossoming in front of a store’s entryway, clipper ships sailing down a side street and even squiggles snaking across a plaza. Each one is unique, as is the experience. Unlike most exhibits, viewers are urged to walk over the art in this seemingly endless open-air gallery.
These aren’t modern masterpieces. They’re holdovers from the days of when Macau was a Portuguese colony. The colonists used this paving style common in Portugal to add a touch of home.
Though I didn’t pay an entrance fee to view this art, I did pay homage to the anonymous artists who painstakingly hand cut and created these extraordinary tiled canvases.
If you enjoyed this story in our series, you may also enjoy one that looks at Macau beyond the casinos, another about a daily tradition, as well as our travel book, The Unguidebook Hong Kong & Macau.