{"id":3507,"date":"2018-02-07T15:49:35","date_gmt":"2018-02-07T15:49:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www2.ift.edu.mo\/NewsPortal\/?p=3507"},"modified":"2021-07-26T13:12:48","modified_gmt":"2021-07-26T05:12:48","slug":"3507-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.utm.edu.mo\/NewsPortal\/3507-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Now showing at IFT Caf\u00e9: The abstract art of Denis Murrell and students"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id='gallery-1' class='gallery galleryid-3507 gallery-columns-3 gallery-size-herald-lay-c1'><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a class=\"herald-popup\" href='https:\/\/www.utm.edu.mo\/NewsPortal\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/Murrell_1.jpg'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"470\" height=\"313\" src=\"https:\/\/www.utm.edu.mo\/NewsPortal\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/Murrell_1-470x313.jpg\" class=\"attachment-herald-lay-c1 size-herald-lay-c1\" alt=\"\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-3510\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.utm.edu.mo\/NewsPortal\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/Murrell_1-470x313.jpg 470w, https:\/\/www.utm.edu.mo\/NewsPortal\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/Murrell_1-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.utm.edu.mo\/NewsPortal\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/Murrell_1-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.utm.edu.mo\/NewsPortal\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/Murrell_1-414x276.jpg 414w, https:\/\/www.utm.edu.mo\/NewsPortal\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/Murrell_1-640x426.jpg 640w, https:\/\/www.utm.edu.mo\/NewsPortal\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/Murrell_1-130x86.jpg 130w, https:\/\/www.utm.edu.mo\/NewsPortal\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/Murrell_1-187x124.jpg 187w, https:\/\/www.utm.edu.mo\/NewsPortal\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/Murrell_1.jpg 990w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 470px) 100vw, 470px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<figcaption class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-3510'>\n\t\t\t\tFrom left to right: Ms. Tina Fu, Coordinator for Creative Studies and IT Courses at the IFT Tourism and Hotel School; Ms. Helena de Senna Fernandes, Director of the Macao Government Tourism Office; Macao artist Mr. Denis Murrell; Dr. Fanny Vong, President of IFT; and Ms. Diamantina Coimbra, Director of the IFT Tourism and Hotel School\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a class=\"herald-popup\" href='https:\/\/www.utm.edu.mo\/NewsPortal\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/Murrell_2.jpg'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"470\" height=\"313\" src=\"https:\/\/www.utm.edu.mo\/NewsPortal\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/Murrell_2-470x313.jpg\" class=\"attachment-herald-lay-c1 size-herald-lay-c1\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.utm.edu.mo\/NewsPortal\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/Murrell_2-470x313.jpg 470w, https:\/\/www.utm.edu.mo\/NewsPortal\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/Murrell_2-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.utm.edu.mo\/NewsPortal\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/Murrell_2-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.utm.edu.mo\/NewsPortal\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/Murrell_2-414x276.jpg 414w, https:\/\/www.utm.edu.mo\/NewsPortal\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/Murrell_2-640x426.jpg 640w, https:\/\/www.utm.edu.mo\/NewsPortal\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/Murrell_2-130x86.jpg 130w, https:\/\/www.utm.edu.mo\/NewsPortal\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/Murrell_2-187x124.jpg 187w, https:\/\/www.utm.edu.mo\/NewsPortal\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/Murrell_2.jpg 990w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 470px) 100vw, 470px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a class=\"herald-popup\" href='https:\/\/www.utm.edu.mo\/NewsPortal\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/Murrell_3.jpg'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"470\" height=\"313\" src=\"https:\/\/www.utm.edu.mo\/NewsPortal\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/Murrell_3-470x313.jpg\" class=\"attachment-herald-lay-c1 size-herald-lay-c1\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.utm.edu.mo\/NewsPortal\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/Murrell_3-470x313.jpg 470w, https:\/\/www.utm.edu.mo\/NewsPortal\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/Murrell_3-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.utm.edu.mo\/NewsPortal\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/Murrell_3-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.utm.edu.mo\/NewsPortal\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/Murrell_3-414x276.jpg 414w, https:\/\/www.utm.edu.mo\/NewsPortal\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/Murrell_3-640x426.jpg 640w, https:\/\/www.utm.edu.mo\/NewsPortal\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/Murrell_3-130x86.jpg 130w, https:\/\/www.utm.edu.mo\/NewsPortal\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/Murrell_3-187x124.jpg 187w, https:\/\/www.utm.edu.mo\/NewsPortal\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/Murrell_3.jpg 990w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 470px) 100vw, 470px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n<span class='pum-trigger  popmake-3512  text-center font-blue' data-do-default=''>\u4e2d\u6587\u6458\u8981 \/ Summary in Chinese<\/span>\n<p>More than 20 abstract paintings created by Macao artist Mr. Denis Murrell and IFT students are now showing at the IFT Caf\u00e9 at Anim\u2019Arte Nam Van. The exhibition, \u201cTwenty Hours\u201d, ends on 2 March.<\/p>\n<p>The IFT Tourism and Hotel School started the Macao Contemporary Artists Series in 2015, inviting leading Macao artists \u2013 including Mr. Murrell, an award-winning painter \u2013 to deliver art classes. The series is part of the effort by the Institute to promote the development of Macao\u2019s cultural and creative industries.<\/p>\n<p>The IFT Tourism and Hotel School runs study programmes for creative disciplines of various duration and intensity. The fields covered range from reportage photography to computer animation and crafting leather. Some courses lead to certificates or diplomas.<\/p>\n<p>Mr. Murrell is a 70-year-old Australian who moved to Macao in 1989. In the 1990s he developed a unique method of painting that combines tissue paper with paint, resulting in brightly coloured, highly textured pieces. The technique has made him one of the most successful artists in Macao and his paintings have been exhibited around the world, including the United States, Portugal and India.<\/p>\n<p>The artist says most of his students at IFT had never painted before taking his courses. He says abstract painting, in particular, is alien to most of them. But they soon realise abstract art can be worthwhile.<\/p>\n<p>Mr. Murrell holds his classes in the evening. Many of his students attend after being at work all day but still they tend to arrive early and leave late to keep working on their paintings. The IFT Caf\u00e9 exhibition includes work by level 2 students taking a 20-hour course.<\/p>\n<p>This is not the first time that Mr. Murrell\u2019s students exhibit their works. A similar exhibition in 2015 saw some of the works sold quickly, much to the surprise of the students. \u201cThey think nobody wants to buy students\u2019 paintings, but, the truth is, they all have potential,\u201d Mr. Murrell says.<\/p>\n<p>One of the students who showed her work in 2015 was Ms. Elaine Koon, an administrative office worker. Her contribution was bought days after the exhibition opened and she donated the proceeds to charity. She has now taken other commissions and continues to donate the money. \u201cIt\u2019s very meaningful for me,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n<p>Ms. Stella Lam was another of the artist\u2019s students. She enrolled in the hope of finding relief from the stress of day-to-day life and to learn a skill she could use in her job as an expressive arts therapist. Ms. Lam says she intends to apply what she has learned from Mr. Murrell in helping psychiatric patients better express their emotions.<\/p>\n<p>Another of Mr. Murrell\u2019s students, Ms. Joewinc Kam, enrolled in the abstract art classes by chance. A civil engineering student, Ms. Kam says she applied for places in several IFT Tourism and Hotel School programmes but was offered only a place in Mr. Murrell\u2019s classes. She quickly fell in love with turning what she calls \u201crandom brushstrokes\u201d into abstract paintings.<\/p>\n<p>A third level of Mr. Murrell\u2019s Abstract Painting with Tissue course is due to start in May.<\/p>\n<p>The IFT Caf\u00e9 is part of an effort by the Macao SAR Government to revitalise the Nam Van Lake area and turn it into a new draw for leisure-seekers and tourists, called Anim\u2019Arte Nam Van. Other arms of the Government involved in the revitalisation project include the Cultural Affairs Bureau, the Sports Bureau and the Macao Government Tourism Office.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>More than 20 abstract paintings created by Macao artist Mr. Denis Murrell and IFT students are now showing at the IFT Caf\u00e9 at Anim\u2019Arte Nam Van. The exhibition, \u201cTwenty Hours\u201d, [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":18,"featured_media":3509,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"gallery","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[52,136],"tags":[690,365,689,204,693,692,691],"class_list":["post-3507","post","type-post","status-publish","format-gallery","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-continuing-education","category-main_headline","tag-abstract-painting","tag-animarte-nam-van","tag-denis-murrell","tag-ift-cafe","tag-ift-tourism-and-hotel-schoo","tag-macao-contemporary-artists-series","tag-twenty-hours","post_format-post-format-gallery"],"views":2068,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.utm.edu.mo\/NewsPortal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3507","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.utm.edu.mo\/NewsPortal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.utm.edu.mo\/NewsPortal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.utm.edu.mo\/NewsPortal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/18"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.utm.edu.mo\/NewsPortal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3507"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.utm.edu.mo\/NewsPortal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3507\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3515,"href":"https:\/\/www.utm.edu.mo\/NewsPortal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3507\/revisions\/3515"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.utm.edu.mo\/NewsPortal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3509"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.utm.edu.mo\/NewsPortal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3507"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.utm.edu.mo\/NewsPortal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3507"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.utm.edu.mo\/NewsPortal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3507"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}