The internationally acclaimed German photographer Candida Höfer is the subject of the solo exhibition Epic Gaze at the Macao Museum of Art. The exhibition presents a curated selection of the artist's major and recent works, which capture the history of a given space and its subtle changes over time with distinctive sensibility.

Through her architectural photography, Höfer has meticulously documented humanity’s desire and dedication to preserving historical legacies. The title of the exhibition, Epic Gaze, underscores the essence of the artist's approach, treating each work as a narrative device rather than a mere representation of grand architectural feats. Each work, resulting from the artist’s discerning gaze, prompts the question of how these crucial masterpieces will continue to shape and weigh in the collective memory.

Organized into six major themes—‘Passages,’ ‘Theaters,’ ‘Museums,’ ‘Libraries,’ ‘Worldview,’ and ‘Unseen Works’—the exhibition promotes a thoughtfully paced, sequential exploration of Höfer's body of work. The ‘Passages’ section features works that capture stairs, hallways, ramps, and other passageways to other places, exemplified by works like Palácio do Itamarati Brasília I I 2005 and Neuer Stahlhof Düsseldorf I I 2012.

The ‘Theaters,’ ‘Museums,’ and ‘Libraries’ sections highlight some of Höfer’s most important works, capturing interiors of public spaces that serve as testaments to humanity’s intellectual and cultural legacy. These printed images, some as large as 2.6 meters wide and 2 meters high, portray Western architectural and cultural settings from various periods. Among them is Trinity College Library Dublin I I 2004, which depicts the interior of a Dublin library with its rich, book-filled environment that insulates visitors from the urban chaos and social white noise of the outside world. Also on view is Neues Museum Berlin XLI I 2009, capturing the interior of a museum where cultural values and beliefs are embedded within the architecture.

The ‘Unseen Works’ section showcases works that were not frequently disclosed to the public. Works like Glühbirnen Köln IV I 2021 and Trees Pegognaga IV I 2021 employ a cinematic approach to everyday objects like light bulbs and trees.

Höfer’s photographs, encapsulating the layers of time within each space, invite viewers to contemplate each location’s current existence within its historical context and how it will continue to shape collective memory for generations to come. Epic Gaze continues until March 3.