comuna de pedra ( english )

Comuna de Pedra, a non-profit making culture and art association, was first established in 1996. It had been focusing on dance theatre productions and promotion of the art education, with the attempt to develop more artistic possibilities and cultivate culture in Macau.


Creative Production
Comuna de Pedra always employs different elements in experimental creations, for investigating various possibilities of performing arts, such as interactive improvisation, group creation, linking up installations, video arts and other medias in a performance, in-cooperated with words, music, live band, orchestra and danced with masks and big puppets.

Around 40 original dance theatre productions have been performed at the most visited and not-visited corners of Macau, from indoor theatre to daily living spaces, such as public square, park, pool, empty commercial centre, pub, closed-down factory, old Macau-Taipa bridge; historical sites such as Ruins of St. Paul Church, Old Ladies’ House. Moreover, works had been invited to perform in HK, Taiwan, the USA and Germany, etc. (1998) was invited to be performed in the “Small Theatre Performance and Exchange Project” in Keelung / Taiwan; In 1999 and 2000, with the invitation from Zuni Icosahedron (HK), Comuna de Pedra participated in The International Cultural Exchange Project and held in HK and Germany. By means of joining overseas exchanges, it helps to accumulate experiences and further enrich the production.

For experience sharing and enhancement of new ideas, Comuna de Pedra always takes the opportunities to collaborate with different media artists. Like the most recent theatre production , is a joint work with local established visual artist James Chu, music composer Evonne Lei, and lighting designers from HK. In 2001 and 2002, inspired by the nature of flowing water, environmental dance theatre was created, it was a collaboration of local and overseas artists, including Masato Tanaka, kinetic sculpture and mechanical installation artist from Japan, performing artist Makoto Matsushima, musician Raul de Jesus Saldana from Mexico, etc. In 2002, this production was selected as one of programmes in The 4th Chinese Drama Festival. (2002), a work blending traditional and contemporary elements, was jointly created and performed with Tian Manxa., national-honored performer of Sichuan Opera. Since 1997, the company has worked closing with the Blackbird Band (HK).

Art Education
Educational workshops are organized and conducted by professional tutors coming the USA, Philippines, Thailand, Germany, Japan, Hong Kong, China and Macau, on different media of arts (e.g drawing, body training, dancing, somatic education, mask and big puppet making, video, percussion and voice). In addition, exhibitions, seminars are held to raise public concern for the development of local arts and culture.

Since 1999, the company has been organizing every year, it is a collection of multi-media contemporary art workshops, with the focus on inspiring young people’s creativity, knowing better their own self, thus enhancing the ability to express themselves. During 2002-03, the activity gained full support from the Educational Department (DSEJ) to be included in their Summer Activity Scheme. In the same year, with the support of DSEJ, School Project was successfully launched and toured in many secondary schools in Macao.

To foster young people in art creations and provide the opportunity to implement their ideas, the company in-cooperated with Old Ladies’ House Art Space, produced two children theatre works, (2003) and (2004), the whole production process, starting from ideas generated, planning, organization and performance, was totally taken charge and completed by the company’s young members. Thus, young people can fully elaborate their creativity talents and learn to grow.

In summer 2005, in co-operation with Macau Cultural Centre, the company has curated a series of arts workshop for children and teenagers. In the future, Comuna de Pedra will put more emphasises in art-education for the younger generation. By means of popularising and carrying out more in-depth educational works, it opens up the space and adds colour to the future art field.


Overseas training and exchange
To broaden the vision and knowledge of the members, the company organizes different study programmes and activities, such as visiting art-space of adjacent districts, participating International Dance Festival in foreign countries, etc. One of most recent activity is a Study Program in Beijing Dance Institute and the visiting of art-space in Beijing.

At present, Comuna de Pedra has rented the first floor of International Vision-Art Centre, the atelier of the local artists, Kwok Wun and Fu Yu, as the company’s studio. It is more spacious, and suitable for holding miniature performances, and the company will continuous to hold various art workshops.

For more details, please visit the website at : http://comunadepedra.blogspot.com/
E-mail: info@pedra.org.mo
address: Rua de Coelho do Amaral, no.2G, 2nd floor
Tel: (853)351427