It was 9:30 am on the 15th of January 1945, five American fighter planes broke the solemnity of a severe winter and entered the skies over Macao for a surprise attack on any facilities deemed beneficial to the Japanese. All of a sudden, the outer harbour hydroplane base, with its large containers of gasoline, the S. Francisco Arsenal and the Radio Station at D. Maria II Rd. were bombed with a hail of fire. The whole Macao Peninsula fell into a great panic under the deafening noise of explosions and the billowing smoke from fires. All this was a reminder to everyone, at the time, that the whole of East Asia was still shrouded in war clouds and the lives of ordinary citizens were still fragile.

In the 18th and 19th centuries, Macao's beautiful scenery attracted many painters from the W est. Under their brushes, the buildings around Nan Wan (Praia Grande) and the inner harbour area were depicted, row upon row, like a mirage lying on the tranquil surface of the Pearl River estuary.

Two famous painters named George Chinnery (1774-1852) and Auguste Borget (1808-1877) recorded the great and significant historical sites and scenic spots with their accurate and colourful brushes. They also painted the day-to-day life of market vendors, mobile hairdressers, coolies, boat dwellers and fishermen, creating a record of everyday life in Macao one and a half centuries ago. One hundred years later, a Russian artist called George Smirnoff painted, in his characteristic style, more memorable views of Macao. However, what made his paintings different from those of his predecessors lay in the fact that the days of carefree leisure had pastsed. For most of his life, he had been making decisions, one after another, often amidst the turbulent times of war. He moved from Harbin to Qingdao, from Qingdao to Hong Kong, before finally settling down on the small strip of land that is Macao in the spring of 1944. Here he spent a peaceful year with his family until the end of war in 1945.

Macao, at that time, was suffering severe hardship. Since the Japanese invasion of China, Macao, for historical reasons, maintained its neutrality, as if separated from the flames of war. Tens of thousands of refugees swarmed into Macao and quickly swelled its population from 120,000 in 1936 to 400,000 in 1940. The outbreak of war in the Pacific in December of 1941 triggered another flood of refugees into Macao, which had a profound impact on its social order and environment. The influx of refugees resulted in famine, disease, poor hygiene, a shortage of commodities and a deterioration of order and security. At this time, Smirnoff had to give up his work as a construction designer and turned to painting to make a living. Fortunately, his artistic work was blessed with both support and friendship. One of his close friends, Pedro Jose Lobo, the Director of the Economic Department bought his works and then donated them to the Macao Government. These works later became part of two important collections, those of Luis de Camoes Commercial and Ethnographic Museum. It was with this money that Smirnoff managed to keep his family of five alive. During his stay in Macao, Smirnoff also actively participated in local cultural activities such as painting theatrical scenery, designing logos and teaching art courses, all of which resulted in him becoming a part of Macao history.

Through his artistic talents, Smirnoff left his 'footprints' everywhere in Macao. As a talented construction designer, he was fond of drawing buildings and his sense of space and structure was put to good use. This unique sense is vividly illustrated in his wash paintings, which emit a pure and condensed freshness derived from his personal perceptions. It is undoubtedly a pleasant experience to appreciate the wash paintings of this Russian artist. For instance, in his work entitled "Facade of S. Paulo Ruins as seen from Fortress of Nossa Senhora do Monte", we can see the dancing shades of the trees and the water rippling under a gentle breeze. In another painting depicting "St. Domingos Church", passers-by, vendors and rickshaws are submerged in the delicate variations of light and shade along the front wall of the Baroque style church, creating an atmosphere of simplicity and purity. This painting reveals, after a long and difficult life, Smirnoff's wish to enjoy the tranquillity and authenticity of the scene he was depicting. He was immersed in a world of selflessness, which made his paintings become eternal reflections of reality that went beyond time and space.

Mirroring the miracle of Macao's escape from the devastation of war, Smirnoff spent the most stable and peaceful time of his drifting life in Macao. His work has left us with a collective memory of each individual house and tree, every street and alley in Macao during the period of the Second World War.

To celebrate the one-hundredth anniversary of Smirnoff's birth, the Macao Museum of Art along with the Macao Foundation is sponsoring a significant exhibition, "Safe Harbour-Commemorative Centennial Exhibition Of George Smirnoff" based on the collections inherited by both the Luis de Camoes Commercial and Ethnographic Museum and later the luis de Camoes Museum. Special thanks must be given to Smirnoff's family who has donated eleven valuable wash and oil paintings by Smirnoff in 1985, and his widow, Mrs. Nina Smirnoff in Australia, she also provided plenty of first-hand information whilst being interviewed by our museum. Our appreciation also goes to their daughters Irene and Nina Smirnoff and their son Alexander Smirnoff. It is also important to remember the generosity of The National Library of Australia in permitting our use of their Smirnoff collection, which greatly adds to the colour of the exhibition and its catalogue.

The 74 works of Smirnoff have become an indispensable part of the cultural heritage of Macao. They are gathered together today, with their simplistic style and brilliant colours, to elaborate a story of how an artist found, albeit temporarily, a peaceful space for his heart amid the upheavals of war. This calm is reflected in his works, which contain an abundance of artistic appeal promising a better future and a better life.

Ung Vai Meng

Director of The Macao Museum of Art & Honour Professor of Arts Department