Illustrating the Ever-renewing Spirit of the Silk Road by Hundreds of Participating Countries
Appreciating Exchange and Integration of World Civilizations by Millions of Attentive Audiences
The 7th Beijing Biennale co-sponsored by the China Federation of Literary and Art Circles, the Beijing Municipal Government and China Artists Association with the theme of “The Silk Road and World Civilization” will meet its grand opening at the National Art Museum of China in 10 days at 10:00 in the National Art Museum of China, and will last to October 15 including the “Golden Week”. In order to facilitate your preview of those Chinese and foreign artworks before the opening ceremony, we specially selected some artworks under the category of “The Silk Road” and “World Civilizations”, which will be provided separately at 20 days and 10 days countdown to the opening ceremony of the 7th Beijing Biennale. Today, as the countdown reached the 10 days mark, we can appreciate the works under the category of “World Civilizations”.
Fifteen years have passed since we started the preparation in 2002 for the 1st Beijing International Art Biennale, China held in 2003. The Beijing Biennale has toddled his way along into a youth in his prime who, far from experienced though, is full of vigor, vitality and prospect. The number of participating countries increased from 45 in the 1st exhibition to 102 in the 7th in just 15 years, leaping on top of world international biennales testifying to a fact that the Beijing International Art Biennale is increasingly uplifting its popularity, influence and attraction in world scope, which in turn becomes a bonus point to the charisma of Beijing, the ancient cultural city as a metropolis.
Gao Fei(China) / Interns / 2014 / ink on silk / 210cm×173cm
Li Yan(China) / A Sudden Breeze / 2015 / ink on paper / 180cm×250cm
Xiang Yang(China) / The Smile of the Khmer / 2014 / ink and color on paper / 238cm×179cm
Hu Meixue(China) / Waiting to Blossom/ 2016 / oil on canvas / 180cm×90cm
As a whole, works exhibited in the 7th Beijing Biennale, especially those foreign works, are obviously high in quality than those of former sessions. Focusing on the same theme, these works employ diverse forms of artistic expression, from the figurative to the abstract, from realism to surrealism. Though most works depict cultural relics of the ancient Silk Road, customs of different countries and symbolic images, they are not to mourn for days of yore, nor to explain political terms. Rather they stress on the expression of the Silk Road spirit, the spirit of mutual learning and integration among world civilizations instead of confrontation and conflict.
Tang Yongli(China) / The Calligraphy and Painting Arts of the Glorious Tang Dynasty / 2016 / ink and color on paper / 190cm×380cm
Shen Jiawei(Australia) / Sydney and Yunnan in 1894 / 2016 / oil on canvas / 137cm×137cm×2
Huang Shengxian(China) / Charm of Tibet—the Migration / 2016 / oil on canvas / 220cm×200cm
Liu Yaming(China) / Dialogue Between Great Minds / 2016 / mixed media on canvas / 126cm×286cm
Zhai Jianping(China) / Singing in Hexi 1 / 2012 / oil on canvas / 200cm×200cm
Ken Saito(Japan) / Leisure / 2015 / oil on canvas / 195cm×259cm
Patricia Guzman(Mexico) / Flowers in the Desert / 2012 / acrylic on canvas / 150cm×100cm
In terms of manifold artistic expressions, a marked feature of the works on show is a mixture of realistic and romantic styles and coexistence of integration and difference. Foreign works in previous Beijing Biennales inclined to be romantic, while domestic works in general tend to be realistic. In the 7th Beijing Biennale, there are more realistic depictions found in romantic foreign works, and more romantic elements in realistic domestic works. In other words, works both at home and abroad show a mixture of realistic and romantic styles, only the emphases differ.
Wang Yan(China) / Time and History / 2014 / gongbi on paper / 170cm×300cm
Jorge Perugachi(Ecuador) / Silk Tribute 3 / 2016 / acrylic on canvas / 120cm×130cm
Nicolas Herrera(Ecuador) / Silence / 2016 / oil on canvas / 130cm×195cm
Eveline Blanc(France) / The Dragonfly / 2016 / acrylic, photo and paper on canvas / 40cm×80cm
Natalie Miel(France) / Lotus / 2016 / oil on canvas / 114cm×146cm
Camelia Mitasari Hasibuan(Indonesia) / Memory of the Silk Road / 2016 / oil on canvas / 135cm×170cm
Compared to works in previous Beijing Biennales, foreign works in this Biennale have taken in more Chinese elements, and Chinese works more foreign ones. There is an inclination of convergence. In the meantime, each retains its distinct local features and traditions. In between the tendencies of seeking common ground and reserving differences is a huge space of development which gives rise to a splendid scene where the Eastern and Western arts integrate but each is unique on its own. It is safe to say that the works on exhibition themselves are the outcome of exchange and mutual learning among world civilizations, and that they are artistic expressions of the Eastern and Western civilizations in their mutual exchange and convergence on the theme of the Silk Road.
杨雅辉(中国) / 欢迎来到我的城 2 / 2015 / 布面油画 / 100厘米×160厘米
Yang Yahui(China) / Welcome to My City 2 / 2015 / oil on canvas / 100cm×160cm
Fan Shaohui(China) / The Countryside Musician / 2015 / lacquer painting / 60cm×185cm
Song Weifeng(China) / The Square of Jokhang Monastery 2 / 2014 / watercolor on paper / 155cm×125cm
Liang Haisha(Macao SAR, China) / Black and White / 2014 / sculpture: marble, basalt, Chinese yew, lauan / 75cm×145cm×65cm
Joseph El Duwairy(Egypt) / Nile Walk / 2016 / acrylic on canvas / 70cm×100cm
Parlamas Michail(Greece) / Hercules Furens / 2012 / acrylic on canvas / 180cm×150cm
Mirela Maier Miclaus(Romania) / Legacy of Generations / 2016 / textile / 136cm×126cm
World civilizations are manifold, and people’s heart interlinked. By way of artistic expression, the spirit of the Silk Road will tie people’s heart even closer to speed up the realization of their shared dream of world peace and development. European Renaissance owed much to mutual exchange and integration of Eastern and Western civilizations along the ancient Silk Road. Today, when the 21st century world civilizations converge on the new Silk Road, we are committed to joint efforts for the earliest arrival of a great renaissance both in contemporary China and the world at large.
Eleni Pavlopoulou(Greece) / Renaissance / 2015 / acrylics, pencils, charcoal, ink on canvas / 170cm×165cm
Nabeel Samman(Syria) / Another Time / 2010 / acrylic on canvas / 140cm×140cm
Omar Galliani(Italy) / Away from Xi’an / 2016 / pencil on wood / 180cm×180cm
Elizabeth Wessel(Monaco) / The Crossing of Cultures / 2016 / acrylic and silk /
150cm×200cm
Vladimir Vitkov(Israel) / Storm Approaching / 2015 / digital art on cardboard / 66cm×50cm
Li Hongjun(China) / The Silk Road Culture—Fusion / 2016 / ink and color on paper / 300cm×300cm
Li Fahe(China) / The Rising of China / 2016 / ink on paper / 240cm×160cm
These pictures presented here are amazing, but it is recommended for an on-the-spot appreciation. The opening ceremony of the 7th Beijing Biennale is just around the corner. Welcome you to the National Art Museum of China to appreciate all the works.
Zhu Guanchu(China) / SY-0010 / 2016 / integrated print / 120cm×160cm
Sun Guoqing, Wen Ji(China) / The Portal of Time / 2016 / mixed media / 280cm×380cm
(Tips for you: the article is mainly excerpts of the forward of the 7th Beijing Biennale Catalogue written by Mr. Wang Yong, Member of the Curatorial Committee. Please give credit to the original writer when you use it elsewhere.)
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