Gunawan(Indonesia)
Harmony / 2011 / acrylic on canvas / 200cm×150cm
Works of the 5th Beijing Biennale, 2012

    The Beijing Biennale is going to pass through a journey of fifteen years since its birth. This is a journey that is not only delightful but also arduous. The reason why I call it delightful is that it has become more influential in the international art arena, which can be proved by the facts that the number of countries involved has been increasing progressively, the works exhibited each year kept setting higher bars and above all, both organizers and artists enjoyed the process so much. Nevertheless, the journey is also an arduous one. One cannot imagine how many difficulties it has been through when there was a lack of experience and hands for such a large-scale international biennale.
    Among numerous present-day art biennales, the Beijing Biennale has stood out gaining much support from countries and artists around the world and formed its own style, mainly thanks to its distinct philosophy and orientation. Different from some modern Western biennales that aim to advocate and promote avant-garde art, the Beijing Biennale is dedicated to exhibiting works of modern painting and sculpture in traditional forms, with installation and new media art as a complementary part. The Beijing Biennale has always encouraged artists, by working with their hearts, eyes and hands, to immerse their work in today’s world changes and focus on the living state of human beings to reflect the harmonious relationship between man and man, man and nature and man and the inner self, and to reflect human’s pursuit of the good, the true and the innocent.  
    The Beijing Biennale especially pays close attention to works with ethnic features by worldwide artists and vigorously promotes the exploration and innovation in the expression of artistic languages. The opening ceremony and symposiums held every year in the Beijing Biennale have become a platform for artists to make friends and exchange ideas.
   Not only has the Beijing Biennale built a channel of friendship connecting Chinese and foreign artists, but also it has inspired millions of artists to ponder on the future trends of world art as well as the tendency of traditional art forms advancing for modernity. So I’m fully convinced that the Beijing Biennale will keep growing and prosper for the years to come.

Shao Dazhen
Professor of Central Academy of Fine Arts
Counselor of Beijing Biennale