Janusz Plota(Poland)
Olympic Light / 2007 / acrylic on canvas / 100cm×150cm
Work from the 3rd Beijing Biennale
To facilitate the Beijing 2022 Games and as one of its city cultural activities, the 9th Beijing Biennale is themed “the Light of Life”, and invites artists from all over the world to depict life and eulogize the dignity, power and glory of human beings. To help with your understanding, we provide 14 keywords related to the theme. All these are references for your creation, so as to inspire you to help human beings embark on a path of hope through your artworks. This is also a continuation of the theme of the last session-- the Silk Road and World Civilizations, and our response to the spirit of “sharing weal and woe together” shown in the fight against Covid-19.
Gefso Papadaki(Greece)
My World, Your World, Our World / 2007 / mixed media on canvas / 130cm×130cm
Work from the 3rd Beijing Biennale
Marta Tabery(Czech)
Black-Red- Green- Yellow - Blue / 2007 / mexied media on silk / 136cm×200cm×5
Work from the 3rd Beijing Biennale
Developed from “Colors and the Olympics”, the theme of the 3rd BIAB in 2008 when the Beijing Olympic Games was held, “the Light of Life” focuses on the pandemic-fighting and Olympic spirits, as well as the value, dignity, power and glory of human lives. A variety of artworks, including paintings, sculptures, installations and videos, can be created to pursue contemporary arts with distinctive features. These works aim at praising winter-sport athletes who challenge themselves in sports events and depicting the charm of Beijing and other cities that have held the Olympic Games. They portray the appeal of speed and beauty in winter sports, eulogize medical workers who fight against the Covid-19 pandemic and reflect upon the common future of human beings and the ultimate meaning of life. More importantly, they use arts to make the pure soul “cleaner, more humane and more united”. Through art, which knows no boundary, artists can eulogize life from such perspectives as nations, regions and personal experience.
Rafael Bestard Mas(Spain)
In the Forest IV / 2007 / oil on canvas / 200cm×180cm
Work from the 3rd Beijing Biennale
Slobodan Novakovic(Switzerland)
Discus Thrower / 2007 / oil on canvas / 130cm×170cm
Work from the 3rd Beijing Biennale
Li Aiguo(China)
Olympic Star / 2006 / color on paper / 74cm×47cm
Work from the 3rd Beijing Biennale
Key Word: Olympic Spirits
In the Olympic Charter, the IOC has made it clear in the principles of Olympism that “Every individual must have the possibility of practicing sport, without discrimination of any kind and in the Olympic spirit, which requires mutual understanding with a spirit of friendship, solidarity and fair play”. This is known as modern Olympic spirits and sets a clear direction for the Olympic Movement.
Eva Choung-Fux(Spain)
Mediation on Olympic Charter / 2007 / vinyl-color on canvas / 110cm×187cm
Work from the 3rd Beijing Biennale
Olympic spirits emphasize inclusiveness and understanding of cultural difference. Olympic spirits highlight mutual understanding, friendship and solidarity, encourage people to give up cultural biases, understand magic imagination and great creativity of other nations with a global vision, respect other nations, take an objective and impartial attitude and take the essence of other cultures.
Baron Pierre de Coubertin, Founding Father of the Modern Olympic Games
Olympic spirits witness human development.
Olympic Spirits of Ancient Greece Shown on Ancient Painted Pottery
Discobolus: A Famous Sculpture of Ancient Greece and Best Example of Spreading Olympic Spirits through Art
Forever-burning Olympic Flame: Carrier of Olympic Spirits
Ethiopian female athletes demonstrate Olympic Spirits.
Spirit of the Chinese Women's Volleyball Team
Olympic Spirits Shown in the Paralympic Games
Olympic spirits benefit all human beings.
Olympic Spirits of Friendship, Unity, Mutual Understanding and Fair Competition
Olympic spirits also highlight fairness and justice of competitive sports. The educational and cultural value of competitive sports can only be delivered when fairness can be ensured. Only in fair competitions can athletes of various countries strengthen solidarity and friendship and can the Olympic Movement realize its sacred goals.
Chinese athlete Liu Xiang fell and injured in 110m heats at the 2012 London Olympic Games. Later, Britain’s Andy Turner and Spain’s Jackson Quinonez helped Liu into a waiting wheelchair. This has shown the Olympic spirits of mutual understanding, friendship, unity and fair competition.
An athlete stopped to help an accidentally injured rival.
Injured Derek Redmond refused to quit during the 400m semi-final and crossed the line with his father.
Athletes hug each other to celebrate victory.
Poses on the Olympic Podium: Similar Smiles from Different Countries
He Jiaying(China)
Winged Victory /traditional Chinese painting
(Notes: Please strictly follow copyright laws and relevant regulations in and outside China when referring to captions, photos and other information in your creation. Plagiarism is unacceptable. Copyright-related legal issues should be taken care of by artists themselves.)
