COMMUNICATING THROUGH ART

By ZHOU LIN

Arts week enhances mutual understanding among peoples in China and Australia

The 2022 “China Today” Arts Week was launched in Melbourne, Australia on 3 November as part of the celebrations for the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Australia.

Co-hosted by the China Federation of Literary and Art Circles, the Chinese Embassy in Australia, and the Consulate General of China in Melbourne,the arts week was held from 3 to 10 November in the Pacific Arts Centre, and features the exhibition of ceramic artworks from Jingdezhen of southeast China’s Jiangxi Province, and paintings and engravings from the northeast China’s Heilongjiang Province.

“The Chinese Embassy in Australia is willing to cooperate with the Australian cultural and artistic circles to actively promote cultural exchanges between the two countries,” said Song Yanqun, minister counsellor for culture at the Chinese Embassy in Australia. “Culture and art are a good form of communication, and I hope that the Arts Week activities will help to promote the communication between Chinese and foreign people. I believe as more and more Australian people get involved in the activities, Chinese culture will gain greater popularity among local residents,” he said.

Lynley Crosswell, CEO of Museums Victoria, said in her address at the opening ceremony that it is very important to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Australia and China, and the exchanges between the two countries in various fields have achieved fruitful results. “I have experienced first-hand the beauty and magnificence of Chinese art and culture,” said Crosswell, who has visited various cities in China multiple times. “We look forward to continuing to build and strengthen our cultural ties with China.”The 50 porcelain items from Jingdezhen, a world-famous porcelain city in Jiangxi Province,which were created by three generations of intangible cultural heritage inheritors, were exhibited at the arts week. The 39 pieces of artworks of traditional Chinese paintings, oil paintings, engravings, water colour paintings, and other forms of art showing the scenery of northeast China as well as people’s daily life there. The exhibition will be taken later to Adelaide in south Australia.“China Today” Arts Week, initiated by the China Federation of Literary and Art Circles in 2004, has been held in many countries around the world, including Canada,Greece, Australia, Austria,Japan, Egypt, Chile, Sweden, the US, Cambodia, among others. Its purpose is to enhance the audience’s understanding of Chinese contemporary culture, art, and creative ideas through cultural and artistic exchanges.

Ceramic Bottle Auspicious Beginning of a New Year by Deng Xiping

Participants of 2022 “China Today” Arts Week pose for a photo at the opening ceremony on 3 November

Snow View of the North by Wang Ming

October 14 – Fruits in Autumn by Chi Yinghong

Tranquility by Liu Decai