Foreigners' traditional Chinese painting exhibition on show

2016-12-20

 

The exhibition of paintings, When Foreigners Encounter Traditional Chinese Painting, opened on December 15th in Xiamen Art Museum. The exhibition has been organised  by Xiamen Siming District Yundang Sub-district Party Working Committee and Xiamen Siming District Yundang Sub-district Office. The works are all created by international students from Xuexiao·Yundang Guanren Community International School.

 

The 116 paintings cover various themes such as plants, people and landscapes, and they show the fruitful teaching achievements of Xuexiao·Yundang Community International School. The paintings were selected from more than 500 works which were created by some 24 students who come from 14 countries and regions, including French, Italy and Australia.

 

The international school is part of the Belt and Road Initiative and also demonstrates the integration of different cultures and ideologies through learning Chinese painting and calligraphy. Anita Sharma said, “Foreigners from all over the world learn together and we learn from each other’s unique cultures. Painting is like the common bond between us.”

 

Yundang Community International School is administered by Yundang Sub-district Office with the support from Xiamen Xuexiao Youth Arts and Culture School and social workers. Diverse classes about Chinese traditional culture and Western culture not only deepen the foreign residents’ understanding of Chinese culture, philosophy and art, but also promote communication between different cultures.

 

The school, launched in September 2015, has already conducted 37 Chinese calligraphy and painting lessons, 17 Tai Chi classes, 15 knitting classes and 14 Judo lessons, obtaining high-level recognition and support from the community.

 

Offered as a public service, the international school has given nearly 40 Chinese calligraphy and painting lessons since last September. These lessons have systematically taught the techniques of traditional Chinese painting and have extended into the underlying Chinese philosophy and aesthetic. Students were even organised to travel to Longyan Liancheng Peitian Village where they could paint from nature.

 

Marion Cokelaer from France said, “I think the difference between Chinese and Western painting are in their spirit, principles of space, and philosophy. Chinese express more meanings behind.”

 

On the opening day a number of well-known painters were invited to the museum to guide residents, foreigners and migrants’ children in Lianyue School to see the paintings. This exhibition will last until December 20th and citizens will be always welcome to visit.

 

[ Web editor:Wu Jianhan, Robin Wang    Source:xmenglish.cn ]