A Song Dynasty Painting-Themed Exhibition of “A Comprehensive Collection of Ancient Chinese Paintings” as One of the Opening Events of China-Spain Year of Culture and Tourism Is Kicked off in Barcelona

pubdate: 2023/4/3   author: zjam  source: zjam  click:

In March 2022, “Compilation of Classics in the Flourishing Age—The Special Exhibition of Pre-Qin, Han, Tang, Song and Yuan Dynasty Painting in ‘A Comprehensive Collection of Ancient Chinese Paintings’” was kicked off in ZJAM and received extensive attention and praises from experts, media and visitors.

2023 marks the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and Spain and the celebration of China-Spain Year of Culture and Tourism. On March 29, “The Reflection of the Golden Age · The Exhibition of the Song Dynasty Paintings - in ‘A Comprehensive Collection of Ancient Chinese Paintings’” was kicked off in the European Museum of Modern Art (EMMA), Barcelona. The exhibition was one of the opening events of China-Spain Year of Culture and Tourism.

Instead of ribbon cutting, the guests contributed together to the drawing of an Orchid Painting on the creative opening scroll that symbolized the friendship between China and the West and kicked off the exhibition. After the opening ceremony, the scroll was presented as a gift to EMMA, as a witnesses of the China-West friendship.

Hu Heping, Minister and Secretary of the Party Group of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the PRC, Zhu Jingyang, China’s consul general in Barcelona, Gao Zheng, director of the Bureau of International Exchange and Cooperation of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the PRC, Liu He, first-class inspector of Zhejiang Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism (ZPDCT), Laia Bonet, deputy mayor of Barcelona, Javier Parrondo Babarro, director general of Casa Asia, Jose Enrique Gonzalez, president of the Art and Artists Foundation in Spain and director of the MEAM, were invited to the event and drew the orchid painting on the long scroll to kick off the exhibition.

Instead of ribbon cutting, the guests contributing together to the drawing of an Orchid Painting on the creative opening scroll

Liu He, First-class Inspector of ZPDCT, Laia Bonet, deputy mayor of Barcelona, and Zhu Jingyang, China’s consul general in Barcelona delivered a speech at the opening ceremony, respectively. Carlos Prieto, Spanish government deputy delegate in Catalonia, delivered a speech in video. Zheng Hao, first-class inspector of the Bureau of International Exchange and Cooperation of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the PRC, Lu Cijun, China’s deputy consul general in Barcelona, Felip Roca, Director of International Relations of the Barcelona City Council, Josep Fèlix, Royal Artistic Circle of Barcelona, Miquel Camps, assistant to the Presidency of PIMEC, employers’ association that represents the SME enterprises and the self-employed of Catalonia, Susana Perez, executive president of Royal Artistic Circle of Barcelona, Jordi Diaz, director of the Barcelona Academy of Art, and Eloi Planes, president of the Fundació Catalunya Cultura (the Catalan Cultural Foundation), also attended the events as guests.

Liu He, first-class inspector of ZPDCT, delivering a speech

Liu He, first-class inspector of ZPDCT said that the Song Dynasty coalesced the essential aesthetics of Chinese art and that charm of the Song Dynasty is the fundamental civilization that has been passed down in Zhejiang for thousands of years. He indicated that as a symbol of Chinese art, paintings in the Song Dynasty are artistic treasures shared in human civilization. Advocating cultural resonance and sharing of art, he said that Zhejiang expects to share its exquisite art, profound humanity and timeless landscape with Spain, Europe and the wider world. He invited Spanish people to visit China and Zhejiang, where they will feel the splendor of “the picturesque South China and the vigorous Jiangnan”.

Laia Bonet, deputy mayor of Barcelona, delivering a speech

Laia Bonet, deputy mayor of Barcelona, said in the speech that 2023 marks the China-Spain Year of Culture and Tourism and a year of special significance to the development of cooperation and friendship between the two countries. She regarded this exhibition as an important opportunity for dialogue and cultural cooperation that allows the integration of Chinese culture into the urban cultural development of Barcelona and the local people to enjoy the beauty of traditional Chinese culture.

Carlos Prieto, Spanish government deputy delegate in Catalonia, delivering a speech in video

Carlos Prieto, Spanish government deputy delegate in Catalonia, delivered a speech in video, said that this event contributed to the cultural exchange between China and western countries and their peoples, helped both sides deepen mutual understanding and strengthen cooperation in many fields, and allowed the Spanish people to learn about the outstanding works of Chinese artists and their important contributions to the progress of society.

Zhu Jingyang, China’s consul general in Barcelona, delivering a speech

Zhu Jingyang, China’s consul general in Barcelona, said in the speech that art is a common language for human beings and a bridge to promote understanding and friendship among different countries and ethnic groups. He indicated that as an important part of Chinese traditional culture and art, Chinese paintings in the Song Dynasty are well known at home and abroad for their unique artistic style and profound cultural connotation. He hoped that this exhibition would serve as a window for the Spanish audience to better understand Chinese culture and art, enhance friendship and mutual trust between the two peoples, and deepen and substantiate the China-West friendship and cooperation.

Themed “The Reflection of the Golden Age”, this exhibition features 102 classical works from The Complete Collection of Song Dynasty Paintings in “A Comprehensive Collection of Ancient Chinese Paintings”, and the exhibits are displayed in the form of high-definition samples. The exhibition consists of three segments themed “Unity of Landscape”, “Inspirations from Flowers and Birds”, and “Integration among Human Beings” to present the profound meanings and subtle relationships between heaven and man and between subjective and objective from the perspectives of painters in the Song Dynasty. Legends and stories of the art in the Northern Song Dynasty and Southern Song Dynasty are told from the landscape paintings filled with the spirit of “unity between heaven and man”, the flower and bird paintings inquiring into “the nature of things”, and figure paintings portraying “the flourishing age in the Song Dynasty”.

After the opening ceremony, a delegation from ZPDCT accompanied the Chinese and foreign guests to appreciate the exhibition. Ying Jinfei, curator of ZJAM, served as an exhibition guide for the guests, telling them about the historical marks and cultural values behind the paintings in the Song Dynasty and the unique style of the Song culture in Zhejiang.

The Song culture is of profound significance in advancing the process of human civilization, and as an art channel that spans a millennium, it represents a successful practice of cultural interchange, consensus building and the construction of “a human community with a shared future” in the new era. ZJAM is always committed to promoting cultural exchanges between China and foreign countries, explores feasible paths to effectively participate in and construct international cultural dialogues through the two-way in-depth curatorial mechanism, and actively contributes to making higher-level and wider art exchanges happen.