Shanghai salon to treat art lovers ( 2003-09-06 11:01) (China Daily)
China is to have its first major art salon in Shanghai this month. The
Shanghai Spring Art Salon is being hosted by the Shanghai Academy of Oil
Painting and Sculpture and the Shanghai Spring International Art Salon Co. It
will be held in the city's Everbright (Guangda) Exhibition Centre from 1 pm to 9
pm from September 11 to 15.
More than 250 young Chinese artists from around the country and 60 foreign
artists will display traditional Chinese paintings, oil paintings, prints,
sculptures, photographs, art installations and modern ceramic works.
The artists have been carefully chosen as the salon's academic level has been
stressed as much as the commercial value, said Xing Yuping, spokeswoman for the
salon's organizing committee. Seventeen themed exhibitions of Chinese artists
are to be held at the salon. One exhibition will feature works by famous Chinese
oil painters, while "Spirit of Coloured Ink'' will feature works by well-known
traditional ink painters.
Young artists from three artists' villages in Beijing are to show their works
in "Artists in Clusters,'' while two other exhibitions will showcase the work of
those from Shanghai and those from Southwest China's Yunnan Province. Renowned
sculptor Wu Weishan will have a solo exhibition "Poetry and Expression'' at the
salon.
In addition to contemporary Chinese art, German art will be a focus. Original
works by Kaethe Kollwitz (1867-1945), the German graphic artist, will make their
Chinese debut. Her works had a great influence on the Chinese in the 1920s and
1930s. More than 30 contemporary German artists will hold discussions with
Chinese artists and display their video, performance and installation works. Ole
Fischer, Gunnar Theel and Felix Droese will be some of the Germans taking part.
To promote the salon's academic level, the first National Young Art Critics'
Forum will be held on Thursday and Friday, with more than 60 art critics
attending. Spokeswoman Xing said: "To those familiar with the Shanghai Biennale
and Shanghai Art Fair, the spring salon will be a totally new experience as it
will be more open.''
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