China-France art exhibition underway in Shanghai

An art exhibition kicked off last Friday in east China's Shanghai, as part of the cultural exchanges marking the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and France.

Entitled "French Lishui Fusion vs Jinshan Native Pallette -- When French Art meets Jinshan Peasants Painting and Lishui Barbizon Painting", the exhibition presented artworks from Lishui City in east China's Zhejiang Province and Jinshan District in Shanghai.

The Barbizon school of painting was originated from France and echoed by Lishui artists in 1980s, featuring the realism in painting natural landscape.

In 2015, when Liandu Distirct of Lishui City and Barbizon town of France became sister cities, a total of 33 paintings by Lishui Barbizon school were showcased at a Barbizon-style oil painting exhibition held in the French town.

In the ongoing exhibition, many works are created by French artists on the landscape of Lishui, indicating deeper artistic exchanges between Lishui and France. Besides, works from representatives of Lishui Barbizon school are also on display, including Zhan Weike and Cai Zhiwei.

Jinshan District of Shanghai, dubbed "home of modern folks painting", also presented its works on the exhibition. Featuring local lives of water towns in the south of the Yangtze River Delta, Jinshan peasants painting integrates folk arts, such as embroidery, paper cutting, blue print cloth, wall painting, sculpture and lacquer painting, with bold artistic expression and strong colour contrasts.

It is expected that art, as a bridge of cultural exchanges without national borders, will enhance exchanges and mutual learning between the two civilizations and contribute to global cultural prosperity.

Apart from the thematic exhibition, Fengjing Town of Jinshan District and Dagangtou Town of Liandu District will promote strategic cooperation on culture and tourism via more exchanges. The two sides will also promote the exhibition overseas to strengthen China-France cultural cooperation.

The exhibition will run until January 1, 2025.

(Edited by Li Shimeng with Xinhua Silk Road, lishimeng@xinhua.org)