2023 Chengdu Biennale: Leveraging the Universiade to Promote Cultural Exhibition and Exchange between China and Foreign Countries Chengdu | Biennale | China and Foreign Countries
Since its opening at the Chengdu Art Museum on July 16, the "2023 Chengdu Biennale" has maintained a high level of attention, and the "blessing" of the Chengdu Universiade has made this exhibition extremely popular, effectively promoting cultural exchange between China and foreign countries.
The Chengdu Biennale began more than 20 years ago and is held every two years. It has become a window for citizens to learn about international art and world culture. This year's exhibition will continue until November, and the entire process will be open to the public for free. 235 artists from 22 countries and regions, including Xu Bing, Zhou Chunya, and David Hockney, participated in the exhibition with 476 works of art across all categories. The Chengdu Art Museum reserves over 10000 visiting spots every day, often being snatched up by enthusiastic audiences.
This is a biennial exhibition exhibit shot at the Chengdu Art Museum on July 16th. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Tang Wenhao
"I thought David Hockney and Tim Ulrich were incredibly far away from me, but I never expected to one day stand in front of their works and thank the Chengdu Biennale for allowing me to see such beautiful artworks at my doorstep." Mr. Zhang, 50 years old this year, is an "old Chengdu". After dinner, he took a walk with his family in the exhibition hall, admiring Chinese and foreign art works.
Unlike previous editions, the 2023 Chengdu Biennale, combined with the Chengdu Universiade, showcases the works of a group of outstanding young artists, allowing the beauty of youth and sports to meet the beauty of art and creativity.
Recently, athletes from Poland have been lingering in various exhibition halls. In the exhibition hall, artist Xu Bing's "English Square Calligraphy Classroom" caught their attention.
The fonts created by Xu Bing are radical elements that transform English letters into calligraphy, combining them into new calligraphy blocks based on English words. Their artistic inspiration comes from his experiences when he faced language communication barriers when he went to the United States.
On August 4th, in the "English Square Calligraphy Classroom" of artist Xu Bing at the "2023 Chengdu Biennale", participants were copying on paper with a brush. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Shang Wenyi
"Beyond cultural exchange and communication between the East and the West, breaking through traditional thinking and finding new perspectives is the value of this work." Alexander picked up a brush in the experience area and wrote an ancient "rabbit" character on paper. After living in the Dayun Village for a few days, Alexander had a strong sense of identification with the Chinese zodiac sign. "I just learned to write with a brush in the Dayun Village. I am a rabbit and this year is my zodiac year."
Polish athletes also saw the artwork "Stargazing into Dreams" by artist Alicia Kwald from their hometown in the exhibition hall - the movable metal structure balances huge pebbles in the air - and the "Polish fragments" from a foreign land made several athletes feel familiar, playing with each other to "claim" these stones from Warsaw or Krakow.
On July 16th, the audience filmed exhibits at the Chengdu Art Museum. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Tang Wenhao
"The Chengdu Universiade is both a competitive stage and a stage for cultural exchange. As an important international urban art project, the Chengdu Biennale plays an irreplaceable role in promoting cultural exchange, leading artistic trends, and setting benchmarks for urban cultural values." said Wang Shaoqiang, the chief curator of the "2023 Chengdu Biennale".
Chengdu is a famous historical and cultural city in China, with 172 museums of various types. "The Chengdu Biennial Exhibition has always been a highly anticipated stage for international cultural and artistic exchanges." In the view of Xiao Feige, Deputy Director of the Chengdu Art Museum, Chengdu has engaged in close dialogue with world civilizations through numerous heavyweight exhibitions, vividly interpreting the artistic character of inclusiveness and openness to the outside world, and leaving an important footnote for Chengdu's construction of a world cultural city.
This is the exhibition hall of the biennial exhibition, which was filmed on July 16th at the Chengdu Art Museum. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Tang Wenhao
As of August 5th, the 2023 Chengdu Biennale has received a total of 106 foreign athletes from the United States, Poland, Italy, and other countries. There is a piece of work called "Everyone is a Witness" displayed in the exhibition hall. Chinese artist Sui Jianguo 3D printed a clay sculpture with both hands closed and released, which was enlarged into a huge object, and the palm prints under it were clearly visible as he walked. The universe is infinitely bounded in the palm of one's hand, just like the innocent smiling faces at the Universiade, where people of different skin colors and nationalities compete and play together. The world should be so beautiful.
