“2023 Chengdu Biennale” Draws International Attention and Promotes Cultural Exchanges
Xinhua News Agency, Chengdu, August 6 – Since the opening of the Chengdu Art Museum on July 16, the “2023 Chengdu Biennale” has attracted significant attention. The synergy between the biennale and the Chengdu Universiade has further enhanced its popularity, effectively facilitating the exchange of Chinese and foreign cultural exhibitions.
The Chengdu Biennale, which started over 20 years ago and is held every two years, has become a gateway for citizens to explore international art and world culture. This year’s exhibition, which will run until November, is free and open to the public. It features the works of 235 artists from 22 countries and regions, including renowned figures such as Xu Bing, Zhou Chunya, and David Hockney. With a wide range of art forms on display, the Chengdu Art Museum reserves over 10,000 spots for visitors daily, often finding itself sold out due to the enthusiasm of the audience.
“I never thought I could stand in front of the works of David Hockney and Tim Ulrich, who I thought were so far away from me. Thanks to the Chengdu Biennale, I can appreciate such beautiful artwork right on my doorstep,” said Mr. Zhang, a 50-year-old resident of Chengdu. After dinner, he took his family for a leisurely walk through the exhibition hall, admiring Chinese and foreign art.
This edition of the “Chengdu Biennale 2023” differs from previous ones as it combines the Chengdu Universiade, showcasing the works of outstanding young artists. This unique approach blends the beauty of youth and sports with the beauty of art and creativity.
Recently, athletes from Poland spent considerable time exploring various exhibition halls. One particular exhibit that caught their attention was artist Xu Bing’s “Square English Calligraphy Classroom.” Xu Bing’s unique creation transformed English letters into calligraphy radicals, forging brand-new square characters. The concept behind this artwork stems from the artist’s personal experience of language barriers faced during his time in the United States.
“In addition to facilitating cultural exchange between the East and the West, this work offers a fresh perspective by breaking conventional thinking,” expressed Alexander, an athlete from Poland. In the experience area, Alexander picked up a brush and wrote the ancient Chinese character for “rabbit” on paper. Having stayed in the Universiade Village for a few days, Alexander related to the Chinese zodiac sign “rabbit,” stating, “I just learned how to write with a brush in the Universiade Village. I am a rabbit, and this year is my birth year.”
The Polish athletes also discovered a work by artist Alicia Kwad from their hometown, titled “Looking at the Stars and Dreaming.” This artwork, consisting of a movable metal structure balancing huge pebbles in the air, evoked a sense of familiarity and warmth among the athletes as it embodied “Polish fragments” in a foreign land. They playfully competed with each other to “claim” the stones from Warsaw or Krakow.
As a significant international urban art project, the Chengdu Biennale plays an irreplaceable role in promoting cultural exchanges, leading artistic trends, and establishing benchmarks for urban cultural values, according to Wang Shaoqiang, the chief curator of the “2023 Chengdu Biennale.”
Chengdu, a renowned historical and cultural city in China, boasts 172 museums of various types. “The Chengdu Biennale has always been highly anticipated as a platform for international cultural and artistic exchange,” stated Xiao Feige, Deputy Director of Chengdu Art Museum. Through blockbuster exhibitions, Chengdu engages in intimate dialogues with various world civilizations, vividly showcasing its open and accepting artistic character, thus contributing to its aspiration of becoming a world-famous cultural city.
As of August 5, the “2023 Chengdu Biennale” has welcomed a total of 106 foreign athletes from the United States, Poland, and Italy. Among the captivating exhibits is a piece named “Everyone is a Witness” by Chinese artist Sui Jianguo. This artwork features a 3D-printed clay sculpture of a pair of hands releasing a gigantic monster, with clear palm prints visible beneath. Just as the universe is infinite and bounded in the palm of one’s hand, the innocent smiling faces at the Universiade, where people of different skin colors and nationalities compete and play together, reflect the beauty that the world should embody.
Editor: Shu Mengqing