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Grandi Aspirazioni II mondo dell’arte di Qi Baishi exhibition opens in Milan

Print Share Updated: 2022-11-02 14:49

Co-hosted by Bauhinia Culture Group Co., Ltd., the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism, and the Milan Municipal Bureau of Culture, and organized by China Arts and Entertainment Group Ltd. (CAEG), the Beijing Painting Academy, the Milan Steam Factory Museum-Milan Municipal Government, and China Foreign Affairs, the exhibition "Grandi Aspirazioni II mondo dell’arte di Qi Baishi", carried out by the China International Exhibition Agency (CIEA) and China Art International Co., Ltd., kicked off at the Milan Steam Factory Museum on Oct 28.

Liu Kan, Consul General of the People's Republic of China in Milan, Tommaso Sacchi, Director of the Cultural Bureau of Milan, Maria Fratelli, Director of the Steam Factory Museum in Milan, and Alexandre Tripo, Director of the Milan Provincial Governor's Office Alessandra Tripodi, as well as commissioners from the British Consulate in Milan, the Korean Consulate in Milan, the Pakistan Consulate in Milan, and Italian media, cultural and art circles attended the opening ceremony.

In his speech, Thomas Sacchi said that the exhibition showed everyone the great value of art and exhibition spaces. The Milan Steam Museum is developing towards a large-scale art production and exhibition center, with the ambition of bringing diverse cultures to their geographical origins. At this moment, two very different exhibitions are on display simultaneously here: one is the great Chinese artist Qi Baishi, and the other is the great American artist Andy Warhol. It is a great honor for Qi Baishi's works to meet the audience in Milan, so that everyone can better understand the aesthetics of various cultures.

Consul General Liu said in his speech that it was meaningful to jointly promote the art world, in which Qi Baishi did not like mediocrity. From the on-site atmosphere, people can feel hope in the recovery of cultural activities and the gradual revitalization of the cultural industry in the wake of the pandemic. The Chinese Consulate General in Milan expressed hope to promote more cultural activities in a more open and cooperative way conducive to enhancing mutual understanding and people-to-people bonds, and to introduce the cultural essence of the two countries to the people of both sides through various ways and means.

Curator Maria Fratelli expressed that she was very happy that the exhibition could be held in Milan, Italy, so that the Steam Factory Museum can gain more international curatorial experience. The works of Qi Baishi, a great Chinese artist, have shortened the distance between the cultures of China and Italy, as well as the distance between the two peoples. At the Venice Biennale in 1956, Italian audiences also saw Qi Baishi's artworks.

Fifty years later, everyone can see Qi Baishi's art world once again. The exhibition brings an unusual cultural experience to the Western audience, allowing them to experience and enjoy the artistic concepts of Chinese painting. You can even adhere to the ancient Chinese way of viewing paintings to find more details and get closer to the master's heart. Qi Baishi immortalized the cultural traditions of his country, and the modernity of his era. This exhibition starts from the depths of Chinese traditional culture, and allows European audiences to understand the poetry and dimension of Chinese painting and calligraphy through new contemporary exhibition techniques.

Wu Hongliang, president of the Beijing Academy of Fine Arts, explained the planning concept of the exhibition to the Italian audience via video. He said that Qi Baishi was a great Chinese artist from the 20th century. He not only led a legendary life, but also embodied outstanding artistic creativity. The exhibition title seizes the originality of Qi Baishi's art, borrows the details and psychological experience of Chinese painting, and allows the audience to experience the realm, meaning and spirit of Chinese art.




Grandi Aspirazioni II mondo dell’arte di Qi Baishi exhibition opens in Milan on Oct 28. [Photo/CAEG]



The exhibition runs until Nov 26 this year.

(Translated by Wang Liyan)