Beijing International Art Biennale showcases works on Silk Road

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The Beijing International Art Biennale, one of the country’s biggest art exhibitions, has opened at the National Art Museum of China in Beijing with the Silk Road taking center stage.

Co-organized by the China Federation of Literary and Art Circles and China Artists Association, the event showcases 567 artists from more than 100 countries and regions.

With the theme "Silk Road and the World's Civilizations", the event has invited artists from home and abroad to submit works discussing the spirit of the Silk Road in today's world order.

The 600 works selected for the event were chosen from a pool of more than 10,000 entries.

Six special shows are also on display this year, including four country shows for Georgia, Indonesia, Mongolia and Greece.

CGTN Photo

The event is giving a platform to not only countries where art is booming and highly commercialized, but also countries that are much less developed but want their artists' voices to be heard internationally.

Works by artists from crisis-hit countries that used to be along the ancient Silk Road, such as Iraq, Syria and Yemen are being displayed.

Liu Dawei, chairman of the China Artists Association, who created the event, said, "In ancient times, the Silk Road was a network of overland and sea routes used for trade and cultural exchanges between China and other countries.

"Although many sites along the Silk Road have already disappeared, its call for communication and mutual development is still what today's world should strive for."

CGTN Photo

Since its first edition in 2003, the biennale has been focusing on the contemporary evolution of traditional forms of painting and sculpture, and their roles in merging Eastern and Western cultures.

The biennale has also incorporated installations, videos and mixed-media works in recent exhibitions, in a way that more artists working with multiple mediums could better show their creativity.

The event attracts many foreign artists because it provides an opportunity to communicate with Chinese artists.

The exhibition will run until October 15.