“The 2nd Poetic Nature – A Joint Exhibition by Chinese and Australian Artists” organized by China Cultural Centre in Sydney, Australian Watercolour Institute and Australian Chinese Heritage Paper Art Club, was successfully opened on July 6 at China Cultural Centre in Sydney. Around 80 guests attended the ceremony, including Ms Wang Shuyu, Cultural Counsellor of the Consulate General of China in Sydney, Mr Xiao Xiayong, Director of China Cultural Centre and China National Tourist Office in Sydney, Mr David Van Nunen, President of the Australian Watercolour Institute, Prof. Ian Howard, the former Dean of Collage of Fine Art, University of NSW, Ms Cao Yin, Curator of Chinese Art of Art Gallery of NSW, Ms Chen Shuxia, Curator of the China Gallery at the Chau Chak Wing Museum, University of Sydney, guests from the Chinese and Australian art, overseas Chinese and business community, as well as reporters from China News Service, People’s Daily Online Australia, Southeast Net Australia, Australian Chinese Daily.
Ms Wang Shuyu congratulated the opening of the exhibition and said that “the exhibition is not only a showcase of the dialogue between the artists and the nature, but also a dialogue itself between the artists from different cultural background, and between the artists and audience. Both China and Australia has rich and colorful culture. Both of us are the beneficiaries of cultural diversity and should be the strongest supporters of cultural dialogue and people-to-people exchange. The Consulate General of China in Sydney will encourage and support the cultural exchanges between our two countries as we always do”.
Mr Xiao Xiayong stated that “we are happy to have eight Chinese and Australian artists altogether, who would feast you with their 32 extraordinary artworks on display. This “Poetic Nature” showcases their distinctive interpretation of life in nature and the universe and their marvellous creativity to connect with and inspire audiences. The exhibition serves as a great platform for Chinese and Australian artists to talk about one theme, applying art language to epitomize international cultural diversity and shared aesthetic pursuits of mankind”.
Mr David Van Nunen said that he has visited China multiple times and has been devoted to exploring the relationship between Chinese painting and Western watercolor art for many years. “The eight participating artists in this exhibition epitomise the cross-cultural interchange in their expanding of the parameters of classical Chinese painting through the dialogue between Eastern and Western aesthetic approaches to figuration and abstraction, tradition and contemporaneity”.
The exhibition presents 32 outstanding works from eight Australian and Australian-Chinese artists, Jo Bertini, Prof. Liz Belanjee Cameron, Dr. Lucienne Fontannaz, David Van Nunen OAM, Li Jingzhe, Wu Fangmin, Yu Xiangrong, and Liu Dapeng. The artists with different artistic perceptions and perspectives embed their admiration for nature and love for art into their entire creation process to strive to present perfectly the enchanting beauty of nature, which cover and contain everything.
Linda van Nunen, a renowned Australian art critic and writer, has written a review article for the exhibition, commenting on each of the participating artists and their works. The guests have given high praise to the exhibition, praising the exhibited artworks for their strong artistic appeals.
“The 1st Poetic Nature – A Joint Exhibition by Chinese and Australian Artists”, which was held in June 2021, had to be exhibited online due to the sudden outbreak of the ‘Delta’ epidemic and subsequent lockdown measures in the Greater Sydney area. However, the current exhibition will be showcased at China Cultural Centre in Sydney until August 4th.
