Contemporary Chinese artworks on show in Cuba

A contemporary Chinese art exhibition was inaugurated recently in Cuba's capital, Havana, offering local people an opportunity to learn about the Chinese view of life and see artworks up close.

Themed "Faces around us in silence", the exhibition of more than 50 works by three contemporary Chinese artists - Yue Minjun, Lou Min and Wu Yuan - opened at the Palacio de Lombillo Museum in a historical district in Havana and will run through June 28.

Yue says: "My paintings feature rich colors and a strong contrast between light and shadow, just like the visual impression this country brings me, which is intense sunlight."

The artists also use lithographs, oil on canvas and ink on rice paper to depict faces and characters in the works that reflect their inner worlds and individual pursuits.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Zhao Xiaoming, the cultural adviser of the Chinese embassy in Cuba, said: "Art is always a universal language, no matter what the distance between the artists and the audience."

And the artworks help "strengthen the bond of cultural exchange and promote understanding and friendship between the Chinese and Cuban people".

Exchanges between China and Cuba can be traced back to the 19th century, when Chinese immigrants first landed on the island, which partly explains why the Cubans are keen on Chinese art and want to update their knowledge of the country.

Aliana Martinez, the curator of the museum, described the exhibition as a "gift" to Cubans, saying, "It is very important because sometimes we have the cliche of seeing China only as an ancient nation, while actually there are many contemporary artists showcasing modern new life."

Xinhua