Hangzhou exhibition builds bridges between China and Malta

An exhibition displaying the artworks of young Chinese and Maltese students opened on Tuesday at the Zhejiang Art Museum in Hangzhou, the capital city of East China’s Zhejiang province.

“The exhibition is more than a collection of beautiful art,” said John Busuttil, the Maltese ambassador to China, at the opening ceremony. “It is a passport to a cross-continental adventure.”

“It is a testament to the power of children’s imagination to build bridges or perhaps to sail boats between countries that seem worlds apart,” he said.

Themed “Voyage of Art”, the China-Malta Children’s Art Exchange Exhibition has on display 29 paintings by students from Malta, along with 40 pieces by their counterparts in Hangzhou.

The exhibition echoes “Nihao! China — Exploring Zhejiang on a Maltese Luzzu”, the theme of the 16th China Cultural Center Art Competition held earlier this year by the China Cultural Center in Malta and the Directorate for Early Years, Languages and Humanities of the Ministry for Education, Sport, Youth, Research and Innovation of Malta. This competition encouraged participants to imagine the journey of a traditional Maltese luzzu fishing boat sailing to Zhejiang province.

The 29 artworks by the Maltese students for the exhibition are all winning pieces from the competition.

“Through this creative lens, students discover the natural beauty, the history, and the architecture of Zhejiang, comparing it with their own landscapes and traditions,” said Alice Micallef, head of the Directorate for Early Years, Languages and Humanities of the Ministry for Education, Sport, Youth, Research and Innovation of Malta.

“Their artworks reflect a thoughtful and imaginative interpretation of these discoveries,” she added.

Meanwhile, students from four schools in Hangzhou were invited to create paintings on the themes “Exploring Malta on a Zhejiang Boat” and “A Tour of Zhejiang”, of which 40 artworks have been selected.

The pronunciation of the exhibition’s theme “Voyage of Art” is quite similar to “friendship” in Chinese, Chen Rufu, deputy director of the Zhejiang Provincial Department of Culture, Radio, Television and Tourism, stated.

“It symbolizes the youth of Zhejiang and Malta using imagination as their vessel to advance hand in hand in the ocean of art, collaborating and creating together,” he said.

Over the years, Zhejiang province has held a series of cultural and art events in Malta, deepening mutual understanding and fostering mutual appreciation between the two peoples.

As Tian Yuxin, a primary school student in Hangzhou whose painting is featured in the exhibition, said, “Art knows no borders; neither does friendship.”

The exhibition will run until Oct 8.