Jinji Lake Biennale offers stage to world-class art
The 5th Suzhou Jinji Lake Biennale is now open and will run through mid-November. Featuring eight themes, three forums and 22 parallel sessions, the event combines a “mobile art museum” sightseeing bus line and other activities to form an interactive art network throughout Suzhou.
“The artworks displayed not only interpret artists’ understanding of contemporary life, but also reflect the aesthetic needs of the people, showing the characteristics of Suzhou and contemporary China,” said Wu Weishan at the opening ceremony on September 6.
Wu Weishan (third from right), curator of the 5th Suzhou Jinji Lake Biennale, introduces artworks on display at the exhibition “Voice from Seine River.”
Wu, director of the National Art Museum of China and correspondant de l’Académie des Beaux-Arts, is the curator of the biennale.
“Let the modern spirit of Suzhou culture influence the world and make new contributions to telling China stories,” Wu added.
A landmark art show next to the Jinji Lake, the biennale this year has gathered first-class artists and top artworks in China. The eight themes are “Voice from Seine River,” “From Treatise on Superfluous Things,” “New Art in the Integration of Civilizations,” “Water-based Exploration Derived from the Traditional Spirit,” “The Biennale of the 5th China Youth Sculpture,” “Artistic Conception and Charm of South of the Yangtze River,” “Buddhism, Confucianism and Art” and “International Exhibition of Masterpieces in Pastel.”
Sculpture work “Li Bai” by Wu Weishan
Ding Lixin, director of Suzhou Industrial Park Administrative Committee, said in a speech that since the launch of the Jinji Lake Biennale in 2012, the event has enriched artistic creativity and played an important role in improving the livability and attractiveness of Suzhou.
“It has become a brand name of Suzhou culture,” Ding said. “On one hand, this biennale adheres to the original aspiration of literature and art for the people. At the same time, it is based on the integrated development of Suzhou. It is not only a summary of the previous four biennales, but also an inspiration for the future.”
The “Voice from Seine River” and “The Biennale of the 5th China Youth Sculpture” were unveiled at the opening ceremony, presenting viewers with 217 masterpieces.
Among the pieces, 37 are made by five members of the Académie des Beaux-Arts — Claude Abeille, Jean Cardot, Jean Anguera, Antoine Poncet and Brigitte Terziev.
At the same time, Wu Hongliang, president of the Beijing Fine Art Academy, reproduced the integration of Suzhou culture and contemporary art through the exhibition “From Treatise on Superfluous Things.” This is the third cooperation between Wu and Suzhou.
Also on September 6, an academic forum was held. Hosted by Wu Weishan, the forum invited hundreds of scholars, critics and artists from home and abroad to explore the context of human civilization from an artistic perspective and enhance the academic influence of the Jinji Lake Biennale.
“Onboard” by Claude Abeille
