CHINA DAILY | HONG KONG EDITION Monday, December 7, 2020 | 17 LIFE
anjing Art Fair Interna support galleries. tional claims to be Chi It also pledged to provide social na’s first such event to security and pensions for artists solely feature video and who are ready to move in. Nnew media art. Dynamic digital creations “We set up a special booth at This year’s edition of the event, NAFI2020 to introduce the policies which took place from Nov 26 to 29, and services supporting artists and presented a visual extravaganza to institutions interested in Nanjing,” more than 40,000 visitors at the A recent fair in Jiangsu’s provincial capital presented new media art, which is a he says. Nanjing International Exhibition “Nanjing is less stressful than Bei Center in Jiangsu province’s capital. relatively novel genre in the country, Zhang Kun reports in Nanjing. jing or Shanghai. We have a large The fair wasn’t disrupted by the number of good universities and art pandemic since new media art schools here. And its cultural and doesn’t require the complicated historical atmosphere has strong process of international shipping, appeal, too.” even though 60 percent of the par HdM Gallery, which has operated ticipating galleries are from over in Paris, London and Beijing for the seas. past 12 years, participated in NAFI “Nanjing is a city of rich cultural for the first time this year. heritage, and I’d like to present a The gallery was given free show modern and fashionable side of the space at the event, says HdM city,” chief curator Kong Chao says, cofounder Olivier Hervet. explaining the decision to focus on “Besides, we have had some cli the genre. ents in Nanjing,” he says. Also, the nearby city of Shanghai It presented a solo exhibition of hosts several wellestablished art digital photographs by 30yearold fairs. So, NAFI, which was founded Chinese artist Hu Weiyi and sales last year, chose new media to set started from the first day. itself apart. One of NAFI’s missions was to NAFI2020 was hosted by Nan introduce some of the best works jing’s publicity department and cul and practices of contemporary art tural and tourism administration, to the city, and provide quality cul and featured exhibitions from 27 tural experiences for its people, galleries and four museums. Kong says. Most galleries were from abroad, “So, we prepared colorful events Kong says, because new media art is aside from the main exhibition”. better developed in the West, where The event featured Spain as its it’s also popular. highlight country this year, with “In fact, Nanjing has many collec Spanish food and drinks showcased tors interested in new media art,” alongside artworks by Salvadore Kong says. Dali and Pablo Picasso. NAFI2019 achieved a sales vol NAFI2020 also presented a fash ume of just under $1 million, and ion show on the opening evening, “presales went much better than featuring the debuts of seven expected” this year, he says. designers from the Federation de la Nanjing’s collectors have devel Haute Couture et de la Mode. oped an awareness of new media And two special projects — the works’ value and appreciate their W!ld, focusing on young designers relatively low prices. This enables and alternative culture, and NAFI new collectors to access topnotch Jeans, a creative market place for works from the global scene, he handicrafts and new creations explains. incorporating traditional Chinese The city’s contemporary art scene heritage — took place alongside the is undergoing a boom, he says. main exhibition. A series of new private muse More than 40,000 people visit the recent Nanjing Art Fair International, which took place from Nov 26 to 29 at the Nanjing International ums have been opening, and Nan Exhibition Center in Jiangsu province’s capital. This year’s edition of the event featured exhibitions from 27 galleries and four museums Contact the writer at jing has been adopting policies to from around the world. PHOTOS PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY [email protected]
What’s on
An act of defiance incident triggered the First Opium of bronze mirrors made in ancient Under the baton of conductor Jiao lished artists of the 1940s and War. China. On show are more than 260 Miao, the China NCPA Chorus will throughout the ’70s show the dom 7:30 pm, Dec 11 to 22. National Cen of the finest objects in collection of perform a concert of songs includ inating socialist realism, and mem ter for the Performing Arts. No 2 the National Museum, to not just ing Four Seasons, adapted from a bers of the working class were West Chang’an Avenue, Xicheng dis review the progress of bronze melt Mongolian ethnic folk song with the recurring subjects. While works trict, Beijing. 01066550000. ing and casting techniques over the same title, A Snowflake’s Happiness since the 1980s have taken a more centuries, but also show the cultural based on a Chinese poem by Xu Zhi diverse approach, looking to reflect Reflecting on the past implications and moral beliefs mo and composed by Zhou Xin the coexistence of different artistic embodied in mirrors, as well as quan, and Bidding Farewell methods and concepts. exchanges between ancient China composed by J.P. Ordway and writ 9 am5 pm, closed on Mondays. Res and the world. ten by Li Shutong. Founded in 2009, ervation needed. 16 East Chang’an 9 am5 pm, closed on Mondays. Res the China NCPA Chorus is the resi Avenue, Dongcheng district, Beijing. ervation needed. 16 East Chang’an dent chorus of the National Center 01065116400. Avenue, Dongcheng district, Beijing. for the Performing Arts. A Chinese play, Lin Zexu, which tells 01065116400. 7:30 pm, Dec 10 and 11. National National composure the life story of the Chinese scholar Center for the Performing Arts. No 2 The China National Symphony and Qing Dynasty (16441911) offi A vocal performance West Chang’an Avenue, Xicheng dis cial, will be staged by the National trict, Beijing. 01066550000. Orchestra will perform under the Center for the Performing Arts. baton of conductor Xia Xiaotang, Commissioned by the NCPA and Mirrors are not only a common with repertories by Chinese compos premiering in 2019, the play will fea apparatus of daily life. The object Drawing cultural lines ers, including Du Mingxin’s piano ture veteran actors, including Pu also reflects techniques, aesthetics Making drawings is not only a the evolution of Chinese art concerto Awakening, Zhao Jiping’s Cunxin playing the title role. Lin was and lifestyles. Vintage mirrors form basic practice for artists to hone throughout the 20th century. Towards Glory and Festival Rhapso sent by the emperor to Guangzhou, a large category in the collection of their techniques. Drawings are also Works on show include those by dy 2020 by Xu Changjun. Pianist Guangdong province, to stop the the National Museum of China in seen as an independent piece of masters, such as Xu Beihong and Chen Sa will perform with the illegal import of opium from Britain Beijing, the oldest dating back to the art. Chinese Drawing, an exhibition Pan Yuliang, who were among the orchestra. in 1838. He launched the destruction late stage of Neolithic Age. Mirrors now underway at the National firstgeneration of Chinese to study 7:30 pm, Dec 13. National Center for of opium in Humen, a port town, in of Eternity, an exhibition at the Museum of China in Beijing and and live in Europe, and who helped the Performing Arts. No 2 West 1839. About 1,400 tons of opium, National Museum of China, which running through Jan 30, teams up introduce Western art and build a Chang’an Avenue, Xicheng district, confiscated from foreign traders, runs through March 24, offers a modern and contemporary artists modern art education system at Beijing. 01066550000. was destroyed within 23 days. The glimpse of the richness and diversity whose drawings offer a glimpse at home. Drawings by wellestab CHINA DAILY