| James Kon |
BRIDGING the diplomatic relationship through art, 39 creative works by five local and eight Chinese artists are currently on display at Brunei Darussalam Maritime Museum.
The Joint Art Exhibition, held in conjunction with the 25th anniversary of China-Brunei diplomatic relations, was opened yesterday by Pehin Datu Lailaraja Major General (Rtd) Dato Paduka Seri Haji Awang Halbi bin Haji Mohd Yussof, Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports.
The exhibition showcases masterpieces of local artists Dato Shofry Abdul Ghafor, owner and Manager of Rainforest Gallery in Bandar Seri Begawan; Pengiran Timbang bin Pengiran Haji Tuah, a full time artist and jurors choice winner at Asean Awards by Philip Morris; Haji Dayang bin Haji Mutalip, famed artist who has won numerous awards including the recent first prize in the Youth Category of the competition held in conjunction with His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Haji Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien Sa’adul Khairi Waddien, Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam’s 70th birthday celebration; Zakaria bin Haji Abdul Hamid, Director of International Artist Group (Internet)-World Artists and Dreamers under the name of Jack Blackleica; and Osman Muhammad, Managing Director of Creative Space Art Gallery and Studio.
The Chinese artists who are showcasing their artworks are Yang Ganjun, chairman of Zhejiang Oil Painters Association, who is also the deputy director of Oil Painting Art Committee of China Artists Association; Zhang Xiaoming, a professor of China Academy of Art (CAA); Ren Zhizhong, supervisor of Master Candidates as well as deputy director of Department of Foundation Studies of CAA; Tong Biao, a teacher of printmaking and deputy director of Teaching Office at CAA; Guo Jianlian, dean of Division of Fine Arts at CAA; Liu Haiyong and Gu Yingqing , both professors and supervisors of Master Candidates as well as deputy directors of Department of Chinese Painting at CAA; and Chen Lei, associate professor and chair of Fundamental Education Division, Department of Chinese Painting at CAA.
Pehin Datu Lailaraja Major General (Rtd) Dato Paduka Seri Haji Awang Halbi bin Haji Mohd Yussof, Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports and Yang Jian, Chinese Ambassador to Brunei Darussalam tours the exhibition.
Pehin Datu Lailaraja Major General (Rtd) Dato Paduka Seri Haji Awang Halbi bin Haji Mohd Yussof, Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports; Yang Jian, Chinese Ambassador to Brunei Darussalam; Dato Shofry Abdul Ghafor, owner and Manager of Rainforest Gallery in Bandar Seri Begawan; and Gu Ying Qing during the ribbon-cutting ceremony.
A watercolour painting titled ‘Tunxi Old Street, Huangshan’ by Haji Dayang bin Haji Mutalip.
A painting titled ‘The Abode of Peace’ by Chen Lei. – PHOTOS: BAHYAIH BAKIR
Yang Jian, the Ambassador of China to Brunei Darussalam in her welcoming remark highlighted, “As a Chinese saying goes, ‘The first step is always difficult’. The exchanges in the field of art between China and Brunei have not been frequent over the past 25 years. The exhibition today could be regarded as an innovative step to promote the understanding between the two sides. From the 39 pieces of work by 13 artists of the two countries, we will see the impression of Brunei under Chinese artists’ brush and China’s landscape depicted by Bruneian artists.”
Art, she explained, “is beyond language. Art has no boundary. Many of the Chinese artists have never come to Brunei before. As for the Bruneian artists, it is the first time for them to appreciate the mountains and waters of China. I believe that the artists are deeply impressed by the ethos of the other country. It is my hope that this exhibition will become a new beginning of the art exchanges between China and Brunei, and with more people-to-people exchanges, the friendship between our two peoples will be continuously promoted.”
Some of the interesting artworks on display include those by Gu Yingqing whose paintings are based on people of Brunei.
During his previous trip to Brunei, Gu Yingqing had collected pictures of Bruneian people and then took about a month to complete his masterpieces.
“It’s an honour to participate in the exhibition commemorating the 25th anniversary of China-Brunei diplomatic relations. With the support of both governments, he hoped that more cooperation can be built between artists of the two countries.
The exhibition will be open for public until December 20, 2016.
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