Press releases

MINSK, 30 July (BelTA) – A Belarusian art exhibition was opened in China’s Chongqing on 30 July, BelTA learned from the Belarusian Embassy in China.

A group of prominent Belarusian artists headed by Director of the National Art Museum Vladimir Prokoptsov participated in the plein air organized by the Culture Committee of Chongqing, Chongqing Art Museum, with the support of the People's Government of the city, the Chinese Embassy in Belarus and the Belarusian Embassy in China.

The event was attended by Vladimir Vasyuk, Vladimir Kozhukh, Pavel Prokoptsov, Vasily Kostyuchenko, Nikolai Mischenko, Konstantin Kachan, Maria Isaenok, Ilona Kosobuko, and Yekaterina Sumareva.

The plein air was organized in accordance with the plan of action of the Year of Culture which is running in Belarus, and in anticipation of the 25th anniversary of the establishment of the Belarusian-Chinese diplomatic relations, and in accordance with the cooperation agreement between the Confederation of Art Unions of Belarus and Chongqing Art Museum.

For nearly two weeks, the artists visited local attractions and scenic spots around the city. The artists then made their paintings. Most paintings were dedicated to the theme of nature of Chongqing.

The plein air concluded with an exhibition of the paintings Vagaries of Landscape. The key speakers at the opening ceremony of the exhibition were Executive Director of Chongqing Art Museum Pang Maokun, Chairman of the Confederation of Art Unions of Belarus, General Director of the National Art Museum Vladimir Prokoptsov, Counselor of the Embassy of Belarus in China Sergei Vergeichik, and a representative of the Culture Committee of Chongqing.

The exhibition aroused great interest among the Chinese artistic community.

The Belarusian artistic delegation gave a lecture and a briefing on the Belarusian contemporary art at Chongqing Art Museum, and an artistic conference. The general theme of the cultural action was the idea “One Belt, One Road, Joint Prosperity.”

It was Chongqing located at the juncture of the initiative “One Belt, One Road” and the development strategy for the Yangtze River Economic Zone that initiated this large-scale joint project.

According to Sergei Vergeichik, Chongqing has become a kind of cultural center of the Belarusian-Chinese cooperation.

An agreement was reached to release, with the assistance of the Belpochta mail service, a set of postage stamps and envelopes picturing the iconic paintings from the holdings of Chongqing Art Museum and the National Art Museum of Belarus. Artists from Chongqing were invited to take part in the Chagall plein air, which will be held in Vitebsk Oblast in July 2017 and which will be dedicated to the 130th anniversary of the famous Belarusian artist. The National Art Museum is planning to arrange an exhibition of the paintings made during the Chongqing plein air 2016.