ZJU collaborates in curating China’s national pavilion at 60th Venice Biennale

China’s national pavilion at the 60th International Art Exhibition, unveiled on April 18 in Venice, embraces the theme “Atlas: Harmony in Diversity”. Through this thematic lens, it explores the concepts of “gathering, converging, collecting, or assembling,” aiming to convey the values of harmony and beauty rooted in Chinese culture.

In her opening address, Laura Fincato, Italy’s former Deputy Foreign Minister and a committee member of the Celebrations of the 700th Anniversary of the death of Marco Polo, underscored the pavilion’s role in fostering cultural communication as a bridge between different countries.

DU Jiangfeng, President of Zhejiang University, expressed hope for the deepening of cultural exchanges between China and the West through this exhibition in his opening remarks. He emphasized the significance of showcasing the rich cultural heritage and modern image of Chinese culture to a global audience. Through uniquely charming Chinese stories, the exhibition aims to foster mutual learning and promote the peaceful development of human civilizations, embracing beauty and diversity.

“China’s national pavilion in the 60th Venice Biennale adds importance to the joint commemoration between China and Italy of the 700th anniversary of Marco Polo’s death ... and will further promote mutual understanding and friendly exchanges between the two countries in all aspects,” said ZHANG Lingxiao, cultural counselor of the Chinese Embassy in Italy, in the opening speech.

Prior to the opening of the exhibition, Zhejiang University bestowed the “Comprehensive Collection of Chinese Ancient Paintings” upon the University of Bologna, symbolizing a gesture of cultural goodwill and scholarly collaboration. DU Jiangfeng highlighted that the “Collection” gathers Chinese painting masterpieces scattered overseas through digital means, alongside collections in China, thereby forming a magnificent panorama of the history of ancient Chinese paintings spanning from the pre-Qin period to the Tang, Song, Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties. He hoped that the two universities would use the “Collection” as a means to promote its dissemination and research and propel the innovative transformation and development of excellent traditional cultures of China and Italy, thus ushering in a new chapter in Sino-Italian friendly cooperation.

Raffaella Campaner, Vice Rector of the University of Bologna, conveyed gratitude for the esteemed gift from Zhejiang University. She stated that the University of Bologna treasures invaluable cultural heritage, and the scholars specializing in the fields of history and art history at the university will extensively utilize the “Collection” to actively promote the sharing of exceptional artistic achievements with the global community. She expressed confidence that the dissemination of cultural heritage and art collections can deepen mutual understanding, thereby fostering cultural exchanges and interactions between the two universities, China and Italy, and beyond.

China’s national pavilion in the 60th Venice Biennale is co-curated by Prof. WANG Xiaosong from the Zhejiang University School of Art and Archaeology and JIANG Jun, an independent curator.

The exhibition presents a captivating blend of ancient and contemporary Chinese artistry and it is divided into two parts. The first part consists of images and documents from a comprehensive collection of ancient Chinese paintings, while the second part features works by seven contemporary Chinese artists.

Prof. WANG Xiaosong said that in a major national cultural project launched in 2005, a total of 12,405 masterpieces have been collected from more than 260 cultural institutions worldwide. In the pavilion this time, 100 selected pieces from the collection are showcased in a data visualization format.

In addition to the ancient paintings, new works of traditional Chinese architecture, calligraphy and flora by contemporary Chinese artists are on display, seamlessly intertwining the past with the present.

The exhibition, also known as the 60th Venice Biennale, will be held from April 20 to Nov. 24 at the Arsenale and the Giardini venues here under the theme “Foreigners Everywhere.”