Chinese And Irish Artists Exhibit "Intimate Histories"

Anchor: Chinese and Irish artists have staged a collaborative art exhibition entitled "Intimate Histories" in London. It's believed the exhibition is the first collaborative Irish-Chinese exhibition in the UK. Here's our London correspondent Li Ningjing.

Reporter:

"Intimate Histories" showcases the work of seven Irish and six Chinese contemporary visual artists, sculptors and painters. It examines how each of these artists explores their personal life experiences, what is important to them and what helps them to continue with their art. Here's Fion Gunn, an Irish artist and a curator of the exhibition.

"All the artists who made works for this exhibition have made works on their own experiences in life. They are not talking about big political ideas. They are not talking about sort of abstract ideas. The work is about the intimacies of our lives.

And in that way, it's very clear to see what we have in common, as Irish and Chinese artists—we are human beings after all. And our concerns are the inspirations that we have—the importance of literature in our lives, the importance of landscape—it all comes through these works."

Although every artist approached the theme in very different ways, using different media and different personal interpretations, Fion says they all fit together aesthetically.

Following the theme of personal lives, all the exhibits are displayed on home furniture. Many of the artists have met in Beijing in recent years and intimately know each other's work, so viewers can easily spot a certain cross-fertilization. A number of the works by Irish artists have a Chinese influence, while those by Chinese artists show an Irish resonance.

Ciaran Byrne, cultural and political officer from the Irish Embassy in London, which opened the exhibition, emphasizes this point.

"I think there is a similarity in both what the Chinese artists have done and the Irish artists have done. They are both speaking to the same kind of themes. If you come you wouldn't necessarily say that's the Irish work and that's the Chinese work. The work that Fion's done herself is Chinese in some respects, while some of the Chinese painters, you know, it could be some European themes that they are exploring. It's a universal language. It's exciting when it's coming together like this."

The official highlighted the importance of such collaborative works coming to London, the cultural capital of Europe and a city that hosts large Irish and Chinese communities. He believes that Irish art is a good way of promoting the positive overall relations between Ireland and China.

The exhibition will run until September 10. Organizers hope it will attract people of all ethnic backgrounds and ages.

CRI News, Li Ningjing, London.