Sino-Dutch art exhibition marks key anniversary of diplomatic relations

THE HAGUE — Chinese and Dutch artists held an art exhibition on Saturday to commemorate the 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties between China and the Netherlands.

Co-organized by the China Cultural Center in The Hague and Pulchri Studio, the exhibition features 50 artworks, with artists from each country contributing 25 pieces of art.

The artworks include traditional and contemporary paintings, calligraphy, sculptures and art installations.

“I believe art can bring people closer — people from the East and the West, people from developing and developed countries, Chinese and Dutch,” Chinese Ambassador to the Netherlands Tan Jian said at the opening ceremony of the exhibition.

Tan hoped that the exhibition would bring closer the two nations and promote exchanges and cooperation between the artists of the two countries.

The organizers of the exhibition have overcome the adverse effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and spent a year preparing for it, the exhibition’s curator Zhou Lesheng said.

Dutch artists are interested in the works of Chinese artists, Zhou said, expressing the hope that more similar exhibitions could be held in the future to further promote exchanges between Chinese and Dutch artists.

Bob Bonies, a renowned Dutch artist and art educator, said that he was happy to appreciate the works of Chinese artists, which reflect Chinese cultural heritage and the accomplishments of the artists.

Bonies said that he visited China several times and was impressed by the “amazing and fantastic” development of modern Chinese art, which holds “very high international standards”.

I believe art can bring people closer — people from the East and the West, people from developing and developed countries, Chinese and Dutch.”

Tan Jian, Chinese Ambassador to the Netherlands