Painting exhibition celebrating peace and friendship opens at China Millennium Monument

The “Colourful World” China-Russia Youth Painting Exhibition is ongoing until August 17 at the China Millennium Monument.

With the guidance of the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC), the BPAFFC hosts the “Colourful World” China-Russia Youth Painting Exhibition and the Beijing Youth Painting Invitational Exhibition together with the Russian Cultural Center in Beijing, the Beijing Municipal Committee of the Communist Youth League of China, the Beijing Federation of Literary & Art Circles, the Information Office of the People’s Government of Beijing Municipality, and Gehua Media Group. The exhibition is designed to mark the 80th anniversary of the victory of the World Anti-Fascist War, the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, and the Great Patriotic War of the Soviet Union, enhances China-Russia friendship, and promotes exchanges in arts between the two countries. The awards and opening ceremonies of the exhibition took place at the China Millennium Monument on August 7. A total of 150 people attended the event, including leading officials from the Embassy of Russia in China, the CPAFFC, the hosts, the organizers, and the co-organizers, representatives of Chinese and Russian winners, and representatives of the council members of the BPAFFC.

VIPs deliver remarks

Lyu Hongwei, Deputy Director of the Department of European & Asian Affairs and Senior Councilor of the CPAFFC, delivered a speech on behalf of the CPAFFC. He said that every piece in the exhibition serves as a heartfelt dialogue across mountains and rivers between young artists from China and Russia, embodying their creative interpretations and visions for jointly building a better world. He wished Chinese and Russian artists to reach new heights in their artistic endeavors, contributing youthful energy to enhancing people-to-people bond, strengthening exchanges and mutual learning between civilizations, and advancing the building of a global community of shared future.

Maxim Chernyshev, Cultural Counselor at the Russian Embassy in China, extended his warm congratulations on the staging of the painting exhibition. He noted that this exhibition signifies the fruitful results of cultural exchanges and mutual learning between China and Russia, showcasing the magnificent spectrum that connects the emotions and thoughts of artists from both countries. It is not only a display of artistic achievements but also serves as a bridge linking the two cultures, connecting the past with the future and integrating professional art with people-to-people diplomacy.

Wang Yu, Party Secretary of the BPAFFC, gave a speech on behalf of the hosts. He stated that the purpose of this exhibition is to record history through painting, call for world peace, and promote cultural exchanges and mutual learning between China and other parts of the world. Through the lens of arts, young artists from China and Russia express their wishes for world peace and their reflections on the spirit of the times. It is hoped that they use their brushes to paint scenes of peace, spread the message of peace, and open a new chapter in China-Russia friendship through artistic exchanges.

Awards ceremony

Awards are presented to winner representatives from Russia

The theme of this painting exhibition is “Peace and Friendship - Commemorating the 80th Anniversary of the Victory of the World Anti-Fascist War.” After the call for entries opened in April this year, a total of 460 paintings from young Chinese and Russian artists were received. These entries revolve around such topics as opposition to war, peace and development, cultural exchanges, and China-Russia friendship. After expert review and final review by the organizing committee, 80 outstanding works submitted by Russian artists and 80 by Chinese artists were selected for the “Colourful World” China-Russia Youth Painting Exhibition, and 51 entries were shortlisted for the Beijing Youth Painting Invitational Exhibition.

Eight outstanding organizers were honored in recognition of the active participation by overseas Chinese groups in Russia, Chinese and Russian art groups, and art schools. During the event, the namelist of winners was announced, and certificates were presented to the award-winning Chinese and Russian young artists and outstanding organizers.

Young performers from children’s musical theater Zadumka performed Russian folk dances. Han Ting, a national first-class actress and young mezzo-soprano singer of China Railway Art Troupe, sang the song Moscow Nights. Young Chinese and Russian artists together sang the popular Russian folk song Katyusha, which belongs to the “love and war” genre. Chinese and Russian youths expressed their wishes for peace and a better life through songs and dances, taking concrete actions to advocate for peace and engage in cultural exchanges.

At the end of the event, the guests together unveiled the “Colourful World” China-Russia Youth Painting Exhibition and Beijing Youth Painting Invitational Exhibition. They also took a tour of the exhibition.

With the academic guidance of the Beijing Artists Association and the Central Academy of Fine Arts, the exhibition receives strong support from the Overseas Chinese Affairs Office of the People’s Government of Beijing Municipality and Chinese Headline New Media, and is curated by the Beijing Youth Art Development Promotion Association. The themed exhibition which embodies diversity and professionalism is a tribute to the 80th anniversary of the victory of the World Anti-Fascist War, holding profound historic significance.

The 211 award-winning paintings on display are grouped into five sections: Echo of Strife, Renewal of Land, Symphony of Civilizations, Youth Aspiration, and Promise for the Future. These works present the diverse customs in China and Russia, and convey the yearnings of the two peoples for peace and friendship. Each painting, without the use of words, interprets the profound essence of peaceful development and China-Russia friendship, conveying a strong opposition to war and a firm commitment to safeguarding peace. The exhibition will be held in the exhibition hall on the second floor in the west of the China Millennium Monument, and will last until August 17. Come to this exhibition and embrace the peaceful and colourful world as depicted in the paintings.