Humanism Guides Second Art Biennale

Western masters such as Warhol, Richter, Garcia and Bellanyn will be present at Beijing Second Art Biennale.

Art focusing on humanistic concerns will be the subject of the Second Beijing International Art Biennale from September 20 to October 20.

Building on the success of the first biennale, held in 2003, the organising committee has engaged in a more stringent selection process to ensure that this biennale is even better.

There is some concern as to future funding yet it is a minor one. Funding sources for future events are continuously being sought. Learning from their international cousins in art, the biennale committee has sought funding from various government organs and independent bodies, including the China Federation of Literacy and Art Circles and the People's Government of Beijing Municipality. Even the State Post Bureau has made a contribution by issuing a commemorative postcard. Plans call for art auctions to be held that will help finance subsequent biennales.

The main theme of the 2005 exhibition is "Contemporary Art with Humanistic Concerns." As this is rather a broad theme, selections were made based on three aspects of this notion. The first will be to give the general public an introduction to western art that has been out of reach of most Chinese people. The second theme of the exhibition is "peace." With bloody wars going on somewhere in the world almost every second of the 20^th century, and with the 21^st century opening in the same lamentable state, the exhibition hopes to highlight and change this reality by using art to express the desire for peace and tranquillity. The moment will be all the more poignant with 2005 marking the 60 anniversary of the defeat of the Third Reich, the victory in the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, the end of the Japanese occupation of much of China and Asia, and the doom of fascism. The third and final aim is to highlight a fundamentally Taoist (Daoist) concern, the symbiotic natures of man and nature, the individual and society. One cannot exist without the other; they must exist in harmony. This third and final concern is a motivating philosophy that drives the biennale.

The core of the exhibition will be paintings and sculptures as it is felt that, at the moment, the Chinese people may not fully appreciate such art forms as installations and video. It is believed that to make it possible for the Chinese people to fully appreciate modern art, one cannot suddenly change from Chinese ink and paper or socialist-realist works to surrealism or post-modern art. The Chinese people need time to adjust their mental attitudes and be allowed to find there own way through the vast wealth of artistic expression that there is in the world these days. The final belief is that traditional forms of art still have much to offer, with their emotive and creative potential far from being exhausted. So the main exhibition area is being given over to sculpture and paintings, but there will also be special exhibition halls that will feature some other modern art forms. The theme areas of the exhibitions will include Italian modern art, Goya's works, Russian modern art, Impressionist printworks and a "War and Peace" exhibition.

The central exhibitions will feature mainly Chinese works and an exhibition for young and middle-aged artists. There will also be a contribution of children's works and art from the International Plastic Arts Association. There will also be "satellite" exhibitions in smaller galleries where those who wish to see more "difficult" art forms may go. Added to this, 390 foreign artists have contributed about 1,000 pieces of art. The works of some western masters, including Warhol, Richter, Garcia and Bellany, will be shown, but also the works of lesser-known artists hoping to get much need exposure for their work.

The Chinese artworks will be displayed in the National Art Museum of China (Zhongguo Meishuguan) at No. 1 Wusi Dajie in Dongcheng District, just north of the Wangfujing Dajie shopping area. The western works will be displayed in the Millennium Monument just north of the Beijing West Railway Station (use the Beijing Subway and get off at the Military Museum stop on Line No. 1). It is hoped that many foreign and Chinese artist will attend the opening ceremony at the National Art Museum of China at 10 a.m. on September 20 and mingle with the public.

Supporters of the biennale said it should not be viewed as a finished article but as a work in progress. With all the enthusiasm and support that this project has gained, the future is looking bright. If the organization can attract enough funding and interest, there will be hope for the development of art and art criticism in Beijing and China as a whole, though it will be a period of time before the Beijing event will be able to compete with art exhibitions held in Venice and Sao Paulo.