Artist exchange between New Zealand, China aims to deepen cultural ties

Sunday, 26 March 2017

Ling Zhao is the director of Moonlight Gallery, which supported the Image and Imagination exhibition.

An Auckland art gallery director is on a mission to help Kiwis better understand Chinese culture through an artist exchange.

Six New Zealand artists and eight Chinese artists displayed their works together at the Image and Imagination exhibition, which ran for one week as part of the Auckland Arts Festival.

Image and Imagination brought together eight artists from China and six artists from New Zealand.

Moonlight Gallery director Ling Zhao said she hoped the exchange would deepen Kiwis' understanding of China.

'Many New Zealanders have only heard about China from the news, so I think it's good to introduce a direct connection to Chinese culture and Chinese history,' she said.

L-R: Artists Cao Yang, Robin Ranga and Liu Jia Wei all took part in the Image and Imagination exhibition.

* Chinese culture, traditions and fare goes on display

* Artworks by Chinese and Maori women going on show

* Expressing culture through abstract art**

Zhao was originally from China herself, but moved to New Zealand so her two children could attend school here.

Cao Yang was among the Chinese artists in Auckland for the exhibition, and said it had been an eye-opening experience.

'The enthusiasm that New Zealand artists present in their artwork really moved me, and I'm really touched by their spirit,' he said, speaking through a translator.

Fellow Chinese artist Liu Jia Wei was also impressed by the passion and enthusiasm of the Kiwi artists he had met.

'As an artist I think having this connection between two countries is very important, and it will really bring new life to my art,' he said.

The trip had personal meaning for Liu, as he has family members who emigrated to New Zealand from China.

The Image and Imagination exhibition in Auckland followed a trip to China by three Kiwi artists in 2016.

'Last year Moonlight Gallery invited three artists to China for an art exchange for two weeks,' said Zhao.

'This year, we wanted Chinese artists to return the exchange, so we invited eight of them here for this exhibition.'

Waikato artist Robin Ranga was one of those who travelled to China, spending two weeks at the Nongyuan International Arts Village in Chengdu.

Ranga said she was impressed to find how much she had in common with artists in China.

'We were from such diverse backgrounds, but there were more likenesses than there were differences between us,' she said.

'I think it helps you understand how we're all part of one human race.'

Ranga said interacting with Chinese culture had influenced her own art.

'I started painting plants and flowers to touch on some of that sensitivity that I think some of the Chinese artists expressed through their paintings,' she said.

Zhao hopes other artists can gain similar insight.

'I hope the Chinese and New Zealand people can get to know each other well as friends through this art exchange,' Zhao said.

The NongYuan International Arts Village was founded in 2012 to promote art, culture and tourism.

Since then, it has hosted Image and Imagination exhibitions around the world in collaboration with artists from dozens of different countries.