On the afternoon of April 7, 2016, jointly hosted by the Ministry of Culture and Beijing Strategic Cultural Development Co. Ltd. (also known Z Art), “Chinese Contemporary Art Month 2016” project launched a press conference at Xuanru Art, the organizers and the related heads together with experts introduced the origin and general situation of the project, as well as the meaning of the Sino-Australian cultural communication and international identity of Chinese contemporary art, etc., to the media. The honored guests including Chief curator of the “Chinese Contemporary Art Month” Zhao Li, Deputy Dean of the CAFA School of Humanities Shao Yiyang, Deputy Director of CAFA Art Museum Tang Bin, Deputy Director of Chinese and Foreign Cultural Exchange Center at the Ministry of Culture Li Rui, Deputy Director of Beijing Cultural Development Foundation Liu Jing attended the press conference for the startup of the project. Director of China Cultural Centre in Sydney, the co-organizer of the “Chinese Contemporary Art Month” Zhao Li also gave a speech by video.

Jointly hosted by China Cultural Center in Sydney and Beijing Strategic Cultural Development Co. Ltd., “Chinese Contemporary Art Month 2016” is a large-scale promotional project of Chinese art and it will host two Chinese contemporary art exhibitions respectively entitled “Stories of the Life” and “Zao Hua”, as well as the summit forum of “Chinese Contemporary Art Month” within a month, to showcase the charm of Chinese contemporary art to the Australian public, so that the foreigners can have a deeper understanding of Chinese culture from the perspective of art, at the same time, it also promotes the new process of Chinese contemporary art and international exchange and cooperation.

Zhao Li introduced the planning idea and purpose of this event, since the“Quietly Placed” Chinese Contemporary Art was held at the Municipal Guildhall of Sydney in 2014, Z Art has become attached to Sydney, Adelaide and Hobart. As Australia is a pluralistic, open country, and it has a great passion for Chinese culture and art, which offers the possibility to the Chinese contemporary art project to dig deep into the ground of Australia, in order to explore how to make a further development, the “Art Month” project is gradually trying to unfold. Prof. Shao Yiyang thought that Australia attached great importance to culture and especially the teaching and studies of the history and theory of art which took the leading position in the world, but it was partial to the traditional part of Chinese art such as “Chinese ink painting” and was unfamiliar to Chinese contemporary art, especially the contemporary art which started from the local perspective in China. She said that the “Art Month” project would promote the developmental process of Chinese contemporary art in Australia,which had a pioneering significance.

On April 9, the domestic expert team and artists participating in the Chinese Contemporary Art Month went Sydney together with Prof. Zhao Li, to raise the curtain of the exciting events of Chinese Contemporary Art Month. “Stories of the Life” and “Zao Hua” were respectively opened at China Cultural Centre in Sydney and the C’s Gallery. The Chinese Contemporary Art Month Summit Forum will be held on April 13 and April 14, on the topic of the “Role of Chinese Contemporary Art, Its Trend & Implications”, “Urban Arts in Dynamic Cities” and “Artist Talk & Panel Discussion by Chinese and Australian Art Collectors”, invited the important Australian experts, scholars, such as Anna Davis, Curator, The Museum of Contemporary Art Australia, Luise Guest, Director of Education and Research, White Rabbit Collection, Rosemary Miller, Artistic Director & CEO, Salamanca Arts Centre, Tasmania, David Handley, Founding Director, Sculpture by the Sea, Peter Poulet, NSW Government Architect, Bridget Smyth, Design Director at City of Sydney and the Chinese experts, and artists for its forums.

Text and photo by Zhang Wenzhi, translated by Chen Peihua and edited by Sue/CAFA ART INFO

Curators: Zhao Li and Chen Lin

Artists: Fang Lijun, Feng Yichen, Geng Xue, Hang Chunhui, He Jinwei, Li Yousong, Liu Lining, Liu Qinghe, Miao Xiaochun, Pan Wenxun, Qin Xiuping, Xu Hualing, Zhu Zhengming

Opening: April 12, 2016(Tuesday) at 6pm

Duration: April 13 - May 12, 2016 (except April 30)

Time: 10am - 1pm & 2pm - 5pm, Tuesday - Saturday

Venue: China Cultural Centre in Sydney

Curators: Zhao Li and Chen Lin

Artists: Chen Shuxia, Cheng Baozhong, Fang Lijun, Guo Tianyi, Guo Zilong, Ji Dachun, Jiang Ji'an, Li Wei, Meng Zhigang, Xiang Yang, Xu Hong, Xu Jiacun, Zhang Lu, Zhu Peihong

Duration: April 12 – April 25, 2016

Time: Monday – Friday, 10:00-12:00, 13:00-17:00

Venue: C’s Gallery, Level 1, 541 Kent Street, Sydney

Venue: China Cultural Centre in Sydney, Level 1, 151 Castlereagh Street,Sydney

April 13, 2016

Morning Session 9:45-12:00

Afternoon Session 13:00-16:00

April14, 2016 9:30 - 11:30

Hosted by China Cultural Centre in Sydney  Z Art

Supported by Ningbo Qianzimu Investment Management Partnership Firm

Australia-China Cultural Exchange Association

Academic Support: Chinese Modern & Contemporary Art Document  Art Nova 100

Special Support: Beijing Guanbo Shangxia Cultural Investment Co. Ltd.  Nan Hai Culture & Media (Australia) Pty Ltd Suite

Courtesy of the artists and China Cultural Center in Sydney, for further information please visit http://cccsydney.org/.