On October 21, the “Cross-Strait Mountains and Rivers: 2024 Straits (Fujian-Taiwan) Art Exchange Exhibition” opened at the Cultural and Arts Center of Chung Hua University in Taipei. The exhibition showcases 81 artworks from 47 artists from Fujian and Taiwan, including 20 pieces created by 11 artists from the Fujian Provincial Painting Academy.
In an interview, Cai Jieteng, the curator and head of the Chinese Painting and Calligraphy Department at Taiwan University of Arts, remarked on the diverse manifestations of traditional calligraphy and painting across different regions. He emphasized that displaying works from artists on both sides of the strait facilitates mutual learning, enhancing artistic development.
At the event, Professor Wu Gongrui from Taiwan University of Arts created an ink painting on-site, while Lin Qingshang, president of the New Taipei City Xinzhuang Calligraphy Association, produced calligraphy displaying the phrase “See the Virtuous and Aspire to Be Like Them.”
Lin expressed to reporters the significance of Chinese calligraphy, noting that it encompasses four styles: regular, cursive, clerical, and seal script. He believes that cross-strait artistic exchanges are vital for preserving and transmitting the essence of Chinese culture.
The exhibition drew considerable interest from students at Chung Hua University. First-year student Li Maoqian was captivated by the calligraphy piece titled “Qingyu An: Yuanxi” and took to his phone to look up the original text by the renowned Southern Song Dynasty poet Xin Qiji.
“I had only known the lines ‘Searching for him thousands of times among the crowd; I turned around, and there he was, by the dim lights,’” Li shared. “But after seeing this calligraphy work, I realized there’s so much more I need to learn.”
The exhibition is jointly hosted by Chung Hua University and the Cross-Strait Imaging Arts and Cultural Association, with support from the Fujian Huabao Agency.
In a congratulatory message, the Fujian Huabao Agency highlighted that calligraphy and painting are treasures of Chinese culture, carrying millennia of historical and cultural significance. They serve as an essential link between the people of Fujian and Taiwan. The agency expressed hope for ongoing exchanges between artists from both sides of the strait to build an artistic bridge across the sea.
