SherpaonaTrekbyBireswarSen(India),watercolorandtemperaonpaper,8.5×5.5cm,1914.
EcointheEmptyValley:LaoziLeavesHanguPassbyWuWeishan(China),bronze,74×93×33cm,2012.
ColecaoEntomologicaIIbyChristusNóbrega,croppedphotoandpin,123×65cm,2015.
WandererbyL.T.Gadaev(Russia),chamotteandmodeling,62×24.5×22cm,1980s.AsmembersofBRICS,Brazil,Russia,India,China,andSouthAfricarepresentfiveattentiongrabbingeconomiesaswellastheforcesintheemergingglobalmarketthathaveriseninthe21stcentury.Theircooperationinthefieldsoftradeandbusinessareextensiveandongoing.Furthermore,asfivecountriesboastingdiverseandrichcultures,theirculturalcollaborationisalsoontherise,asevidencedbytheestablishmentoftheBRICSAllianceofArtMuseumsandGalleriesonApril12,2018.
ArtisticAlliance
Tofacilitatethegrowinginternationalartisticcooperationaccompanyingincreasingglobalization,updatingcooperationamongBRICSartmuseumsandgalleriesisessential.Exploringnewcooperationundernewinternationalcircumstancesisabrandnewchallengeforallartmuseumsandgalleries,especiallythoseinBRICScountries.InJuly2017,representativesfromBrazil,Russia,India,ChinaandSouthAfricajointlysignedaLetterofIntentontheFoundingoftheBRICSAllianceofArtMuseumsandGalleriesduringthesecondMeetingofBRICSMinistersofCulture,officiallyclarifyingtheintentofartmuseumsinBRICScountriestosetupamechanismformultilateralcooperation.TheallianceaimstopromotemutuallearningamongculturestoboostculturalandartisticexchangeamongBRICScountries.
BetweenApril12and14,2018,theNationalArtMuseumofChina(NAMOC)invitedthedirectorsoffourotherkeynationalartorganizations—theIzikoMuseumofSouthAfrica,theBrazilianInstituteofMuseums(IBRAM),theStateMuseumofOrientalArtinMoscowandtheNationalGalleryofModernArtinNewDelhi—tojointhefirstforumofthealliance,whichsignifiedtheformalfoundingoftheBRICSAllianceofArtMuseumsandGalleries.WuWeishan,directorofNAMOC,waselectedthefirstsecretary-generalofthealliancewithatermoffiveyears.
“Iamhonoredtoserveinthisrole,”saidWu.“Iamsogladforsuchagreatplatformtocarryoutculturalcommunication.Iamconvincedthatourmutualtrust,loveandcooperationwillbeenhancedthroughart—thedoortotheheart.Andwewillbeabletodevelopmoregenuineanddeeperfriendship.”
Attheforum,directorsofthefiveartinstitutionsgavespeeches,discussedthecurrentdevelopmentofartinBRICScountries,lookedintotheprospectsoftappingintoculturalsynergyofthefivecountriesandexchangedviewsonstrengtheningmutualunderstandingandfriendlytiesamongthemtodeepenwinwincooperationthroughthealliancemechanism.
“Wewilllaunchaseriesofprojectslikeartistexchanges,forumsandjointexhibitions,”saidAlexanderSedov,director-generaloftheStateMuseumofOrientalArtinMoscow,Russia.“IbelievethiswillpromoteunderstandingbetweenpeopleinBRICScountries.”
ThesecondforumofthealliancewillbeheldnextyearinIndia,sponsoredbytheNationalGalleryofModernArt.“BRICScountriesfeaturedrasticallydifferentcultures,”notedAdwaitaGadanayak,directorgeneraloftheIndianmuseum,whoisslatedtoserveastheexecutivesecretary-generalofthealliancenextyear.“Throughexchange,wecanunderstandeachothermorewhilekeepingourownuniquequalities.”
“Whileimprovingtheirdomesticeconomiesandlivingstandards,governmentsandpeoplesofBRICScountrieshaveremainedopentocooperationforwin-winresultsandmutualbenefits,establishingprofoundmulti-prongedandmulti-dimensionalcooperationties,”remarkedWu.“ThefoundingoftheBRICSAllianceofArtMuseumsandGalleriesestablishesaworkingmechanismforin-depthexchangeandinteractionthroughdisplayingclassicalcollections.Itlaysasolidfoundationfordeeperunderstandingofhistoryandculturaltraditionsbecausewebelievethatallartsandthoughtsareconnected,andallculturesandartsshouldbesharedbyallmankind.”
BuildaBoatbyN.K.Roerich(Russia),oiloncanvas,106×141.5cm,1903.
TheVillageShrinebyBireswarSen(India),watercolorandtemperaonpaper,8.5×5.5cm,1914.
GirlandDovebyLiuJude(China),inkandcoloronpaper,180×97cm,2017.
RockArtReproductionbyGeorgeStow(SouthAfrica),watercoloronpaper,78×92cm,1865.
NoziVesselbyAndileDyalvane(SouthAfrica),ceramic,38×13.5cm,2011.UniquenessandConvergence
Alongwiththeforum,“UniquenessandConvergence,”aspecialexhibitionoftheBRICSAllianceofArtMuseumsandGalleries,washeld.
SouthAfricaboastsatimehonoredhistoryofartisticexpressiondatingbacktotheoldestknownartintheworld.Thisexhibitionhighlightsandjuxtaposesoldandnew,exposinghowthetraditional,spiritualandculturalaspectsofadiverseandsometimesancientSouthAfricansocietyareincludedinmodernandcontemporaryworks.
“Wecreateandfeelartinhopesoftrackingtheemotionsdeepintheheartsofallnationsbecauseclassicalartpaintstheimageofacountry,anationandanera,”elaboratedZhangQing,Chinesecuratoroftheexhibition.“The61worksondisplayherereinforceourideathatbeautyisthesharedsunandinspiringspringofhumankind.Thepoweroflifecapturedintheworkshelpsusprobethecorementaltemperamentofdifferentcultures,sowecanfeelthegloryandsignificanceofhumanitybeyondtimeandspace.”
TheBrazilianpiecesintheexhibitionshowcasedaglimpsenotonlyofBrazil’sculturaldiversitybutalsoofthewayBrazilianartistsexpresstheirfeelingsinthecontemporaryworld—theworldinwhichBRICScameintoexistenceandrelevanceasagroup.TwooftheworkswereespeciallyinterestingfortheChineseaudiencebecausetheywere“madeinChina.”ChristusNobregacreatedhispieceduringanartisticresidenceatChina’sCentralAcademyofFineArts.AndAfonsoTostescontinuedhiscelebratedWorkRoomseriesinBeijinglastyearwithinstrumentscollectedinChina’sHebeiProvince.
“Amidexpandingglobalization,internationalartisticandculturalcommunicationisincreasinglyimportant,”positedWuWeishan.“Asanimportantmediumforinternationalartisticdialogue,artmuseumsandgalleriesplayincreasinglysignificantroles.Researchonthemethodologyofculturalandartisticcommunicationisavitalaspectofthemissionofartmuseumsandgalleriesaspartofthepublicservicesystem.Weconsiderthisexhibitionjustthebeginning.”