Istanbul opens show of Chinese art

An exhibition in Istanbul of contemporary art from China has proved a hit with hundreds of art lovers visiting on its first day.

"Transformation: A View On Chinese Contemporary Art" at the city's Modern Museum was inaugurated with a special event attended by some 200 visitors last week.

Some 15 Chinese artists and collaborators have lent their work, with calligrapher Wang Dongming among the most popular artists. He demonstrated his craft at the opening event, a spectacle described by Turkish artist Deniz Cobanket as exciting.

Themed on internal and external change, the exhibition looks at the different ways ancient Chinese culture can be applied to modern life. The art works re-examine Chinese traditions by using revolutionary thinking and the latest methods and materials.

The exhibition will run for two months until November 25 and is intended to foster cultural interchange and cooperation between Turkey and China while marking the Turkish Year of Chinese Culture.

In a collaboration with Shanghai, Istanbul Modern Museum has agreed to send some of its works to China next year.