Exhibition brings Italian works and artists to Shanghai

Dozens of oil paintings featuring the scenery and culture of Shanghai's ancient watertown Zhujiajiao have gone on display. The artists are from both China and Italy. While the painters share similar techniques, their styles are quite different.

65-year-old Gerardo Lo Russo runs the Rome Academy of Fine Arts. He and six other Italian painters were invited to the watertown of Zhujiajiao to work with 10 Chinese artists and create a new painting within two days. The one he created is called "the Bridge of Humanity", which represents the cultural exchange between Chinese and Italian artists and the link between past, present and future. Russo says the exchange starts from their different way of thinking and creation.

"Chinese artists' paintings are more about reflecting reality. They use light and shadow to show the real scene in front of their eyes. But Italian artists focus more on their own impression of this town, and present it in a more abstract way," said Russo.

And it's not hard to tell the difference. Among the nearly 50 paintings on exhibit, 30 were produced by Chinese artists, mainly in a realistic style, while the Italian works are more abstract and mixed with the painter's own imagination. One Chinese artist says because oil painting originated in the Western world, Chinese artists are still in the learning stage for this art form.

"Italian artists' paintings are constructed with different images that are not only forming a picture but are also symbols that communicate with the public. This is a skill that does not exist in the traditional oil paintings. It's a contemporary skill. And Chinese artists seldom try it," said Prof. Ding Yilin from Cenrtal Academy of Fine Arts.

Organizers say they hope cultural exchange events like this will give artists a better chance to learn from each other and inspire the creation of better works. Meanwhile, the exhibition that runs through the end of December also marks the start of cooperation between Zhujiajiao and three artistic institutions in China and Italy in order to support their future creations.