The British abstract painter's works are now on display in Beijing.
For Dodd, 67, Scully and McLean are Western artists he believes can connect with Chinese artists and viewers as their creations are influenced by Asian cultures. While Scully is a karate black belt, McLean's brushstrokes reflect his understanding of Korean ceramic-making techniques.
Dodd, who has been assisting Sino-European cultural exchanges since the late 1990s, sees the two artists as significant to building ties between China and the West.
"It is obvious to me that the 19th century belonged to Britain, the 20th century to America and the 21st century to China and India, where most of the world's problems will be solved or not solved," says Dodd, who was the director of the Institute of Contemporary Arts, a London-based cultural center, from 1997 to 2004.
"China is more interested in the world than the world is interested in Chinese culture. There are many reasons, but I think one of the most important is the great curiosity of the Chinese."
Dodd says he is trying to get more Chinese artists to exhibit their works in the West and bring more Western artists to China.
