Sanya, a picturesque city in South China’s Hainan Province, recently became the host for the inaugural Sanya International Photography Week. This event, under the theme of “Harmony and Coexistence,” presents a rich tapestry of photographic art through various sections, including an opening ceremony, series exhibitions, fieldwork creation, and artwork collection.
The event showcases works from over 50 photographers hailing from nearly 20 countries, including Turkey, Georgia, Hungary, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, Portugal, Egypt, and the US, among others. The series exhibitions are segmented into four distinct units: World’s Oceans, Belt and Road, Cultural Exchange, and a special segment featuring invited photography masters. The exhibitions are strategically located across two main areas in Sanya, offering viewers a global photographic journey.
The opening ceremony, a blend of modern electronic music and traditional Chinese erhu performance, set the stage for this international event. The World’s Oceans exhibition, a highlight of the event, includes over 100 works from 19 photographers, both Chinese and international. Names like Jedd Wilkaden from the US, Stefan Westerland from Sweden, and Xie Jianguo, Xie Fei, and Zhu Keding from China, bring to life the enigmatic beauty of the oceanic world.
The Belt and Road theme exhibition explores the diverse customs and cultures of the countries involved in this initiative, while the Cultural Exchange exhibition offers a visual narrative of human civilizations, told through the lenses of over 10 photographers from various countries. Sanya International Photography Week is set to continue until January 10, 2024, providing a prolonged opportunity for cultural immersion and artistic appreciation.
In parallel, Beijing’s Art Museum of the Beijing Institute of Graphic Communication is hosting a significant solo exhibition by Domènec Corbella, a Spanish artist and lifelong honorary professor at the University of Barcelona. This exhibition, titled “The Way of Water,” is part of the celebrations marking the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and Spain.
Spanning a vast 1,000-square-meter area, the exhibition showcases 71 works by Corbella, all themed around the sea. Corbella’s artistic approach diverges from traditional sketching; instead, he draws inspiration from Eastern philosophy, experimenting with water, ink, and pigments to capture the diverse forms and states of seawater.
The exhibition reflects Corbella’s profound understanding of water, an element revered in both Eastern and Western ancient cultures. Having experienced the Mediterranean coast, the Dead Sea’s buoyancy, the subtle waves of West Lake in Hangzhou, and the Atlantic’s mighty waves, Corbella translates these experiences into his paintings. Visitors can trace these water bodies and the artist’s memories within his works, offering a unique perspective on the elemental force of water.
Together, the Sanya International Photography Week and Domènec Corbella’s “The Way of Water” exhibition represent a confluence of global cultures and the universal language of art, inviting audiences to explore and appreciate the world’s diverse beauty and the elemental power of water.
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