“My heart is purified as I walk along a Clean river...”, – these lines by the poet Li Bai from the period of the Tang Dynasty (VII–X century AD) turn us to profound questions: what is art? What is its purpose? The exhibition aims to reflect certain aspects of life in traditional China and to convey the idea of syncretism inherent in the Chinese worldview.
The exhibition presents more than 80 items from the collection of decorative and applied arts of the East of the National Art Museum of the Republic of Belarus (wooden, porcelain and bronze sculpture, elements of costume, Chinese folk pictures and calligraphy). The time range of the items presented at the exhibition is between XVII and XXI century.
A number of exhibits will be on display for the general public for the first time, including the works of Chinese artists donated to the museum by the Dunou Chinese-European Cultural and Educational Centre in 2023.
Thematically, the space of the exhibition “My heart is purified as I walk along a Clean river” is divided into three blocks: images related to the folk worldview (beliefs in spirits, symbols, aspects of folk celebrations, etc.); religious and philosophical images (Taoist, Confucian and Buddhist); images directly related to the Shi class – civil officials (calligraphy, insignia, costume).
Another part of the exhibition are lectures and workshops organised with the support of the Republican Confucius Institute of Chinese Studies of the Belarusian State University.
The exhibition will be on display from 9 February to 24 March 2024 at the exhibition building (K. Marx St., 24, 3rd floor, hall 1).
Exhibition curator: Bagdana Tupchienka, Junior Researcher at the Foreign Art Department of the National Art Museum of the Republic of Belarus.
