The Beijing International Art Biennale part 3 (food related!)

Entering the dining hall

Three weeks ago today I attended the Symposium for the Beijing International Art Biennale. It was held in the Qianmen Jianguo hotel, where we were staying, and it filled the whole day. I found it very interesting because artists spoke about the Silk Road and how their art related to the theme, and issues of exchange between artists and different countries. It was also a chance to meet more of the artists and exchange our business cards. By then, many of us had become firm friends. It is incredible how quickly artists bond on these events.

A view of the dining hall, at breakfast

One of the interesting aspects of our hotel was that it was a theatre hotel so there was the chance to see theatrical productions every night, and I felt that the decor reflected this theatrical theme. I am including some photos of the dining hall which was quite elaborate and colourful. The choice of food was laid out so beautifully on orange gauze and materials, or displayed in huge metal trays. I found it almost impossible to choose because every item looked so delicious! As well as cold and warm food, there were many different kinds of tea and juices, and eggs were fried in front of you! Of course, there were noodles and dumplings. I found meal times a really good time to sit with my friends and chat about art and everything else!

Breakfast display

Strangely, I did not feel too much jet lag this time, or find it difficult to eat breakfast at a time when my husband was getting ready to sleep!

I loved this screen in the dining hall! Red is one of my favourite colours so I felt quite at home with so much red.

A great memory of conversations with friends at breakfast

Next time I am going to write about the Opening Ceremony (September 24th) and our visit to the interesting and unique 798 art zone. Also, still to come, a review of the Biennale. Sadly, it closed yesterday, and I still can't believe how fast the time has passed since I was in China.

Fiona with Soraya Sikander and Yvette Kaiser Smith in the hotel foyer

7th Beijing International Art Biennale part 2

Coming in to land, September 23rd

I have been home for 12 days and only just now had the chance to check my photos. For this post I am going to add some photos from my trip to China. More photos will be added later and a detailed review of this fabulous Biennale!

I will never forget landing just after sunrise. We flew over the mountains and the Great Wall which were shrouded in a beautiful golden haze, and landed just as the sun came up! It was worth flying most of the night just to have that unforgettable view of the mountains and the Great Wall, which snakes its way across the peaks.

Moments before landing!

The official meeting and collection point at the airport

And some views coming into Beijing....

Our hotel....

My room....

The day after my arrival, we attended the Opening Ceremony of the Beijing Biennale. All artists had to sign their names onto a lengthy piece of red paper which was changed each time it was filled!

With my friend Soraya Sikander, half an hour before the Opening Ceremony

To be continued!

Back from China!

Fiona and her painting (acrylic and spray paint on canvas, 120 x 160 cm)

This time last week I had just attended the Opening Ceremony of the 7th Beijing International Art Biennale, at the National Art Museum of China, and seen my painting on the wall! I was so pleased with the place it had been hung - it had its own wall and perfect lighting that really brought out the many shades of yellow and green. 

As you can see, it is on an end wall and really stands out. There were very few mainly yellow paintings in the show and it needed its own space.

This is me outside the National Art Museum of China, moments before we went in for the Opening Ceremony. I had to be up early that day, at 6.am, in order to get a bus at 8.15 to the Museum. Buses were laid on for us and the traffic in Beijing inevitably holds you up for longer than you can imagine! It was such a hot sunny day, and what you can't see in the photo are the crowds of people arriving and taking photos.

There were so many photographers from the media, and TV cameras, and all day the artists were treated like film stars. Everyone wanted photos of us and with us.

The theme was 'The Silk Road and World Civilisations.' There were artists from 102 countries and roughly 620 artworks ranging from paintings to sculptures, to tapestries, installations, videos and glass. The museum is huge and the exhibition covers 3 floors, each with many rooms. My painting is in floor 5, in room 21.

The photos do not do justice to my painting. There is a lot of detail and many yellows, and different textures. I envisaged my canvas as a piece of yellow silk blowing in the wind with various activities taking place across it. There are traders, camels taking products to different countries, and various ancient buildings including the Great Wall. My colours and shapes also represent human exchange and the travelling of ideas as much as actual physical items. My painting is called, 'The Silk Road and Human Exchange.'

More photos and stories from the trip will follow. I will also write a review of the exhibition with photos of the wide range of work. It was amazing!