CHINESE PAINTINGS OF AFRICA.

By Nii B. Andrews.

China continues to cement its role as Africa’s main trading partner.

It has occupied this space since overtaking the US in 2009. Between 2010 and 2015, China’s foreign direct investment on the continent grew significantly– and it’s still rising.

Ghana’s august Parliament has approved USD500 million for phase one of a bauxite deal that will see infrastructure constructed by Chinese firm – Sinohydro, as Ghana pays back with bauxite.

The total quantum of the barter or loan (what’s in a name?) deal is pegged at USD2bn.

But what do Chinese artists think of Africa? Is it important? Do we know?

As part of the 2018 Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, an art exhibition featuring Chinese contemporary artworks on Africa will tour many major Chinese cities from September to December.

Chongqing will be the first host city followed by Shenzhen, Shanghai, Weihai and Hangzhou.

The works in the exhibition were created by eight young and middle-aged Chinese painters who in 2017, traveled to African countries, such as Mauritius, Malawi, Tanzania and Ethiopia.

In total they created 144 paintings that comprise the exhibition.

It is interesting that the artwork is limited to paintings only, since there are numerous other media for artistic expression especially when depicting a huge continent such as Africa.

However, it is an important start……in addition to the Chinese military honor band’s highly satisfactory rendition of the Ghanaian evangelical hymn, Oye!

The art exhibition will tour parts of Africa during next year’s Chinese Spring Festival.

Of course, we also hope to soon see artwork produced by African artists who tour China showing their impressions of the country.

***All photos are via chinaculture.org

3 thoughts on “CHINESE PAINTINGS OF AFRICA.”

  1. Great to know Chinese relations with Africa extend to Art. Let’s hope this improves quality of art overall. Ghana should position itself properly for maximum benefit. It looks to me that other African countries are more in China’s spotlight.

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