"Insight of China" is a Chinese-foreign cultural exchange brand project in which China invites well-known artists from Arab countries and South Asian countries to visit China to collect inspirations and do residency art creations in China. The "Insight of China" brand was jointly created and launched by the former Bureau for External Foreign Cultural Relations of the Ministry of Culture and the China International Exhibition Agency in 2009. Over more than ten years, China International Exhibition Agency has undertaken every event planning and project execution.
In June 2009, the first "Insight of China" was held. Artists from 7 Arab countries including Saudi Arabia and Egypt gathered in Hangzhou to draw from life and create the first batch of precious works, thus opening a new chapter in China-Arab cultural cooperation.
Under the leadership of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, as of the end of 2019, China International Exhibition Agency has successively held 11 sessions of the "Insight of China" Arab painters workshop, 4 sessions of Arab sculptors workshop and 1 session of Arab ceramic artists workshop in China. More than that, in order to consolidate and develop cultural exchanges between China and South Asian countries, China International Exhibition Agency, under the "insight of China" brand, also organized 7 visits to China of South Asian painters. Under the framework of the "Insight of China" brand activity, more than 200 famous painters or outstanding young and middle-aged painters from Arab and South Asian countries have visited China for exchanges so far.
Through touring and sketching, the artists have close contact with China’s nature, culture, history and customs, and get to know the hospitable, honest, kind, and intelligent Chinese people. They have dialogues and exchanges with their Chinese counterparts, and finally what they see, what they hear, think, and feel are sublimated into "conceptions", and they trace and shape China in their minds with the brush and knife in their hands. Artists from various countries are eclectic in artistic concepts and creative techniques, expressing their cognition of China, the Chinese people and Chinese culture with their individual understanding and artistic language.
There are many excellent works with vivid forms, rich connotations and unique insights, which have become friendly witnesses and precious wealth of cultural exchanges between China and Arabia, China and South Asia. And these artists who have visited China are all deeply attracted and impressed by the present China. They bring back to their country and spread the image of China in the new era of reform and opening up. truly becoming the messenger of friendly exchanges between the host country and China, and will continue to play an active role, which is also a precious spiritual wealth.
Nowadays, "Insight of China" has evolved from the initial visit and residency program of Arab painters in China into the program for a wider range of plastic artists including painters, sculptors, and ceramic artists, covering Arabia and South Asia. After years of accumulation, "Insight of China" has formed a wide and lasting influence and appeal in the Middle East, North Africa and South Asia, attracting more and more foreign artists to participate in it.
In the 12 years since its establishment, "Insight of China" has grown into a national brand and platform for exchanges of personnel visits, cultural exchanges, and mutual learning between civilizations in the field of fine arts between China and Arab, China and South Asian countries. During the planning and implementation of "Insight of China", China Arts & Entertainment Group and its subsidiary China International Exhibition Agency have always adhered to the original intention and mission of "serving overall diplomacy and promoting cultural exchanges between China and foreign countries" in order to tell Chinese stories, promote Chinese culture and promote cultural exchanges. Through continuous investment and accumulation of the artworks of outstanding foreign artists created in China, while building their own brands, CIEA has made active explorations in preserving and enhancing the value of state-owned assets, which has laid a solid foundation for the future Chinese and foreign cultural exchange.
Insight of China is a freehand brushwork, a touch of beautiful color on the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, for which it will surely paint a better picture for the the “Belt and Road” Initiative.
