On the night of Jul. 4th, Shanghai Woolen Needlepoint Tapestry Exhibition in Europe kicked off at China Culture Center in Brussels. It was the first time for the woolen needlepoint tapestry to be introduced to Europe audience. Through the exhibition, they could have a better understanding of it and sense the interaction and mutual learning among various civilizations through its development.
The artworks exhibited, such as the Forbidden City, the Great Wall, the Alps and Tea Table, was produced with the replicas of traditional oil paintings and images of natural landscapes. The exhibition, featuring rich colors and distinctive structure, showed guests the beauty of woolen needlepoint tapestry works.
“The woolen needlepoint tapestry skills are of great diversity. As China has a profound culture, the works exhibited, which are state-level intangible cultural heritages, showcases the craftsmanship of woolen needlepoint tapestry (rongxiu in Chinese), as well as its beauty and solemnity.” said Ge Yiyou, director of China Culture Center in Brussels.
“Shanghai woolen needlepoint tapestry has developed its own distinctive features over a century. It is the achievement of the cultural exchange between China and the West as well as an outstanding example of China-Europe cultural exchanges,” said Chinese Ambassador to Belgium Cao Zhongming, “I hope this exhibition will inspire cultural empathy between two peoples.” he added.
The exhibition features the integration of teaching and learning. In addition to 40 fine static works exhibited, the mobile film recordings were played on a loop to tell the touching stories of the Shanghai woolen needlepoint tapestry, or “Chinese oil paintings”. Meanwhile, the inheritors of woolen needlepoint tapestry also communicated with the guests.
Fan Shujun, the third generation of the Fan family known for its of Shanghai woolen needlepoint tapestry, taught the Belgian visitors to embroider their own Panda Tapestries in the studio. Visitors all paid close attention to the skills from stitches to composition.
The exhibition in Brussels will be open to the public on Jul. 5th and run until Sept. 18th.
The woolen needlepoint tapestry is an art form in which patterns are embroidered on canvas with colored woolen yarn. It originated from Europe with the title of “Eastern Oil Painting”, and was fully developed in China with the adoption of Chinese crafts.