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!