"Love of Mountains and Rivers" Art Dialogue Successfully Held at the Sydney Chinese Cultural Centre

On October 21, 2021, the "Love of Mountains and Rivers" art dialogue was successfully held during the "Poetic Nature" art exhibition at the Sydney Chinese Cultural Centre. The dialogue was hosted by renowned Chinese-Australian poet Aileen Moka, featuring curator Jingzhe Li, artists David van Nunen, Wu Fangmin, and John Dubliewicz, who explored the rich cultural and artistic connections between "poetry" and "nature," providing a fitting conclusion to the exhibition.

As the curator of this art exhibition, Ms. Jingzhe Li showcased three of her paintings. The conversation among the artists began with the theme of androgynous flowers. Ms. Li discussed the multiple identities women hold in society, family, and career, allowing modern women to embody many traits traditionally associated with men. The exhibition coincided with Pink October, Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and as a breast cancer ambassador, Ms. Moka shared her 14 years of experiences—both joyful and challenging—advocating for breast cancer awareness, expressing her genuine happiness at seeing more women focus on health and personal growth. Also participating in the dialogue were artist Xiaomin Hong and Wang Yeting, President of the Australian Women’s Federation, along with seasoned art connoisseur Li Linna.

Artist David van Nunen's dialogue with poet Aileen Moka began with the palm trees in the Royal Botanic Garden, which inspired the artist. By combining abstract and figurative elements, van Nunen used lines and color blocks to pay homage to life and express reverence for nature.

Mr. Van Nunen, who has made 25 trips to China to foster dialogue between Chinese and Australian visual artists, shared one of his most memorable natural landscapes: the pines of Huangshan Mountain in China. "In the shadows of the towering pines, I see the morning light breaking over the ridges," he said, as the poet and painter exchanged their unique experiences, awakening reflection within the poetic natural world.

Artist Wu Fangmin draws inspiration from seaweed, rocks, and river valleys, focusing on the minutiae of the vast natural world. His works embody the characteristics of Australia’s natural landscapes while also harboring a cross-cultural essence influenced by Chinese ink painting and Western abstraction. When Ms. Moka saw the piece featuring the purple hues of the Georges River, she was thrilled; purple is a predominant color in her art. Understanding the malleability of purple is quite challenging, and amid the swirling purple smoke and light, the poet referenced the famous line, "When you reach the end of the water, sit and watch the clouds rise," beautifully merging painting and poetry.

Australia is a vibrant country with over 24,000 native plant species, and the varied colors of leaves and burls served as creative elements for John Dubliewicz. He infused love and humor into each of his sculptures. In his wood sculpture "Yangcheng Lake Crabs," the crabs exhibit rich emotions—one is joyful and quiet, another is drunkenly merry, and one dances at the sound. He remarked, "This captures the most memorable night in Shanghai for me." Art springs from life, and the small memories associated with China ignite infinite inspiration for the artist. Perhaps carving Chinese memories from Australian materials is the "poetry" in his work.

The curator of "Poetic Nature," Jingzhe Li (left 2), art dialogue host Aileen Moka (left 1), art planners Zou Lin (right 2) and Fan Tianli (right 1), all graduated from or studied at the University of New South Wales (UNSW) in the Arts and Design program, specializing in curatorial and cultural leadership. These three generations of Chinese-Australian artists bring diverse perspectives, embodying professionalism and execution to promote international art exchange in Australia.

As the closing event of the "Poetic Nature" art exhibition, the "Love of Mountains and Rivers" art dialogue marked the first in-person gathering of artists after Sydney's 107-day lockdown, carrying profound significance regarding the relationship between humans and nature, cultural interactions between China and Australia, and explorations of cross-disciplinary art in the post-pandemic era.

Co-hosted by the Sydney Chinese Cultural Centre, the Australian Watercolor Society, and the Australian Chinese Cultural Heritage Paper Art Society, the "Poetic Nature: Joint Exhibition of Chinese and Australian Artists" ran from June 24 to August 13, 2021. The exhibition showcased 41 exceptional works by 12 Australian local artists and representative Chinese artists, offering different artistic insights and perspectives.

Through the artistry infused with spirit and heartfelt expression, the creators embedded their reverence for nature and passion for art throughout their work. Whether in oil painting, watercolor, acrylic, sculpture, or in figurative, freehand, or abstract styles, the exhibited works sought to perfectly present the immense charm of nature.

The Sydney Chinese Cultural Centre is committed to enhancing cultural exchange and cooperation between China and Australia, ensuring that the connections between the two nations are not hindered by the pandemic or "prejudice." Some Australian artists in this exhibition have made multiple trips to China, nurturing many Chinese students and fostering a cultural understanding, artistic communication, and hands-on experiences and interactions. Meanwhile, Chinese artists with rich cultural backgrounds actively integrate into local society, drawing inspiration from Western art in their themes and techniques. It can be said that this joint exhibition is not only a deep artistic dialogue but also a vivid testament to the mutual integration and influence of Chinese and Australian art!