Ancient China has been brought to life through a 14-metre-wide animated digital experience, a feature of a new exhibition at the National Museum of Australia.
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The Historical Expression of Chinese Art: Calligraphy and Painting from the National Museum of China features more than 100 objects from China and showcases the breadth and traditions of Chinese art and calligraphy.
The digital animation is based on a series of paintings documenting the epic journey of Emperor Qianlong, one of China’s most influential rulers. In 1751 he packed up his court and set off on a journey that took 112 days and covered 2900 kilometres.
The journey was documented on 12 scrolls, painted on silk, and later paper, which spanned 154 metres. A rare high-quality replica of the first of the 12 scrolls, titled The Emperor Departs from Beijing is a highlight of the exhibition.
Museum director Dr Mathew Trinca said he was proud to partner with the National Museum of China to bring major works to Australia for the first time.
“This is an historic day which brings two great cultural institutions together and builds on the cultural ties between Australia and China,” Dr Trinca said.
“These kinds of cultural links and connections that are made, with the exchange of exhibitions, go to the very heart of the China-Australia relationship.
“We think it's through making these connections with our friends in China that we really enable the Australian story to be told.
“This is what culture can do for us, when we open ourselves up to the lives of others, to exchanges like this, we learn about the peoples of other countries but we also learn something about ourselves.”
The Canberra exhibition follows the hugely successful 2018 show at the NMC in Beijing of Old Masters: Australia’s Great Bark Artists, featuring one of the NMA’s signature collections. It was the most significant collection of Aboriginal barks to tour China.
This exhibition also explores the ways Chinese artists continue to draw on ancient symbols and scripts, through the stunning and diverse paintings of artists Wang Naizhuang, Xie Yun and Xiao Lang.
Intricate Chinese symbols painted with majestic strokes, golden fish jumping from crystal-clear ponds, sweeping mountainous landscapes, blooming cherry blossoms and grand historical narratives feature in the stunning artworks.
NMC deputy director NMC Shan Wei said he was pleased the partnership enabled the National Museum of China to share artistic culture with Australia.
“Through this exhibition, we hope to share with the Australian audience the artistic interpretation of Chinese painting and calligraphy on history and life, the aesthetic concept contained in it, the spiritual pursuit embodied in it, and the philosophy of life of Taoism and nature,” he said.
The NMA has contributed eight metres of the 50-metre Harvest of Endurance scroll to the exhibition. This will be the first time this much of the scroll has been on display at once and for an extended period of time.
The Historical Expression of Chinese Art: Calligraphy and Painting from the National Museum of China will be on display at the NMA until July 28, 2019. Entry is free.
