A SPECIAL art show titled “Encounter” by Chinese artist Wang Chuanfeng is taking place at Tokyo National Museum, and the exhibition has attracted former Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama and other high-profile visitors. This year marks the 50th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic relations between China and Japan. The exhibition, lasting from Sept. 3 to next Tuesday, also coincides with the 150th anniversary of the Tokyo National Museum, which signifies a wonderful “encounter,” the organizer of the exhibition has said. Wang, who had been learning Chinese painting for years, came to Japan in 1992. He has used his paintings as a bridge for cultural and art exchanges between the two countries over the past 30 years. For him, the encounter with painting, with the abstract beauty of Oriental art, and with Japanese friends who love Chinese painting, are all blessings in life, the artist says. Hatoyama and his wife Miyuki paid a visit to the exhibition recently. “The exhibition coincides with the 50th anniversary of the normalization of Japan-China diplomatic relations. You can see Wang’s long-term dedication to friendly exchanges between Japan and China,” Hatoyama said. “I hope for more fine pieces from him, and I sincerely hope that the people of Japan and China will carry out more friendly exchanges,” Hatoyama added. Former Japanese Prime Minister Tomiichi Murayama, 98, a close friend of Wang’s, sent a congratulatory message from his hometown Oita Prefecture, recalling his meetings with Japanese and Chinese painters such as Ikuo Hirayama and Wang Chuanfeng. The artist combined the characteristics of Chinese and Japanese paintings to create a unique style of art, demonstrating a love for nature and life, said Kong Xuanyou, Chinese Ambassador to Japan, while delivering a speech at the opening ceremony of the exhibition. “I believe his perception of beauty and nature can go beyond national and cultural backgrounds and be appreciated by both Chinese and Japanese peoples,” said the ambassador. The abstract ideas expressed in surreal images are Wang’s innovation, while his works retain distinctive Chinese elements, said Kengo Kuma, globally renowned Japanese architect, while commenting on the work “Fog” in the exhibition. Kuma praised the continuous efforts of Wang in pushing the boundaries while staying true to his Chinese traditions.(Xinhua) | 