Across America

ART DIPLOMACY

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton presents the State Department Medal of Arts to Chinese artist Cai Guoqiang at a ceremony on Friday in Washington. Cai was among five international and American artists awarded for work that promotes understanding across cultures. The event also marked the 50th anniversary of the department’s Art in Embassies program. Cai, who directed visual and special effects for the opening and closing ceremonies of the 2008 Beijing Olympics, also on Friday set off his explosive-effect “Black Christmas Tree” work outside the Smithsonian Institution’s Freer Gallery of Art.[SUN CHENBEI / CHINA DAILY]