The Nordic Contemporary Art Exhibition was inaugurated at the Nordic Contemporary Art Center in Aotou, Xiamen's cultural town, on April 4, and will run until May 20, Xiamen Daily reported.

Sixteen renowned artists from Norway, Finland, Sweden, Denmark and Iceland brought more than 200 tantalizing works of art to Aotou, including oil paintings, wash paintings, photographs, sculptures and wood blocks.

Each artwork depicts the distinct character of contemporary art in Northern Europe: refined, exquisite and romantic. They present the region's unique spirituality to Xiamen art lovers.

Tine Dahl Grue from Denmark used photos of a morning lakeside in Copenhagen, capital of Denmark, to represent her first impressions of Aotou.

She said that the simple Nordic serenity shown in the photos convey the intimacy brought about by beautiful Aotou.

Another Danish artist, Hans Pauli Olsen, displayed his dozens of wood blocks, which were inspired by the Chinese cultural town.

Dressed in a traditional Chinese Tang suit, Hans said that it was the second time he had come to Aotou to attend the exhibition and he was intrigued by the small fishing village's profound history and romantic atmosphere.

Else Marie, former director of the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts, said in her lecture during the opening ceremony that Nordic artists are rooted in their own cultures, but are also inspired by other countries' arts and cultures.

She confirmed that China's unique town culture has now become their focus and that Aotou's Nordic Contemporary Art Center will surely become an important platform for art exchanges between China and Northern Europe.

Aotou, once an obscure fishing village, has grown into a beautiful town with cultural innovation industries. Every year it attracts more and more artists from home and abroad.