Elegance of Changzhou art displayed in NY

More than 90 pieces of art representing the traditional culture of China are on display in the exhibition "Elegance Changzhou" at the Federal Hall National Memorial in New York from July 12 to 14.

The three-day exhibition is hosted by Changzhou, in East China's Jiangsu province, and the Asian American Business Development Center.

It shows pieces including silk embroidery, paper cuts and traditional paintings created by the city's artists and introduces Changzhou's culture.

"The art exhibition is a continuation to develop art and cultural exchange between New York and Changzhou and to boost economic and trade cooperation," said John Wang, president and CEO of the Asian American Business Development Center.

During a reception on Wednesday, Zhang Qiyue, consul general of China in New York, welcomed Changzhou representatives.

"Changzhou is one important and developed city in China, and very well represents modern China and showcases Chinese culture and history. It is also a very business-friendly city with a developed economy," Zhang said.

"In real time, Changzhou is growing and evolving," said Xu Ying, vice-mayor of Changzhou, "It is a peaceful city where residents enjoy living and tourists enjoy visiting."

With more than 2,500 years of written history, Changzhou is the birthplace of the Wu culture, a major Chinese cultural genre rooted in the southern part of the country. The exhibits reflect the beauty of mountains, lakes and rivers of the region.

The exhibition featured Jintan paper-cut, which is listed as a national cultural heritage and represents the folk art of the Han nationality.

Yang Zhaoqun, national inheritor of the paper-cut technique, created most of the paper-cut pieces on display, including a replica of the 29-meter-high National Museum collection From Athens to Beijing. The 61-year-old artist also showcase the technique.

Sun Yanyun, 58, an expert in Changzhou needlework embroidery, also presented the process of creating an embroidery. Her works, some of which award winning, also are on display.

All art works displayed in the exhibition will enter a live auction on Friday at Manhattan Asian Arts Lounge.

Nancy Kong in New York contributed to this story.