6th Suzhou Jinji Lake Biennale

The first "Suzhou Jinji Lake Biennale" was successfully held in 2012 in Suzhou Industrial Park, and it has since been held every two years, now celebrating its fifth edition. The 2023 6th "Suzhou Jinji Lake Biennale" took place from April 15 to June 25, 2023, at Suzhou Center, Jinji Lake Art Museum, and Ligongdi Cultural and Creative District. This biennale, themed "Vivid Jiangnan, Three-Dimensional Suzhou," showcased over 2,000 masterpieces from 17 countries.

As the largest and most internationally oriented art exhibition in Suzhou in recent years, this biennale attracted over 100 artists from countries including China, the UK, France, Belgium, Greece, Spain, Portugal, Ireland, Germany, the Czech Republic, Israel, Venezuela, Cameroon, Italy, the USA, the Netherlands, and Japan. With more than 2,000 works on display, the exhibition focused on the theme "Vivid Jiangnan, Three-Dimensional Suzhou," presenting a vibrant and exciting cultural and artistic landscape of Suzhou through an international, creative, rich, and accessible artistic language.

The biennale featured three major thematic exhibitions, one academic forum, and twenty parallel exhibitions. The curatorial team consisted of Carlos Cruz-Diez, director of the Cruz-Diez Studio in Paris; Wu Hongliang, president of the Beijing Academy of Painting and curator of the Chinese National Pavilion at the 58th Venice Biennale; and Shang Rong, professor at Nanjing University and chairman of the Jiangsu Sculptors Association. They curated the three major thematic exhibitions: "We, Gradually Entering a Beautiful Realm" International Frontier Art Exhibition, "Rainbow — The World from Bridges" Contemporary Art Exhibition, and the 6th China Youth Sculpture Art Exhibition. This convergence of artistic flows from a global perspective allowed people of different nationalities, backgrounds, and ages to engage in a dialogue with the world, experiencing a contemporary Jiangnan full of cultural richness and vitality, and sharing in a remarkably abundant public art celebration.

Three Major Thematic Exhibitions Make a Grand Debut

"Rainbow — The World from Bridges"

2023.04.15-2023.07.15

"Rainbow — The World from Bridges" aims to focus on the shared destiny of humanity from a global perspective, constructing more "rainbow bridges" through art. The fusion of ideas and creative connections often flourishes in a relaxed state, and this exhibition begins with the imagination of "rainbow bridges," freely extending its curatorial concept and the artistic essence of the works across eight locations in the garden. These "eight scenes" do not adhere to clearly defined sections but arise naturally along the extended exhibition line. These reflections are not newly created in this moment but resonate with echoes from distant times and spaces, invoking a sense of connection with otherness.

"We, Gradually Entering a Beautiful Realm" International Frontier Art Exhibition

2023.4.15-06.25

"We, Gradually Entering a Beautiful Realm" International Frontier Art Exhibition brings together 38 world-renowned artists, designers, and art institutions from 16 countries, showcasing 177 works in various forms, including sculptures, installations, oil paintings, manuscripts, and multimedia art. Notably, 90% of the works are being presented in China for the first time.

As one of the thematic exhibitions of the 2023 6th Suzhou Jinji Lake Biennale, this exhibition features Carlos Cruz-Diez, director of the Cruz-Diez Studio in Paris, as the honorary curator. In addition to displaying representative works by Carlos Cruz-Diez, the exhibition draws inspiration from Op Art, represented by him, to design the main visual imagery. By incorporating AR art, it presents dynamic visual effects that blend avant-garde elements, playfulness, and interactivity.

6th China Youth Sculpture Art Exhibition

2023.4.15-06.25

The thematic exhibition "Vivid Jiangnan, Three-Dimensional Suzhou — 6th Suzhou Jinji Lake Biennale" includes the "6th China Youth Sculpture Art Exhibition" and the parallel exhibition "Tech Star: A Tribute to Technological Workers through Sculpture Creation." The "6th China Youth Sculpture Art Exhibition" is divided into three chapters: "Culture • Dialogue," "Era • Journey," and "Gusu • Jiangnan."

It features Wu Weishan, vice chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, director of the National Art Museum of China, and chairman of the Chinese Sculptors Association, as the academic and artistic director. Shang Rong, member of the Jiangsu Provincial Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, chairman of the Jiangsu Sculptors Association, and professor at Nanjing University, serves as the curator. Over the course of more than two months, the exhibition will showcase over a hundred outstanding works from young sculptors nationwide, providing the people of Suzhou with a captivating visual feast of contemporary sculpture art.