Sculpture Exhibition of Chinese Culture Opens at UN

Renowned Chinese sculptor Wu Weishan (L) presents his bronze sculpture named Lao Tzu to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon as a gift at the UN headquarters in New York, the United States, Sept. 5, 2012. Organized by the Chinese Ministry of Culture and the Chinese Permanent Mission to the UN, Sculpting the Soul of a Nation - An International Touring Exhibition of the Art of Wu Weishan·Special Exhibition at the United Nations kicked off here on Tuesday.

A sculpture exhibition representing important Chinese cultural figures and memorizing Nanjing Massacre opens on September 4 at the UN headquarters.

The exhibition, titled "Sculpting the Soul of a Nation", consists of 33 pieces of art falling into three categories: sculptures of important cultural figures in the Chinese history including Confucius and Laozi, sculptures on the theme of mothers and children and sculptures from the Nanjing Massacre Memorial Hall.

The exhibition, which will end on Sept. 7, has attracted senior UN officials and ambassadors from different countries.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said that the exhibition embodies not only the soul of a nation but of all humanity.

"At the United Nations, we deal with issues of global scope," said Ban. "But any problem can be broken down into small steps and individual sections. Any problem can be solved when the heart is set right."

"This exhibit highlights the importance and the role of the individual. It says to me that with respecting each other and working together we can create the future we want," the UN chief said.

Sculptor Wu Weishan, president of the Fine Arts Institute of the Chinese National Academy of Arts who is also the president of Chinese Academy of Sculpture, said "The theme of the UN exhibition is peace. The statues of Confucius and Laozi emphasize the harmony between men and nature while sculptures on children embody beautiful feelings and emotions of human kind."

"The core meaning I want to convey of the group of the sculptures on Nanjing Massacre is telling people to remember history instead of hatred in order to avoid repeating the tragedy in the history," he said.

Also speaking at the opening ceremony, China's UN Ambassador Li Baodong said the art of sculpture is one of the pivotal building blocks for the mansion of the fine Chinese culture.

"Art knows no borders and needs no translation. Mr. Wu Weishan's marvelous sculptures have incorporated the Chinese sculpture into the realm of cultural exchanges and interactions in the pluralistic world," said Li.