Udo Goesswald, curator of Berlin Neukoelln museum, delivered a speech at the opening ceremony. [Photo/ Culturalink.gov.cn]

Bärbel Dieckmann and Madeleine Coffaro are both fond of Chinese culture and wish to bring Chinese art to the world through their efforts. Both of them are members at the China Cultural Center in Berlin, studying Taiji and Chinese respectively.

At the opening ceremony, Chen Jianyang, director of the center, gave high praise to the works of the two artists. Udo Goesswald, the curator of Berlin Neukoelln museum said in his speech that sculptor Bärbel Dieckmann has engaged with the ancient theme of the Minotaur in her work. In Greek mythology, the Minotaur is half bull and half man, which makes him the prototypical outsider who wrestles with himself and seeks his identity. Psychoanalysis casts the Minotaur as the dark side of humanity restrained by moral codes and hidden in the subconscious.

In comic books or Hollywood movies, devils like the Minotaur are always defeated by superheroes like Spiderman, Batman or Superman who act like a modern Odysseus. However, facing a more united world, people should develop a more tolerant attitude toward cultural diversity, instead of stressing too much on differences. Bärbel Dieckmann achieves reconciliation between cultures through art and leads people to better understand humanity.