International artists capture Zhejiang's heritage and everyday beauty

Organizers see the exhibition as both a portrait of Zhejiang and a conversation about how outsiders come to understand China. Italian artist Donato Piccolo put it vividly at the opening ceremony: "In Zhejiang, the ancient is not a relic, but a living force projected toward the future."

The visit to Liangzhu, he said, left him with a strong sense of connection. "Born in Rome, a city that thrives on a constant dialogue between the ages, I found in these lands the same sense of belonging to time," Piccolo said.

Bringing artists from so many different places together, he added, "is not a random choice, but an act of courage — the conscious desire to build bridges that connect not only our works, but also our cultures, our essences."

West Lake, unsurprisingly, became a favorite subject.

Kazakhstani artist Kumar Omarkhan's The Beauty on the Surface of the Lake celebrates the lake's quiet beauty and the easy harmony between people and nature. Nepali artist Sramik Dangol's West Lake Landscape foregrounds lotus leaves and their reflections, a composition he links to the idea of cause and effect. Malaysian artist Chua Xinyi, who has lived in Hangzhou for years, offers a wide panoramic view in From the Leifeng Pagoda. For her, the lake is familiar ground, full of personal memories.

Other artists turned their attention to things most people walk past without noticing.