Thousands of people poured into the National Art Masterpiece Exhibition and other shows of cultural items from October 20 to November 11 in Hangzhou, capital of Zhejiang Province.

Among the event's 23 exhibitions, nine are cultural projects, including arts and crafts, paintings, historical and cultural relics, and urban sculptures.

The show attracts the attention of native residents and travelers from other regions.

More than 100 masters and 300 arts and crafts manufacturers from 23 provinces, municipalities and autonomous regions display their latest works.

Wood sculptures, stone handicrafts, Buddha statues and silk paintings fill the provincial exhibition hall with colour.

A group of artists with disabilities, who use their feet, mouths or elbows to create art, is another focus of the show.

"This is the first time such a show has been held in Zhejiang Province. And very few have ever been held in the entire country," said Peng Feng, director of the West Lake exposition.

Peng said the organization committee tried to include art with different styles to meet viewers' appetites in the show and other exhibitions.

Other cultural exhibitions include a provincial artwork show, a Chinese painting show, a silk art show, an art relic exhibition and a stamp show.

In the silk design show, which is usually a fashion display, various artwork made with silk, including silk paintings, carpets and statues, are all exhibited.

Luo Yu, a silk manufacturer representative, said developing different styles of silk artwork could advance China's traditional silk culture.

This year's exhibition, unlike past exhibitions, helps sell many pieces of art, according to officials at the exhibit.

Hu Huijun, a resident of Hangzhou who bought several art pieces, said she would buy as many as art pieces as she could afford to decorate her house.

Hu brought her daughter to the show to introduce her to art.

The creation of art should be closer to common people both in content and prices, said Wu Jian, deputy Party secretary of Hangzhou.

More and more people in China are buying art to decorate their homes, and artists should try to meet their demands, said Wu, indicating that the art exhibitions during the West Lake exposition are partially held for that purpose.

Promotional efforts by the organizers have helped bring a large crowd of domestic tourists from across the country.

Liu Junzheng, an artist from Nanjing, said an art show in his home town one month ago did not attract as many buyers as the exhibition.

"Government and social institutions should increase their efforts to popularize people's appetite for fine arts," Liu said.

(People’s Daily 10/24/2000)