When the crane had lifted Shozo Shimamoto, founder of the school of "concrete art," to a height of ten meters, the Japanese artist hurled bottles of paint to the ground, creating an explosion of color.

 

This was one of the performances during the opening ceremony of the China-Japan modern art exhibition at the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC) on Monday morning.

 

More than 80 Chinese and Japanese modern art works are being showcased at the exhibition. CPAFFC Vice President Li Xiaolin said that the exhibition is important in stepping up exchanges in the fine arts.

 

After World War II, Shozo said, Japan created "concrete art," a new type of modern art, ahead of European and American artists.

 

Concrete artists try to create a world with "concrete" points, lines, surfaces and colors, he continued.

 

"I am happy to see that China has now entered an age of art innovation," he added.

 

The exhibition will last three days and is one of the events marking the 10th anniversary of the founding of the China Friendship, Peace and Development Foundation.

 

Li voiced her hope that the exhibition could create a friendly and harmonious atmosphere for art exchanges between the two countries.

 

During Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's visit to China in early October, the two sides agreed to expand exchanges and cooperation in cultural and artistic fields in the future.

 

(Xinhua News Agency October 17, 2006)