The exhibition “Mosaics from Friuli to Qingdao”, organised by the Italian Cultural Institute in Beijing, was opened on 8 October in Qingdao, in Shandong Province.
The exhibition brought to China the mosaics by the most renowned schools in the world for the first time. This school of mosaics has handed down, from generation to generation, the most ancient techniques, although innovated through continuous research.
Interest for Italian-made mosaics arose following the presentation by the Spilimbero-based School of the project “Cultural Heritage, the Source of Wisdom, Heritage of all Humanity” with the aim of promoting Italian Cultural Heritage in China.
This project opened a dialogue: the School of Mosaic Art of Friuli, in cooperation with local institutional agencies, the Italian Embassy and the Italian Cultural Institute in Beijing, was invited to take part in institutional meetings and working groups in China. The School was also visited by official Chinese delegations and by artists of the study and research centre of the Mosaic Art Association China of Beijing, who went to Spilimbero-based School to attend refresher courses. The interest for the School of Mosaic Art of Friuli spurred several more meetings and initiatives which subsequently led to the exhibition now on display in Qingdao, which was made possible thanks to the active contribution of the Italian Solidarity Foundation in Qingdao.
The exhibition will offer an ample overview of the mosaics by the School of Mosaic Art of Friuli, along with videos and images of the school’s teaching activities. The direct contact with the School and with mosaic art was favoured by the presence in China of mosaic artists who attended the School and who will give life to the exhibition with practical demos at the Art Gallery in Qingdao.
