Tides of the Century:2020 Ocean Flower Island International Art Exhibition

by Nancy Gong

Themed “Tides of the Century，” the 2020 Ocean Flower Island International Art Exhibition opened on Ocean Flower Island in Chinas southern Hainan Province on May 20. Greece was designated the guest country of honor. A total of 176 sets of work created by 95 acclaimed artists from 24 countries across five continents were selected for the exhibition at the Ocean Flower Island Museum. The exhibition was originally scheduled to be held before the sudden epidemic. In the wake of an unexpected 2020， it was renamed“2020” by consensus.

“‘Century refers to the everlasting passage of time from past into the present and future，” explained Wang Chunchen， head curator of the eight-section exhibition and a professor of the Central Academy of Fine Arts.“‘Tides is a metaphor for the unceasing ebbs and flows from one peak to another causing ongoing evolution.”

The most eye-catching section is 73 exhibits by 34 artists from Greece debuting in China. These works track the trajectory of contemporary art in Greece in the past half century from the 1970s to present， and shine a light on the dialogue between the two ancient civilizations of China and Greece to promote greater mingling between the maritime Silk Road civilizations and provide mutual reference to link maritime civilization and continental civilization.

During the global fight against the COVID-19 pandemic， international artists participated in remote display of their work and tackled difficulties in logistics and installation. Such global dialogue in the name of cooperation highlights the creativity of mankind and encourages action to address crises， riding the “tides”of development， and seizing the future in this “century” shared by all.