Chinese Lacquer Art Exhibition Opens in Luxembourg

On Tuesday 3 September 2024, the China Cultural Centre Luxembourg (CCCL) in Luxembourg-ville was the venue for the opening of a new exhibition of Chinese lacquer art.

The exhibition, entitled "Chinese Lacquer Towards the World" is part of the lacquer art collection of the Hubei Museum of Art, which is being exhibited at the CCCL from 3 to 20 September 2024.

Organised by the Hubei Museum of Art and sponsored by the Hubei Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism, the CCCL exhibition is being held under the "Opportunities in China, Bosom Friends in Hubei" initiative. 

The formal opening ceremony was held in front of around 70 invited guests and involved both formal speeches as well as a musical interlude of folk music from Hubei province in China by musicians, singers and dancers from Hubei's Theatre of Opera and Dance.

Wang Yuan, Chargée d'Affaires at the Chinese Embassy in Luxembourg, spoke in French and thanked those involved in the exhibition and the opening event. She recalled that Hubei is at the centre of Chu culture in China, of which lacquer is an artisanal know-now passed down through generations which can be traced back more than two thousand years. She also highlighted Hubei's rich folklore heritage which uses traditional instruments. 

She also talked about Luxembourg having more than 170 nationalities living in its 2,586 km2, and referenced its diverse cultural heritage which has helped bring both Chinese and Luxembourgish nationals closer, along with cultural exchanges. She also addressed the opening of direct flights between the two countries last December, and the 15-day visa-free initiative to visit China announced in March which has allowed more and more Luxembourgers and residents to discover China, including the majestic beauty of its rivers and mountains, the hospitality and inclusivity of the Chinese people.

Jacques Bartuzzo, from China-Lux, the China-Luxembourg Chamber of Commerce, addressed the attendees in French, with interpretation into Chinese (Mandarin). He spoke about the importance of culture, and music in particular, in enabling the understanding of each other.

Ju Zhaohui, Permanent Member of the Chinese Communist Party Committee for Hubei Province, who was in Luxembourg on a two-day visit, also addressed the opening ceremony, talking (in Chinese, with translation into French) about the natural beauty of Hubei as well as the deep cultural heritage shown through the traditional art of lacquer. He also addressed the economic and cultural ties between Hubei province in China, and Luxembourg. 

The three speakers were then brought on a guided tour of the exhibition upstairs at the CCCL.

Earlier in the day, JU Zhaohui visited Luxembourg's parliament, the Chambre des Députés, where he met with the President of the Chamber of Deputies Claude Wiseler after signing the guestbook, prior to a reception. He later participated in an enlarged meeting with the other members of parliament as well as members of the Committee on Foreign and European Affairs, Cooperation and Foreign Trade. Later on he also met with Aldermen of the City of Luxembourg, including the deputy mayor, Maurice Baures.