China-fest at Kennedy

Surveying the broad developments in Chinese art in recent years, the Kennedy Center is hosting the ongoing festival China: The Art of a Nation this month. Presented in partnership with the People’s Republic of China’s Ministry of Culture, the exhibition features the work of 300 contemporary and performing artists. The event comes nearly six years after the Kennedy Center’s groundbreaking Festival of China, which brought international recognition to scores of native Chinese artists.
While penny-pinchers might enjoy Landscape in Mind, the free outdoor exhibition, its nuances may be lost on those without a background in contemporary Chinese sculpture art. Featuring a variety of statues created by Chinese artists blending the modern with the traditional, the sculptures themselves are aesthetically intriguing.
Though the outdoor exhibition may be lackluster to the layperson, the festival’s eclectic performance calendar is packed with enough variety to please just about anyone. This weekend, the National Ballet of China is performing from the 22nd through the 24th. With a less traditional take on Chinese dance, the Beijing Dance Theatre is performing on October 22 through the 24th, showcasing pieces dramatizing global pollution and its impact on the spiritual condition.
Whether you are an art aficionado or just want to expand your knowledge of Chinese art beyond what you learned in Mulan, Art in China is the perfect opportunity to engage in an international heritage just a bike ride away.