China Cultural Center in Tanzania hosts art exhibition to cement cultural ties

Visitors view Tingatinga paintings at the China Cultural Center in Tanzania in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, on Nov. 1, 2022. The China Cultural Center in Tanzania has hosted an artworks exhibition named "Charming Tanzania--Tingatinga Painting & Ebony Carvings Exhibition" with a view to cementing cultural relations between the two countries. (Photo by Herman Emmanuel/Xinhua)

DAR ES SALAAM, Nov. 2 (Xinhua) -- The China Cultural Center in Tanzania has hosted an artworks exhibition named "Charming Tanzania--Tingatinga Painting & Ebony Carvings Exhibition" with a view to cementing cultural relations between the two countries.

The exhibition which opened Tuesday in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania's largest city, showcased important artworks from both Tanzania and China, appreciating the role that art and culture play in international understanding and friendship.

Visitors view Tingatinga paintings at the China Cultural Center in Tanzania in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, on Nov. 1, 2022. The China Cultural Center in Tanzania has hosted an artworks exhibition named "Charming Tanzania--Tingatinga Painting & Ebony Carvings Exhibition" with a view to cementing cultural relations between the two countries. (Photo by Herman Emmanuel/Xinhua)

Auleria Dotto, the acting director of the National Arts Council of Tanzania, said the Tingatinga artwork has had a substantial market in China since the beginning of 2000. The Tingatinga painting and ebony carving are the most unique and internationally influential artistic forms in Tanzania.

Dotto thanked the China Cultural Center, and the Chinese Embassy in Tanzania in particular, for promoting and advancing Tingatinga artworks.

Joseph Kahama, the secretary general of Tanzania-China Friendship Promotion Association, said art pieces and paintings go to great lengths and depths toward understanding a culture.

An artist works on a Tingatinga painting at the China Cultural Center in Tanzania in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, on Nov. 1, 2022. The China Cultural Center in Tanzania has hosted an artworks exhibition named "Charming Tanzania--Tingatinga Painting & Ebony Carvings Exhibition" with a view to cementing cultural relations between the two countries. (Photo by Herman Emmanuel/Xinhua)

Wang Siping, Cultural Counsellor of the Chinese embassy and Director of the China Cultural Center in Tanzania, said the center has invited a Tingatinga artist to present 30 artistic masterpieces, while Chinese-born Zhang Jingnan who has been in Tanzania for many years was also invited to showcase his collection of ebony carvings.

Wang said the duo has established permanent ebony carvings exhibitions in Beijing and Changchun in China, having made great contributions to expanding the influence of this art form in China and even in the world.