China Central Academy of Fine Arts Concludes Landmark Chinese New Year Celebrations in New York with Top US Cultural Partners

NEW YORK, March 6, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- China's most prestigious arts academy, the China Central Academy of Fine Arts (CAFA), successfully concluded its inaugural "Happy Chinese New Year: Fantastic Art China" – a weeklong series of cultural events in New York to celebrate Chinese New Year organized in partnership with top US cultural organizations including the New York Philharmonic, New-York Historical Society, National Dance Institute, Empire State Realty Trust, Fireworks by Grucci, U.S.-China Cultural Institute / Committee of 100, China Institute, and the Chinese Consulate of New York.

Following in Chinese tradition, "Fantastic Art China" commenced with a twenty-minute fireworks display over the Hudson River on February 17^th, titled "Harmonious China", designed by CAFA. The display was divided into four thematic and emotional chapters—starting with "Great Jubilance", followed by "The Return of Spring", then "Illumination of Stars and the Moon", and concluding with a powerful "Universal Celebration". Executed by US partner Fireworks by Grucci, the display included three-barges on the Hudson River.

The fireworks display marked the first-ever large-scale fireworks display in the U.S. to commemorate Chinese Lunar New Year, with more than 1,000 members of the public convening along the Hudson River form both Midtown Manhattan and New Jersey sides to view the show. Live accompanying music was broadcast on three local radio stations-- WKDM AM1380, WZRC AM1480 and WGBB AM1240-- featuring special music composed by Guan Xia, director of the China National Symphony Orchestra.

As part of "Fantastic Art China", CAFA also hosted a much-anticipated public exhibit of contemporary Chinese visual art at the David Rubenstein Atrium and Avery Fisher Hall at Lincoln Center from February 18-24^th, which featured famous works of art including some never previously exhibit outside of China. The exhibit featured work by renowned Chinese artists including XU Bing, HUANG Jiancheng, XU Jiang, XU Jiang, LV Shengzhong, CHEN Wenling, ZHAN Wang. The exhibit spotlighted two digital pieces, including: HUANG Jiancheng's "Rebuild Chinese Painting Riverside Scene at Qingming Festival", considered by many as the most significant classical Chinese painting in history; and XU Bing's "The Character of Characters", a grandiose hand-painted animation explaining the connection between Chinese characters and the temperament of people who write them.

In addition to the artworks, the Atrium was transformed into a contemporary artistic take on a traditional Chinese market "Creativity Bazaar", which served as both a real market showing handicrafts from across China and a contemporary art piece. The Bazaar assembled traditional and innovative Chinese craftworks and New Year storing items that are specially collected from across China, including from Shanghai Museum, Nanjing Museum, Hunan Provincial Museum, Zhejiang Provincial Museum, Hubei Provincial Museum, CAFA Museum, Suzhou Museum Ordos Museum, and Art Plus.

More than 200 VIP guests from across New York's business, cultural, and media sectors also attended a kick-off event to unveil the public art exhibit at the Atrium at Lincoln Center and also view the fireworks from the China Consulate of New York.

Additionally, a special Chinese Lunar New Year lighting installation designed by CAFA and titled "Splendid China" was also displayed on the tower lights of New York City's Empire State Building from February 17th to 18^th. The artistic light display combined and alternated the Empire State Building's 16 million colors original colors in a 60-second rotating display of five varying rhythms of color schemes. The color schemes aimed to present a joyful and dynamic atmosphere, consistent with the theme of "Fantastic Art China", and symbolically celebrated traditional Chinese culture via a modern, dazzling lights display.

On February 24^th, the New York Philharmonic presented its fourth annual Chinese New Year Concert and Gala at Avery Fisher Hall conducted by Long Yu, Music Director of the China Philharmonic and Shanghai Symphony Orchestra, and featuring acclaimed Grammy Award-winning Chinese-American cellist Yo-Yo Ma, Grammy Award-winning musician Wu Tong, vocalist Lei Jia and ghijak player Gulinaer Yiming. The Honorary Gala Chairman were Mr. and Mrs. Maurice R. Greenberg, James and Elaine Wolfensohn, Permanent Representative of the People's Republic of China to the United Nations H.E. Ambassador Liu Jieyi, and Consul-General of China in New York H.E. Ambassador Zhang Qiyue.

A free outdoor community event took place the afternoon of the concert at 4:30 p.m. on Lincoln Center's Josie Robertson Plaza featuring 80 local public school children from the National Dance Institute performing folk-inspired dances, and the Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company performing the traditional Dragon Dance.

Visit fantastic.art.china.cn or follow www.facebook.com/chinanewyearnyc and www.twitter.com/chinanewyearnyc for more information.

For Media Inquiries, Please Contact:
Maritza Huerta, 646-338-0396, [email protected]

SOURCE China Central Academy of Fine Arts (CAFA)