Year-long German Exhibit in Beijing Covers the Age of Enlightenment

Poster of "The Art of the Enlightment"

 A glance at the exhibition

After four years of renovation, the Chinese National Museum in Beijing reopened on April 1 with the international exhibition "Art of Enlightenment".

Jointly presented by the Chinese National Museum, and the state galleries of Berlin, Dresden and Bavaria, it is Germany's largest-ever overseas art exhibition.

It will last for a year and display nearly 600 top works of art and science.

"The Enlightenment Era began Europe's civilized history and still has a great impact on contemporary life and the mental world of Europeans,' said Martin Roth, general director of the Dresden gallery. "I hope this exhibition will go beyond the boundaries of time and space and touch people's minds."

The exhibition includes masterpieces in painting, sculpture, graphics, handcrafts and fashion as well as valuable scientific instruments. Nine sections are divided into 17th and 18th century topics.

Klaus Schrenk, general director of the Bavarian state gallery in Munich, said the Enlightenment has not lost its significance in the modern world.

"Art is not only the tool for education or a true reaction to the real world, but also the way people show themselves," he said.

Lu Zhangshen, curator of the National Museum, said the cooperation with top German museums will strike a chord with the public in China.

"Through this exhibition, people can clearly see how art evolved and pushed progress forward, not only in aesthetics, but also the shape of society," he said.

Preparation for the event took more than six years. The collaboration originated from a Sino-German cultural exchange program signed in 2005.

As an important partner, BMW is supporting the event through an exchange program for young curators from the two nations and a series of concerts entitled "the Music of Enlightenment".

Frank-Peter Arndt, member of the management board of BMW, said part of carmaker's identity is to be culturally involved in countries where it does business.

"The support of the 'Art of the Enlightenment' in Beijing is BMW's most significant cultural commitment in Asia in 2011. Both China and Germany find themselves yet again in times of great change and reorientation. I believe that the liberal discourse and the open exchange between the two nations are both topical and necessary," Arndt said.

Over the past 40 years, BMW Group has initiated and engaged in more than 100 international cultural programs and sees its commitment as an essential part of corporate communications.

The group places main focus on its long-term commitment on modern and contemporary art, jazz and classical music as well as architecture and design.