China-Japan modern art exhibition opens in Beijing 
 
  (Xinhua)  Updated: 2006-10-17 11:10  BEIJING -- When the crane had 
lifted Shozo Shimamoto, founder of the school of "concrete art", to a height of 
ten meters, the Japanese artist hurled bottles of paint to the ground, creating 
an explosion of color. 
This was one of the performances during the opening ceremony of the 
China-Japan modern art exhibition at the Chinese People's Association for 
Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC) on Monday morning. 
 More than 80 Chinese and Japanese modern art works are being showcased at the 
exhibition. CPAFFC Vice President Li Xiaolin said that the exhibition is 
important in stepping up exchanges in the fine arts. 
 After World War II, Shozo said, Japan created "concrete art", a new type of 
modern art, ahead of European and American artists. 
 Concrete artists try to create a world with "concrete" points, lines, 
surfaces and colors, he continued. 
 "I am happy to see that China has now entered an age of art innovation," he 
added. 
 The exhibition will last three days and is one of the events marking the 10th 
anniversary of the founding of the China Friendship, Peace and Development 
Foundation. 
 Li voiced her hope that the exhibition could create a friendly and harmonious 
atmosphere for art exchanges between the two countries. 
 During Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's visit to China in early October, 
the two sides agreed to expand exchanges and cooperation in cultural and 
artistic fields in the future.  
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