The JAPAN-CHINA ASSOCIATION with WANG Wusheng, was formed in April 1995, through the gracious acceptance of their appointments by the association's directors, comprising of distinguished people mainly from the Japanese business community but also from other fields. It aims to support the rare artistic talent and work of Wang Wusheng, a prominent Chinese photographic artist, in addition to promote mutual understanding and cultural exchanges between Japan, China and rest of the world through the dissemination of Wangfs artistic work.
Wang Wusheng has been pursuing his artistic work in Japan for the past 19 years since arriving here in 1981 and adopting the country as his second home. Using the famous Yellow Mountains (Huang Shan) of his native China as his motif, Wang has since 1974 committed his thoughts and emotions to the mountains and water of the natural world, portraying the spiritual landscape images he perceives through the medium of monochromatic photography. In producing his images Wang has also managed to maintain the oriental artistic tradition while at the same time incorporating modern constructive elements such as a strong sense of rhythm and contrast, culminating in a distinctive aesthetic style.
Wang held his first private exhibition at the Seibu Art Museum in 1988 and thereafter held a series of private exhibitions to enthusiastic reception throughout Japan and earning him high appraisal nationwide.
One of his notable solo exhibitions was at the Museum of Fine Arts Vienna (Kunsthistoriches Museum Wien), which was held in May 1998, a museum ranking alongside the Louvre and Prado museums as one of the three most important art institutions in Europe.
In addition to being the first ever exhibition of work by a living artist at Viennafs Kunsthistorisches Museum, it was also the first ever sole exhibition of work of an Asian artist to be held there. Moreover, it was the first time ever that this world-renowned institution had held an exhibition of photographic art. In the light of these three "firsts" alone, Wang's one-man Vienna exhibition was epoch making and will achieve a place in the annals of art history. The artistry and spirituality of the exhibition received high appraisal from the 40,000 or so people from 38 countries who viewed it, making it in all an outstanding success.
The most recent solo exhibition was held at the Tokyo Metropolitan Museum of Photography in 2000, which term was a month extended because of the great sensation. The audience gave more than 1300 comments, which certainly reveal the exhibition was a remarkable success.
Wang's extraordinary talent and his amiable personality not only attracted the audience but also the celebrities from all groups of people. At the occasion of the inauguration for the association, many figures from the political, financial, business and cultural circle attended for the words of salutations. Such as Mr. Masaharu Gotouda, former Vice Prime Minister, Mr. Gaishi Hiraiwa, Honorary Chairman of Keidanren, Mr. Cheng Yonghua, ambassador representing the Embassy of the Peoplefs Republic of China in Japan. There were also some congratulations from Mr. Keizo Obuchi, former Prime Minister, Mr. Masahiko Takamura, former Foreign Minister, and Mr. Goro Koyama, Honorary Advisor of the Sakura Bank Limited.
Many celebrities also attended the opening reception at the Tokyo Metropolitan Museum of Photography as well. Mr. Seipel, General Director of Viennafs Kunsthistorisches Museum, and his wife had visited Japan all the way from Vienna, Mr. Tang Jiaxuan, Foreign Minister of the Peoplefs Republic of China, during his bustling visitation to Japan, Mr. Chen Jian, ambassador of the Embassy of the Peoplefs Republic of China in Japan, and such. The congratulations were also given by Mr. Yoshiro Mori, Prime Minister, Mr. Youhei Kouno, Foreign Minister, Mr. Hirofumi Nakasone, the Minister of Education.
