On September 22, a press conference for the Li Zijian Art Museum's 10th Anniversary Celebration and the First International Watercolor Carnival was held at the Li Zijian Art Museum. According to the conference, the carnival will open on September 27, 2026.

International Watercolor Carnival Is Permanently Based in Changsha, Attracting Artists from 36 Countries

The First International Watercolor Carnival is jointly launched by the Li Zijian Art Museum and the International Master of Watercolour Association and Alliance (IMWA). As a permanent event, it will be held every three years, filling the gap in regular high-end international watercolor art exchanges in Hunan.

This year's carnival brings together 140 artists from 36 countries and regions across six continents, showcasing 600 artworks. The organizing committee selected these exhibits from nearly 1,000 works submitted by artists worldwide, covering major watercolor art schools from around the globe.

The three core themed exhibitions include: the "Combined Exhibition of Seven International Watercolor Masters" by five IMWA rotating chairs and top domestic art committee experts; the "Chinese and Foreign Watercolor Masters Pleinair Painting Exhibition" focusing on natural ecology, urban landscapes, and cultural characteristics; and the "Grand Exhibition by Hundred Chinese and Foreign Watercolor Artists" featuring 303 works by 122 Chinese and foreign watercolor artists from more than 30 countries. The three exhibitions will be held simultaneously, open to the public free of charge, and will last until November 22.

During the event, the organizing committee will also carry out supporting activities such as public demonstration teaching and academic salon exchanges, open free of charge to art practitioners, teachers and students, and art enthusiasts. At the same time, Chinese and foreign artists will be organized for Changsha city tours and a social gathering on an evening cruise on the Xiangjiang River.

Chief curator Li Zijian said, "The International Watercolor Carnival is rooted in Hunan, allowing different civilizations to draw closer through the flow of water and the blending of colors, and enabling the world to see an open, warm, and confident China."

Li Zijian explains a painting to visitors.

Li Zijian Art Museum Witnesses over Ten Million Visits in a Decade, Becoming a Cultural Landmark of Changsha City

Li Zijian Art Museum, founded by oil painter Li Zijian and his wife, officially opened on October 1, 2016. With a total area of 25,000 square meters, the museum has been certified by internationally authoritative institution as "the world's largest individual art museum for artists."

In the past ten years since its opening, the museum has adhered to its original mission of operating for public welfare, deeply cultivating fields such as art exhibitions, public aesthetic education, and Chinese and foreign cultural exchanges. It has received honors such as patriotic education base, science education base, aesthetic education base, and ideological and political education base, becoming an important cultural landmark in Changsha.

Over the decade, the museum has received more than ten million visits in total, held over 110 art exhibitions of various kinds, and organized 1,600 public education programs, music performances, and public guided tours. From the "Exhibition of Qi Baishi's Authentic Masterpieces" to the "Anselm Kiefer Art Exhibition" by the German neo-expressionist master, and the "Hunan Children's Art Biennale" held for three consecutive sessions, a series of Chinese and foreign art exhibitions have been held here.

As the core display of the museum, the "Permanent Exhibition of Li Zijian's Oil Paintings" has long exhibited more than 300 representative works from various periods of Li Zijian in four major exhibition halls, with 80% owned by collectors from across the country and even overseas.

With the International Watercolor Carnival now permanently based in Changsha, this regular international art event will continue to bring international art resources to Changsha. In 2029, the Second International Watercolor Carnival will be held alongside the 16th National Games.

This article is from Hunan Provincial Government. www.enghunan.gov.cn.

Translator: Yu Jiangjiang

Chinese source: Voice of Hunan