Paper-cut dragons a cross-culture exhibit

"Paper Dialogues — the Dragon and Our Stories" opened last weekend at the Liu Haisu Art Museum, with two artists represent dragon myths in China and Scandinavia through in-depth stories narrated with paper, air and shadow.

"Paper Dialogues" is an artistic collaboration between 57-year-old Qiao Xiaoguang of China and 56-year-old Karen Bit Vejle of Norway.

Each has created a large-scale paper-cut presenting culture and history. The two artists have had to overcome language and cultural barriers, and this continuous dialogue has added new and unexpected elements to the creations.

Dragon myths exist in both the Scandinavian and Chinese cultures, but the artists faced certain questions: What are their symbolic connotations? How will the Norse dragon communicate with the Chinese dragon?

Both Qiao and Bit work in the rare and valuable art form of paper-cutting, which is an old tradition and widespread folk art, particularly in China. The artists amaze the viewers with large-scale works that come to life. Qiao's dragon paper-cut is a 9-meter frieze that can be viewed from both sides. Bit's work is a forest made of dragon eggs, which the viewers can walk in so they can observe from various angles. Both artists make use of light and shadow to achieve an unusual effect.

Qiao's dragon is not a representation of traditional dragon imagery. He sees the dragon as a symbol of Chinese civilization.

This exhibition previously showed at an art museum in Beijing and will tour in Oslo and Trondheim in Norway in 2015.

Date: Through October 26, 9am-4pm

Venue: Liu Haisu Art Museum

Address: 1665 Hongqiao Rd