Copper art exhibition opens in Beijing

BEIJING, July 23 (Xinhua) -- An exhibition showcasing copper art treasures was inaugurated at the National Museum of China in Beijing on Monday.

Titled "Bridging Eras: The Copper Art of Zhu Bingren through Eight Decades," the three-month-long exhibition features more than 100 exquisite copper-carved artifacts crafted by Zhu Bingren, a master copper sculptor and representative inheritor of Hangzhou's copper carving skills.

An evolution of bronze casting techniques, Hangzhou's copper carving skills were included in China's national intangible cultural heritage list in 2008. These skills have been revitalized and preserved through generations of inheritance and development.

"Considering that all the exhibits weigh a total of 35.6 tonnes, this is indeed a heavyweight exhibition," said Wei Na, an organizer of the exhibition, adding that the exhibition aims to showcase an artistic convergence of modern copper-carving techniques with ancient bronze civilization. ■