At a crossroad on the Silk Road

Photo provided to China Daily

A section called, Between the East and West, features multi-media creations by Chinese artists who grew up in the country's western part, and artists from Arab nations. These works do not represent the Islamic world through symbolism, but rather explore the deeper side of Islam through artists' personal experiences.

Yinchuan will host the China-Arab States Expo 2015 from Sept 10-13, so a special section is dedicated to contemporary art from Jordan, which is the guest country of honor at the fair.

Also on show are 1,000 cloth dolls, a traditional handicraft from northwestern China, made by local families. The display is part of the museum's efforts to connect with local communities through art education programs.

Suchen Xie, former director of Beijing's Today Art Museum and now MOCA Yinchuan's artistic supervisor, says it is important to link art with local's daily life.

"The doll show isn't academic at all. But it makes people feel involved－people made the dolls and can touch them. Isn't that what contemporary art should embrace?" she says.

MOCA Yinchan can pave a modern Silk Road of contemporary art between the East and West, but concerns over its ability to do so, still remain.

Lyu's responds to such concerns with a plea to consider the bigger picture: "The process of globalization has changed how people define things. The so-called 'center' and 'periphery' no longer exist in a digital age. Anyone or any place can be the focus as long as they are good enough."

The show will run through Dec 6.

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