Chinese paper art exhibition wows audience in Switzerland

People visit the paper art exhibition "Splendor Paper Art For Millennia -- International Touring Exhibition of Contemporary Chinese Paper-Based Art (Switzerland Stop)" at the China Cultural Center in Bern, Switzerland, Nov. 21, 2025. (Xinhua/Lian Yi)

An exhibition of contemporary Chinese paper art opened on Friday at the China Cultural Center in Bern, drawing visitors from across Switzerland and neighboring countries.

The 11-day exhibition, titled "Splendor Paper Art For Millennia -- International Touring Exhibition of Contemporary Chinese Paper-Based Art (Switzerland Stop)", featured more than 80 paper-based artworks by 52 Chinese artists, which attracted visitors from Switzerland, France, Germany, among others.

The exhibit spans a wide range of forms, including ink painting, rubbing, paper-cutting, paper sculpture, paper installations, and pulp art.

A sack-shaped artwork sparked visitors' curiosity when artist Wang Lei revealed that it was made from the pulped pages of Cihai, a large-scale dictionary and encyclopedia of the Chinese language. He reshaped the recycled pulp into a new form to symbolize "countless words gathered as blessings."

As one of China's "Four Great Inventions of Ancient China," papermaking is not only a technological breakthrough but also a key to understanding Chinese civilization, said Xiao Huang, curator of the exhibition, adding that "the material of paper is itself a language."

Chinese Ambassador to Switzerland Qian Minjian said paper has long served as a witness to exchanges between Eastern and Western civilizations. He added that paper-cutting, a longstanding folk art in Asia, is also cherished in Switzerland as a valued tradition.

Mosimann Kurt, 87, said the exhibition was excellent. "I am amazed by the Chinese philosophy behind these paper-based artworks," said Kurt, adding that he first visited China in 1984 and has been fascinated by its culture and people ever since.

Swiss artist Valerie Kessler said it was a privilege to view an exhibition of such high quality. An artist herself, she said she was inspired and impressed by the rich diversity of Chinese art. "I truly appreciate the techniques these Chinese artists bring to their work," she added.

The five-stop exhibition tour has already been presented in Sofia of Bulgaria and The Hague of the Netherlands. Following the Bern stop, it is scheduled to continue to Belgrade of Serbia and Budapest of Hungary. 

A woman visits the paper art exhibition "Splendor Paper Art For Millennia -- International Touring Exhibition of Contemporary Chinese Paper-Based Art (Switzerland Stop)" at the China Cultural Center in Bern, Switzerland, Nov. 21, 2025. (Xinhua/Lian Yi)

People visit the paper art exhibition "Splendor Paper Art For Millennia -- International Touring Exhibition of Contemporary Chinese Paper-Based Art (Switzerland Stop)" at the China Cultural Center in Bern, Switzerland, Nov. 21, 2025. (Xinhua/Lian Yi)

People visit the paper art exhibition "Splendor Paper Art For Millennia -- International Touring Exhibition of Contemporary Chinese Paper-Based Art (Switzerland Stop)" at the China Cultural Center in Bern, Switzerland, Nov. 21, 2025. (Xinhua/Lian Yi)