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Chinese contemporary art
SIMON DUFF walks us through a fascinating display that is bold, optimistic and spiritual

Atlas: Harmony in Diversity 
Chinese pavilion, Venice Bienale

VENICE, in all its majesty and cultural splendor, is a city that needs a Biennale more than ever. As the population continues to decline and many buildings lie empty a new focus and cultural re-awakening is vital. 

The 60th Biennale, entitled Foreigners Everywhere, is designed to showcase art from around the world and runs from April to November in venues across the city. There are many highlights: painting in the Venice pavilion, the extraordinary film and sonic work about the Ukraine war in the Polish exhibition, the ambition of hyper-historical migrant themes in the Spanish Pavilion. 

But the work that perhaps best demonstrates the tightrope balancing act of looking both to the past and future is highlighted at the China Pavilion.

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