Asia Society Australia is pleased to invite you to " Australia-China Cultural Exchange " with Zhou Xiaoping, Artist, Geoff Raby, former Australian Ambassador to China, and Mindy Meng Wang, Composer & Artist.

Explore the dynamic cultural ties between Australia and China, and the significance of artistic exchange and mutual understanding in strengthening bilateral relations. Our speakers will share their experiences in recent collaborative projects, discuss the impact of contemporary Chinese art on Australia's cultural landscape, and explore future opportunities for cultural diplomacy.

Hosted at the Australasian Cultural Art Exchange gallery, attendees will have the opportunity to view a series of modern Chinese artworks and network with Gen A members and China Primer participants over food and drink following the discussion.

Date: Wednesday 7th August 2024
Time:  6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m

This event is by invitation only and registration is essential. For any enquiries, please contact [email protected]

This event is supported by the National Foundation for Australia-China Relations, the Victorian Government, and the Australasian Cultural Arts Exchange.

About our Speakers

Zhou Xiaoping is a Melbourne-based artist and curator, born and educated in China. Since 1988 he has been actively engaged with Aboriginal communities in Arnhem Land and the Kimberley. He has created a unique artistic style by incorporating his new Aboriginal experiences into the traditional Chinese classic painting that he had learnt in China. Chinese and Aboriginal arts and cultures meet in his artworks, generating a new aesthetic while telling his story in Australia.

Zhou's collaboration with the late Jimmy Pike resulted in the first exhibition of Aboriginal art work at Hefei Jiuliumi Art Museum, Hefei, China in 1996, and then held at the National Gallery of China in 1999. He was the driving force behind the ten-year “Trepang: China and the Story of Macassan--Aboriginal Trade” project from 2002 to 2011, in collaboration with Professor Marcia Langton, Foundation Chair in Australian Indigenous Studies at the University of Melbourne, which led to several exhibitions and a significant publication.

Zhou was the principal artist in “Trepang: China & the Story of Macassan – Aboriginal Trade”, both at The Capital Museum in Beijing and the Melbourne Museum in Australia in 2011. Zhou has held 50 solo exhibitions worldwide and has published two Chinese language books on his experiences with Aboriginal communities.

Dr Geoff Raby was Australia’s Ambassador to China from 2007-11, during which he visited all provinces in China officially.  He served in Beijing as First Secretary (Economic) and then Counsellor (Economic), 1986-91.  He was Ambassador to the WTO in Geneva, Ambassador to APEC, and Deputy Secretary, 2003-07. He is a non-executive independent director of ASX listed-companies Yancoal and NetLinkz and sits on the Board of the Gavan Foundaton. His most recent book is China’s Grand Strategy and Australia’s Future in the World Order (MUP Nov 2020). He contributes op eds and travel writing to the Australian Financial Review.  He holds a PhD in economics. He was awarded the Order of Australia (AO) in June 2019.

Mindy Meng Wang is a versatile Chinese/Australian Composer and world leading contemporary Guzheng Performing Artist. She is a pioneer to bring the Guzheng (ancient Chinese harp) into many western genres such as experimental, Jazz, western classical, Electronic, pop and improvisation. Mindy has won “the Best Musician” of the 2021 Music Victoria Awards and the 2021 “the 40 Under 40: Most Influential Asian-Australian Awards”. Mindy is also the 2022/23 artist in residence at Melbourne Recital Centre - the first ever musician who plays a non-western instrument. Mindy’s long-term vision is to creates a strong voice for female composers and artists of Asian heritage, and more importantly, create a deeper and reciprocal musical connection between Australia and Asia.