Publicity Department of the CPC Tiexi District Committee, Shenyang
Recently, the “Fortune and Prosperity Across Mountains and Seas” – Liaoning Gourd Art Exhibition was officially inaugurated at the Industrial Museum of China and will run through September 23. Co-sponsored by the museum and the Liaoning Folk Literature and Art Association, and organized by the Tieling Folk Literature and Art Association, the exhibition leverages the museum’s distinctive industrial setting to present Liaoning’s achievements in gourd-related intangible cultural heritage (ICH) inheritance, aesthetic education, and craftsmanship innovation.
As a traditional symbol of good fortune in Chinese culture, the gourd embodies the people’s hopes for good fortune, health and safety, family harmony, and prosperity. This exhibition features 230 exquisite works crafted with a diverse range of techniques, including pyrography, carving, color painting, filigree inlay, color layering, and embossing. Rooted in the essence of ancient craftsmanship and folk culture, the exhibited works also embrace modern aesthetics and design, blending traditional craftsmanship with contemporary art. Together, they vividly showcase the dynamic vitality of Liaoning’s folk crafts, which uphold tradition while embracing innovation.
The exhibition’s main highlight is its showcase of Liaoning’s achievements in integrating ICH into school education. The exhibition breaks away from the traditional master-only display model, offering an inclusive platform that encourages public engagement and fosters intergenerational skill transmission. The exhibition brings together a wide spectrum of artists, featuring masterpieces by established provincial-level ICH inheritors. The works on display, diverse in style, vividly showcase the tangible results of Liaoning’s efforts to make ICH aesthetic education a regular practice and widely accessible.
Many visitors have expressed that experiencing traditional gourd art against the backdrop of an industrial museum offers a harmonious blend of old and new, allowing them to directly appreciate Liaoning’s rich and diverse cultural heritage. According to relevant officials from the museum, the venue has been deeply engaged in ICH preservation efforts, building the “Industry + Folklore” cultural festival brand, and hosting regular events such as ICH performances, cultural bazaars, and craft exhibitions, all of which have won wide public acclaim.
This exhibition serves both as a comprehensive showcase of Liaoning’s achievements in gourd-related ICH craftsmanship and as a vivid practice of enriching public cultural life while fostering closer integration between culture and tourism. Looking ahead, the museum will continue to launch ICH-themed exhibitions and interactive activities, intensifying efforts to build its signature “Industry + Folklore” brand, so that industrial heritage and traditional culture can come together and flourish, bringing renewed cultural vitality to the new era.
