2018年CRI Beijing Zoo to hold art exhibitions both offline and online

 

The Beijing Zoo is widely-recognized as one of the country's top attractions, and it is now undergoing a big transformation¹.

Visitors will not only be able to catch sight of animals but also have the chance to appreciate animal-themed art in a newly-launched museum.

The museum will make its exhibitions available online via "BeijingZoo.art".

Architect Cheng Dapeng is also an artist who's designed a few landmark² constructions in China, including the Museum of the Yungang Grottoes near the city of Datong in the province of Shanxi and the Xi'an Contemporary Art Museum in Shaanxi province.

The new art museum in the Beijing Zoo is also his brainchild.

"Art gives a link to closer ties between humans and animals. Thus, we set up our goal and ambition to join hands with the Beijing Zoo in transforming part of its Lion and Tiger Enclosure into a public art space which is not only devoted³ to exhibiting animals or art alone but a type of New Era relationships between the human and animal. The new museum is free of charge for visitors. I hope this museum may serve as a good example in the city of Beijing in terms of innovatively plunging⁴ art into the life of ordinary citizens."

The Lion and Tiger Enclosure of the Beijing Zoo, which just underwent reconstruction⁵, now occupies over a 320-square meter space, with each tiger accommodated to a 40 square-meter enclosure.

Visitors may feel better as they view animals via glass barricade⁶, compared to their previous experiences of watching it behind an iron fence.

Statistics from the Beijing Tourism authorities show the Beijing Zoo is estimated to receive more than 80-thousand visits per day during the holiday seasons.

A crowded zoo may not be a perfect tourist destination, but a passionate⁷ art collector from Russia, Ulvi Kasimov, conceived of a better way to accommodate travelers.

"This is a global challenge that from one side, places, like museums need more visitors; from another side, physical place is a bottleneck⁸ for visiting. For example, in Beijing Zoo, I've found that it's less than a hundred-thousand visitors per day. And now, zoo authorities are thinking about how to rebuild wider space for accepting more visitors. So one of the potential answers to that problem or question, is giving digital access. So if you don't have enough time, or you are living afar, it is not a hurdle⁹ for visiting Beijing Zoo, because you can visit it through a website, and the same for nearly all other art institutions."

Kasimov's business expertise¹⁰ is extensive. He's the founder¹¹ of UK Creative Ideas Limited, a company which holds a diversified¹² portfolio¹³ of assets across construction, information technology, art, and the internet.

In December 2016, Kasimov and his team launched dot ART, a new exclusive domain¹⁴ for the art world, with the goal to unite the art world and the digital world, and establishing a global platform for all things art-related.

Knowing the Beijing Zoo has the plan to open a museum, Kasimov soon decided¹⁵ to help them build a website at "BeijingZoo.art" free of charge. This must-see attraction in Beijing, together with its museum, will allow visitors to navigate¹⁶ the online world of animal art.

To celebrate the launch of this museum, an exhibition is planned to open at the end of June.

Chi Shoufei is the curator.

"We extended invitations to the artists who have an interest in designing animal-related artworks. They are basically young, influential¹⁷ artists in China and they created sculptures, canvas works, and installation works. I think the cultural exchanges are necessary, so that's something for sure to invite international artists to join our exhibitions thereafter."

As art and tech have become more intertwined, the Beijing Zoo's fame is expected to further prosper¹⁸ and excite citizens far and wide and provides a link for the international artistic¹⁹ communities to share experiences and expertise.

1 transformation   

n.变化；改造；转变

参考例句：

• Going to college brought about a dramatic transformation in her outlook.上大学使她的观念发生了巨大的变化。
• He was struggling to make the transformation from single man to responsible husband.他正在努力使自己由单身汉变为可靠的丈夫。

2 landmark   

n.陆标，划时代的事，地界标

参考例句：

• The Russian Revolution represents a landmark in world history.俄国革命是世界历史上的一个里程碑。
• The tower was once a landmark for ships.这座塔曾是船只的陆标。

3 devoted   

adj.忠诚的，忠实的，热心的，献身于...的

参考例句：

• He devoted his life to the educational cause of the motherland.他为祖国的教育事业贡献了一生。
• We devoted a lengthy and full discussion to this topic.我们对这个题目进行了长时间的充分讨论。

4 plunging   

adj.跳进的，突进的v.颠簸( plunge的现在分词 )；暴跌；骤降；突降

参考例句：

• War broke out again, plunging the people into misery and suffering. 战祸复发，生灵涂炭。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• He is plunging into an abyss of despair. 他陷入了绝望的深渊。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 reconstruction   

n.重建，再现，复原

参考例句：

• The country faces a huge task of national reconstruction following the war.战后，该国面临着重建家园的艰巨任务。
• In the period of reconstruction,technique decides everything.在重建时期，技术决定一切。

6 barricade   

n.路障，栅栏，障碍；vt.设路障挡住

参考例句：

• The soldiers make a barricade across the road.士兵在路上设路障。
• It is difficult to break through a steel barricade.冲破钢铁障碍很难。

7 passionate   

adj.热情的，热烈的，激昂的，易动情的，易怒的，性情暴躁的

参考例句：

• He is said to be the most passionate man.据说他是最有激情的人。
• He is very passionate about the project.他对那个项目非常热心。

8 bottleneck   

n.瓶颈口，交通易阻的狭口；妨生产流程的一环

参考例句：

• The transportation bottleneck has blocked the movement of the cargo.运输的困难阻塞了货物的流通。
• China's strained railroads already become a bottleneck for the economy.中国紧张的铁路运输已经成为经济增长的瓶颈。

9 hurdle   

n.跳栏，栏架；障碍，困难；vi.进行跨栏赛

参考例句：

• The weather will be the biggest hurdle so I have to be ready.天气将会是最大的障碍，所以我必须要作好准备。
• She clocked 11.6 seconds for the 80 metre hurdle.八十米跳栏赛跑她跑了十一秒六。

10 expertise   

n.专门知识(或技能等)，专长

参考例句：

• We were amazed at his expertise on the ski slopes.他斜坡滑雪的技能使我们赞叹不已。
• You really have the technical expertise in a new breakthrough.让你真正在专业技术上有一个全新的突破。

11 Founder   

n.创始者，缔造者

参考例句：

• He was extolled as the founder of their Florentine school.他被称颂为佛罗伦萨画派的鼻祖。
• According to the old tradition,Romulus was the founder of Rome.按照古老的传说，罗穆卢斯是古罗马的建国者。

12 diversified   

adj.多样化的，多种经营的v.使多样化，多样化( diversify的过去式和过去分词 )；进入新的商业领域

参考例句：

• The college biology department has diversified by adding new courses in biotechnology. 该学院生物系通过增加生物技术方面的新课程而变得多样化。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Take grain as the key link, develop a diversified economy and ensure an all-round development. 以粮为纲，多种经营，全面发展。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

13 portfolio   

n.公事包；文件夹；大臣及部长职位

参考例句：

• He remembered her because she was carrying a large portfolio.他因为她带着一个大公文包而记住了她。
• He resigned his portfolio.他辞去了大臣职务。

14 domain   

n.(活动等)领域，范围；领地，势力范围

参考例句：

• This information should be in the public domain.这一消息应该为公众所知。
• This question comes into the domain of philosophy.这一问题属于哲学范畴。

15 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

16 navigate   

v.航行，飞行；导航，领航

参考例句：

• He was the first man to navigate the Atlantic by air.他是第一个飞越大西洋的人。
• Such boats can navigate on the Nile.这种船可以在尼罗河上航行。

17 influential   

adj.有影响的，有权势的

参考例句：

• He always tries to get in with the most influential people.他总是试图巴结最有影响的人物。
• He is a very influential man in the government.他在政府中是个很有影响的人物。

18 prosper   

v.成功，兴隆，昌盛；使成功，使昌隆，繁荣

参考例句：

• With her at the wheel,the company began to prosper.有了她当主管，公司开始兴旺起来。
• It is my earnest wish that this company will continue to prosper.我真诚希望这家公司会继续兴旺发达。

19 artistic   

adj.艺术(家)的，美术(家)的；善于艺术创作的

参考例句：

• The picture on this screen is a good artistic work.这屏风上的画是件很好的艺术品。
• These artistic handicrafts are very popular with foreign friends.外国朋友很喜欢这些美术工艺品。