London, UK – February 2018
Prime Minister Teresa May has gifted President Xi of China with two first edition prints by artist and Principal of Art Academy London, Rob Pepper. The artworks were presented on a recent visit to Beijing, China and were given to celebrate a ‘Golden Era’ between the two countries.
The artworks celebrate the architectural heritage of both London and Beijing through pen and ink, with bold geometric shapes and colours bringing a contemporary perspective to the iconic skylines. The two 70cm-wide works were mounted together with a plaque commemorating the visit and gifted alongside a handwritten note from Rob.
During the trip, the Prime Minister commented:
“Both the UK and China have rich and distinctive cultures of which we are rightly proud. The agreements on creative and cultural collaboration announced in China mean we will work even more closely together, collaborating on film festivals, theme parks, architecture, history and much more. This visit was an opportunity to showcase the best of British. By sharing our history and culture we will deepen the strong ties between our two peoples.”
Rob commented:
“It’s a huge honour for my artwork to be given as a gift to President Xi by the Prime Minister and for it to be used as a symbol of friendship and connection between our two great nations. As an artist I’ve long admired the clarity of Chinese mark making and in my own work I look to interweave a similar finesse with a contemporary western sensibility.”
“British culture is highly influential and well respected in China and there are many possibilities for artists and creatives. I foresee ever-increasing cultural exchange. In my role as Principle of an art school I’m excited to be exploring the potential of creating new art schools in China which will further enable partnership between Chinese and British artists and students.”