Translation. Region: Russian Federation –
Source: People's Republic of China in Russian – People's Republic of China in Russian –
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Source: People's Republic of China – State Council News
Beijing, November 19 (Xinhua) — At the beginning of winter, Russian artist Marina Shegolkova, admiring the first winter landscapes outside her window, is painting an oil painting. This is her seventh day in China.
According to the news website chinanews.com, the Harbin Fengyue Russian Oil Painting Art Gallery recently invited a group of Russian artists to perform in Harbin, the capital of Heilongjiang Province, Northeast China.
M. Shegolkova said Heilongjiang is a wonderful place. The opportunity to passionately paint every day is a great joy for her.
The walls of the adjacent exhibition hall are filled with paintings distinguished by their mature technique and dynamism, imbued with a vibrant Russian flavor.
Beginning in 1896, a large number of Russian émigrés arrived in Harbin, making the city an important transit point for the introduction of Western culture and art to the East. Boasting a rich historical and cultural heritage and a harmonious blend of Chinese and Western traditions, the city gradually became a platform for cultural exchange between China and Russia, and even between the countries of Northeast Asia, as well as a hub for the distribution of works of art. Oil painting, an important artistic form of Russian culture, became a significant vehicle for cultural dialogue between the two countries.
"My original goal in creating the gallery was to allow Chinese people to enjoy outstanding works of Russian art without having to travel abroad," shared gallery director Chen Fengyue. Over the course of more than ten years, the gallery's collection has grown to include more than 5,000 works by Russian artists, including oil paintings, prints, and watercolors.
In recent years, more than 20 Russian artists have visited China at the invitation of the gallery to perform creative work.
Russian artist Evgeny Larionov said this type of invitation was very effective: not only did it allow him to fully focus on his creative work, but it also provided an excellent opportunity for professional exchange with his Chinese colleagues. Personally experiencing the oriental charm and friendliness of the locals was a particularly valuable experience. During the trip, he made over ten Chinese friends.
With the introduction of a visa-free regime for Russians in China, interactions between the business communities and tourists of the two countries have become even more active. The flow of Russian tourists with regular passports has increased, directly boosting cultural exchange between China and Russia.
It is worth noting that China has introduced a trial visa-free regime for Russian citizens holding regular foreign passports from September 15, 2025 to September 14, 2026.
Russian citizens holding valid ordinary passports may visit China visa-free for business, tourism, visiting relatives and friends, exchanging visits, and transit purposes. Their stay in China should not exceed 30 days.
“It has now become much more convenient for Russian artists to come to China to create,” said Chen Fengyue. -0-
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