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Feng Yuan (C), vice president of China Central Institute for Culture and History, introduces a Chinese painting at Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University in Istanbul, Turkey, on April 25, 2018. Chinese artist Feng Yuan on Wednesday gave a lecture on the development of China's fine arts over the past decades at Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University in Istanbul, Turkey. (Xinhua/He Canling)

ISTANBUL, April 25 (Xinhua) -- Chinese artist Feng Yuan on Wednesday gave a lecture on the development of China's fine arts over the past decades at Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University in Istanbul, Turkey.

Presenting a slide show of more than 80 paintings drawn by himself and other Chinese artists, Feng, vice president of China Central Institute for Culture and History, looked back on the evolution of Chinese fine arts from the 1950s till today, visualizing a colorful, diverse and pluralistic development trend of the fine arts in China.

Since the start of the 21st century, the Chinese fine arts have entered a period of thriving and active creation, said Feng, who also serves as a vice chairman of the China Federation of Literary and Art Circles.

He noted that fierce collision and interaction between Eastern and Western, modern and contemporary literary and artistic trends during China's 40-year reform and opening-up period have encouraged Chinese artists to pursue innovation, evolution and transformation.

Feng and his five-member delegation are visiting Istanbul for a four-day tour that started on Tuesday.

In her speech, Alev Idrisoglu, a vice rector of Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University, described China as "home to a great civilization and culture," saying the Belt and Road Initiative will not only carry Chinese goods but also its culture and art to the rest of the world.

The initiative, proposed by China in 2013, aims to connect Asia with the Middle East, Africa and Europe through building a trade and infrastructure network along the ancient trade routes.

For Derya Ulker Kipcak, an assistant with the university, the presentation by Feng was very impressive with "a valuable record" of contemporary Chinese art pieces.

"When we compare the contemporary art of China with that of the West, we see here that the Chinese examples are more original," she said.

Ayse Nur, a student, took pictures of almost all the examples shown in the presentation.

"We find the opportunity here to see the most prominent ones. I feel very lucky," Nur added.