The poster for Karen Lyons' exhibition. [Photo/cnnb.com.cn]

British contemporary artist Karen Lyons debuted her solo exhibition Encounter and Coexistence at the Ningbo Museum of Art on July 29, marking the first exhibition of the museum's 2025 International Artist Residency Program. 

Inspired by Ningbo's Sanjiangkou Area and the legend of Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai, Lyons blends Eastern and Western aesthetics through sculpture, ink installations, and mixed media.

Lyons entered the International Artist Studio of Ningbo Art Museum in June and began a two-month residency. She explored the city's landscapes and cultural symbols, translating them into a visual language rooted in transformation and connection. 

A pivotal dialogue with Chinese artist Huang Xiaohua influenced the exhibition's direction. Their exchange, which highlights porcelain panel techniques and symbolic storytelling, led to the creation of the 4.5-meter ink installation Confluence: Coexistence, evoking the rivers' natural flow through graphite and water.

Lyons remarked that the story of Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai, though ancient, resonates today with themes like identity, female empowerment, and the metaphorical power of change. "The lovers' transformation into butterflies speaks to the beauty of metamorphosis," she said. 

Huang praised the reinterpretation of familiar Ningbo elements from a fresh perspective, especially in works like Mandarin Duck, where Chinese textures meet British sculptural energy.

According to project director Wang Xue, the residency exemplifies the museum's mission to connect cultures through art. The exhibition runs through Aug 28.