The doors are open for the 2026 Horse Culture Exhibition at Ningbo Clothing Museum on Jan 25. [Photo/Yongpai App]

The Ningbo Clothing Museum has opened a striking exhibition about horse culture, showcasing over 100 artworks that blend traditional craftsmanship with contemporary creativity to celebrate the Year of the Horse.

The exhibition features 35 representative intangible cultural heritage projects, including gold-and-silver embroidery, bamboo weaving, lacquer art, and decorative knotting. Each piece brings the horse to life, transforming stitches, carvings, and weavings into vivid expressions of motion and spirit.

Master Xie Wuhong's centerpiece stands 60 centimeters tall and depicts two ancient officials departing Yinzhou on horseback, accompanied by villagers bidding them farewell.

"I used the wax casting technique to bring these two figures together across time, creating innovation on a traditional foundation," Xie said, highlighting the blend of history and artistic creativity.

A bamboo weaving work by craftsman Ye Shangjie has also been drawing much attention, using 0.7-millimeter black-and-white bamboo strips to recreate the fluid ink-horse imagery of local painter Sha Qi.

Running through March 15, the exhibition allows free public access, offering a festive celebration and an immersive introduction to Ningbo's living heritage while highlighting the enduring appeal of traditional art in a contemporary life.