Seychellois artists’ work draws visitors in China
12.09.2009
A joint exhibition by two Seychellois artists, Nigel Henry and Bernard Pool, was one of the highlights of the opening day of the second Touch Africa Culture and Tourism Festival being held in Beijing, China, from September 4-13.
Although 35 African countries are taking part in the festival, drawing 10,000-40,000 visitors every day to Solana – a popular park and shopping mall – only Seychelles has a separate exhibition.
Nigel’s scenes of Seychellois people’s lives, the country’s marine habitats and Creole architecture, and Bernard’s abstract work combining European and Chinese influences with a distinctive Seychellois background and flavour have been arousing a lot of curiosity and interest among visitors.
During the festival, a booth is also being used to promote Seychelles as a tourism destination, with staff from our embassy and some Beijing and Guangzhou-based Seychellois students getting together to tell visitors what makes the country different from other tropical islands.
Two more Seychellois students, Marsha Dine and Jean Egbert, are taking part in a collective exhibition at the festival.
Seychelles’ presence at the festival is coordinated by the embassy and funded by our honorary consulates in Seoul and Hong Kong.