Cultural exchanges along the Silk Road have greatly boosted the development of metal art between the West and the East, metal art expert Chen Anying said at the 5th China International Contemporary Metal Art Exhibition, recently held in Shanghai.

The show presents 183 metal artworks by artists from 13 countries and regions, including America, the UK, Italy, Switzerland, Japan and India. Artworks on display are made with various materials such as gold, silver, stainless steel, copper and lacquer, combining traditional craft with cutting-edge technique.

Titled Integration: Ancient & Modern, the exhibition is divided into two parts. The ancient part focuses on works made with traditional crafts or by craftsmen, while the modern concentrates on contemporary metal works by artists and designers. Wang Xiaoxin, curator of the show, said the metal art techniques and materials used by artists from home and abroad are almost the same under the context of globalization. However, different cultures still influence these artists' expression.