The 2026 edition of Fabriano in Acquarello was held in Bologna, Italy, on April 22 and 23. This year, Chinese painter Li Xianchang, born in Jiangmen's Taishan, was invited to the event for the second time and was the only Chinese artist in the Masters category to take the stage at this year's festival.
Since its launch in 2010, Fabriano in Acquarello has grown into one of the world's most influential platforms for exchange in watercolour art, earning a reputation as the "Olympics of the watercolour world."
At the invitation of the organizers, Li Xianchang took part in a live painting demonstration during the festival. With refined technique and full preparation, he completed a watercolour painting depicting Bologna's Piazza del Nettuno in just one hour. His work drew an enthusiastic response from the audience, with many visitors stopping to watch and lining up for photos with him.
Li Xianchang presents his artwork. (Photo: Tang Liang Pen Painting Research Institute)
During the exchanges, Li introduced the distinctive architectural heritage of Taishan, noting that Taishanese have lived overseas. Earlier generations brought back Western architectural styles from Europe and North America, giving Taishan's buildings a distinctly Continental European style.
Li Xianchang (first from left) in chats (Photo: Tang Liang Pen Painting Research Institute)
Li also proposed creating more opportunities for artworks by young people from Taishan to be exhibited abroad, thus helping Taishan's artistic talent reach international audiences and shine on the global stage.
Author: Liu Yue
