A vistor examining Liu Qinghe's work. [Photo by Jianping/provided for China Daily]

Expo Chicago, The International Exposition of Modern & Contemporary Art, opened at Navy Pier's Festival Hall Thursday evening. More than 130 contemporary artworks by four Chinese artists are featured at the show.

"This is the first time we have official collaboration with China," Tony Karman, President of Expo Chicago, told China Daily. "The quality of the work by these Chinese artists is on a par with any great artist in the world."

Karman said that he hoped this would mark the participation from China "for many years to come."

This year's Expo Chicago features more than 3,000 artists, represented by 140 leading galleries from 16 countries.

"The theme for our exhibition is 'Space of Consumption in Everyday Life'," said Song Xiewei, curator and professor at the Central Academy of Fine Arts (CAFA).

Song said the four well-recognized artists featured at the Expo are all from CAFA and they very well represent the trend and development of China's contemporary art.

Geng Xue is the only artist present at the Expo. Her porcelain sculpture, which is titled Mr. Sea, is displayed in a case, and a video program, projected on a television set nearby, enhances the images and narrative of the sculpture.

"I'm experimenting with multi media," said Geng. "I want to create a unfamiliar feeling, compelling viewers to see things differently."

"These paintings are witty and extraordinary," said Tony Phillips, 78, Emeritus Professor at the School of the Art Institute in Chicago.

He was drawn by the large flower paintings by Shen Ling. "They are the best work I've seen today," he said.

Chen Chunmei, director for the Bureau of Foreign Liaison at the Ministry of Culture, said the collaboration with Expo Chicago is part of an extensive cultural exchange program with the U.S.

"This is quite impressive," Chen said. "We'll be back next year.