The island county of Pingtan, Fujian province has selected 35 sculptures from a large number of entries for display at its first Pingtan International Urban Sculpture Exhibition, this coming November, the organizing committee says, noting that it received 1,242 entries from Chinese and overseas sculptors, June 24 to July 28.

Urban sculpture is something for the common or public space and an integral part of urban development. It is thought to improve a city's cultural environment and can even be a calling card, explained Cao Chunsheng, a professor at China's Central Academy of Fine Arts, who is also a judge of the event.

The urban sculpture exhibition is also expected to give a shot in the arm to cross-Straits communication, Pingtan's artistic image, and even its broader influence, commented Jia Jinghong, of the National Guiding Committee for Public Sculpture.

Edited by Chen Zhilin and Roger Bradshaw