Ancient Greek-Roman sculpture exhibition immerses visitors in artistic feast

Sculptures of well-known deities from ancient Greece and Rome have been on display at the Shanxi Museum in Taiyuan City, north China's Shanxi Province, offering visitors an immersive and timeless artistic experience that transcends boundaries.

The "Classical and Glory" Ancient Greek and Roman Sculpture Arts Exhibition opened at the Shanxi Museum on Wednesday, the New Year's Day, with 134 exhibits transported from the National Museums Liverpool on display.

Running until May 5 in Shanxi, the exhibition features full body statues, bust, marble relief sculptures and art works, representing well-known mythical figures such as Zeus, Athena and Apollo.

"Ancient Greece and Rome are well-known in Europe. Many Chinese people are also familiar with their mythological figures like Zeus and Athena, the goddess of wisdom. In curating this exhibition, we started with Greek and Roman mythology to provide an accessible and relatable entry point," said Zhang Huiguo, deputy director of the Shanxi Museum. Visitors were thrilled by the beauty of the human body as depicted by the sculptures and statues on display.

"Their sculptures are stunning in their depiction of the human body, including the golden ratio of the human body, the shaping of the body, and some muscle structures that are particularly beautiful," said Liu Yikai, one of the visitors.

The collaboration between the Shanxi Museum and National Museums Liverpool has allowed the precious artworks to cross the oceans and come to China.

"We are continuously working to develop relations with foreign museums to bring more exhibitions to China. This Ancient Greek and Roman Sculpture Arts Exhibition is one such attempt. Through exhibitions like this, we aim to showcase the achievements of Western civilization to our audience and highlight how cultural exchanges enrich and diversify human culture," said Zhang Huiguo, deputy curator of the Shanxi Museum.

Shanxi marks the first stop of the exhibition's China tour, which will continue in southwest China's Sichuan Province and the metropolis of Shanghai.

Ancient Greek-Roman sculpture exhibition immerses visitors in artistic feast

A congestion pricing plan covering Lower and Midtown Manhattan in New York took effect on Sunday, making the New York City the first U.S. city to implement such a plan.

Vehicles will be tolled once a day for entering the congestion relief zone with the amount depending on the type of vehicle, time of day, whether any crossing credits apply, and the method of payment with discounts and exemptions applicable to certain drivers or vehicles, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) said in a statement posted on the official website.

During rush hours, namely 05:00 to 21:00, on weekdays, cars and light commercial vehicles will be charged 9 U.S. dollars. The fee will drop to 2.25 U.S. dollars during regular time period.

For New York City taxis and rideshare vehicles that either enter, exit, or travel within the congestion zone, the fare will be passed on to passengers, ranging from 0.75 to 1.50 U.S. dollars. The plan also offers discounts for low-income drivers, while vehicles for individuals with disabilities, emergency vehicles, buses, and certain government vehicles will be exempt from the fee.

The tolls would be adjusted upward in 2028 and 2031 as regulators phase out 40 percent of discounts offered at the beginning.

It is estimated that the congestion pricing plan would drive down the number of vehicles entering the congestion relief zone by 10 percent. The MTA is expected to add one billion U.S. dollars of revenues each year to fund its capital spending plan of as much as 15 billion U.S. dollars, according to the MTA statement.

New York imposes first ever congestion pricing plan in U.S.