Four Chinese artists have recently been included in the Timeless Immortal Art project based at Merì, in Italy's Sicily region.

The project aims to transform the town into an open-air museum, by installing terracotta tiles painted by 60 artists from 34 countries at the streets and squares.

It was initiated in March 2020, by Carmelo Arcoraci, Merì's councilor for culture, and Sicilian painter Lorenzo Chinnici, with the goal of connecting people with art during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The four Chinese artists are Zhang Jigang from Beijing, Zheng Xiaotong from Shanghai, Lu Mei from Guangzhou, Guangdong province, and Du Shusheng from Huangshan, Anhui province.

The first installation is due to be completed early this year, accompanied by a live soprano performance of Ave Maria.