Artworks to be displayed at the museum included paintings, sculptures, videos, Chinese calligraphy and performance art, said Shu Yong, the museum designer.

"The artworks express the unique understanding of artists about environment problems," he said. "They will be more effective than slogans to help improve public awareness of these issues."

The 6,000 square meter cement factory had been a headache for the local government at Heyuan City in Guangdong until Shu suggested it be rebuilt as an art museum.

The factory is located right beside the lake which provides drinking water for the Pearl River Delta and Hong Kong.

It would have polluted the lake again if the government had pulled it down, said Huang Yuzhen, mayor of Heyuan City.

"We could see it is a good idea," he said. "We are glad to provide a place for artists to create works and this way the environment is also protected."

The conservation cause is becoming a popular theme with Chinese artists as the country pays increasing attention to its environment.

A dance drama, on show in Beijing in November, created great public interest by illustrating the suffering of the Tibetan antelope, an endangered species on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, as it struggles to escape poachers.

"We tried to tell the story from the perspective of Tibetan antelopes and show the audience their feelings," said Chen Huifen, who wrote and directed the drama. She visited the habitat of Tibetan antelope to observe the rare animals.

"It is our responsibility to warn the public of severe and urgent environmental problems with our works," Shu said.

In another example, China's financial center Shanghai is to build a 100-meter-long sculpture wall from waste and eco-friendly materials that features also artworks on an environmental theme.

(Xinhua News Agency December 19, 2002)