If you hadn’t noticed, there’s a certain Chinese flavour in the air at the moment. The obvious reason for this is that 2008 is an Olympic year, and Bejing in China is the venue. Whilst that may be the cause, the China fever effect is being felt far beyond the boundaries of sport.

In the UK, an not-for-profit organisation called China Now are co-ordinating a series of events to celebrate Chines culture, starting in February with the Chinese New Year, and running right up to the opening of the Olympic Games in August.

Unsurprisingly, these events include several exhibitions. The China Now website is a little hard to navigate, so some of the highlights are presented below:

• The First Emperor: China’s Terracotta Army - the hugely popular British Museum exhibition (see review). Open until 6 April 2008.
• Angels From Hell - an exhibition of the work of artist Han Yajuan. Opens at the Olyvia Oriental Gallery from 17 April to 21 May 2008.
• Heaven on Earth - an exhibition looking at the Chinese astronomical art. Opens at the Museum of the History of Science, Oxford, from 24 May to 7 September 2008.
• Modernism in China: Architectural Visions and Revolutions - exhibition at RIBA, London. Opens 15 July to 15 September 2008.
• China: An Olympic Celebration - Now and Then - exhibition at Ricefield, a Chinese cultural centre in Glasgow. Opens 2 August to 31 August 2008.

The big exhibition that China Now are promoting though is the V&A’s China Design Now, which opened last week. The exhibition takes a look at some of the high profile contemporary design being produced in three of China’s biggest cities: Bejing, Shanghai and Shenzhen. It’s the exhibition, above all the others, which seems to be promoting China as the vision it wants to be: a modern, high-tech, cultural powerhouse of the world. The exhibition is open until 13 July 2008. Full review coming soon.