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Shenzhen's Dafen Village clinched deals totaling US$440,000 at the First International Culture Industry Fair Shenzhen on Saturday.

Three oil painting enterprises from the village signed contracts with seven foreign companies from New Zealand, America, Australia and Britain.

The biggest deal was concluded between Shenzhen Jiyiyuan Oil Painting Company with one Italian and one American investor, with a total value of US$210,000.

"We will produce the oil painting products according to our clients' orders and we call it custom-made art. Dafen Village has already explored a way of transforming artistic ideas into commercially profitable products," said Wu Ruizhou, CEO of the Jiyiyuan Oil Painting Company.

Like Mr. Wu, many Dafen Villagers regarded the fair as an access point on the way to striking a balance between commerce and art. Crowned as the "First Dafen Villager," oil painter Huang Jiang represented the New World Painting Company to sign contracts with New Zealand and Australian companies totaling US$180,000. "In the early times, we mainly imitated world famous oil paintings, as we gradually gained fame, we received more orders from home and abroad and began to produce more of our own creations," said Huang Jiang.

Founded in 1989, Shenzhen's Dafen Village made a name for itself in the nation with its oil paintings. At the national culture industry conference ending Friday in Shenzhen, Dafen Village entered the list of "national culture industry demonstration projects" released by the Ministry of Culture.

Located in Buji in Longgang District, Dafen Village is now home to more than 100 oil painting companies and 700 art galleries. More than 2,000 artists live there and their artworks are sold all over the world.

Editor: Catherine