As part of the 50-year anniversary of the diplomatic relations between China and Spain, a joint exhibition is underway in Madrid to celebrate female contemporary artists.

Despite the artistic traditions of both countries being well known, they have been long dominated by male artists. Organizers hope this exhibition will increase the visibility of female artists.

Painting since she was a child, Lola Aguilar never had the opportunity to see one of her paintings in a gallery -- until now.

This exhibition at the Chinese Cultural Center in Madrid brought together 47 female artists from China and Spain to celebrate the female perspective.

It's called 'Ellas' -- the Spanish collective noun for females -- a recognition of the struggle for visibility that women face in the art space.

"Art has been monopolized by men from the beginning of time, Velazquez, Goya, Murillo. There are so many paintings by women kept in museum basements out of sight," said Aguilar.

In Madrid, works by Ana Hernando and Dunia Vera hung proudly next to those of Fan Xueyi and Kang Lei. Imagery of the richness and energy of Spring were the theme of the show.

Art is a powerful bridge builder and this exhibition was also a symbol of the strong relations between the two nations.

"It was a special experience to take part in this exhibition with Spanish female artists, and I really want to show my appreciation to everyone who made it happen. To be able to see the work of so many Spanish and Chinese women side by side has been enriching, and to work in solidarity with women from Spain has been a privilege," said Chen Shuxia, a Chinese artist whose work is in the exhibition.

2023 marks 50 years of official diplomatic relations between Spain and China, and there will be a number of cultural collaborations to illustrate the strong ties between the two nations. One example is the arrival of twelve terracotta warriors from China which are set to go on display in Alicante.

The 50-year celebrations follow hugely successful Chinese New Year events which took place in Madrid, Barcelona, and beyond. Chinese culture took center stage with dragon dances, Shaolin kung-fu demonstrations, a culinary festival called 'China Taste', a 'Year of The Rabbit' fun run, and so much more.

Even Madrid Zoo's famous baby panda twins You You and Jiu Jiu got in on the act, enjoying a bamboo cake to celebrate the 50-year milestone.

Beyond the cultural sphere, relations have an important economic dimension too.

Joint trade between Spain and China accounts for more than 10 billion U.S. dollars annually and that figure looks set to grow further with Chinese tourists returning, and with ties between the two nations deepening.