Dar es Salaam, Jun 3 (IANS): Tanzania International Biennial Tingatinga Painting Exhibition opened at the National Museum in Dar es Salaam on Tuesday with 120 paintings from more than 80 outstanding local artists on display, media reported on Wednesday.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Chinese ambassador to Tanzania Lu Youqing said culture is a country's soul and a very important factor in its development and he hopes Tanzanian art styles like Tingatinga will make further impacts on the international stage, Xinhua news agency reported.

Tingatinga paintings are traditionally made on masonite, using several layers of bicycle paint, which makes for a brilliant and highly saturated colours.

The exhibition is organised by China-Africa Business Council (Tanzania), the National Arts Council of Tanzania and the National Museum, supported by the Chinese embassy in Tanzania and the ministry of information, youth, culture and sports of Tanzania.

Tingatinga style developed in the 20th century in Dar es Salaam and later spread to most East Africa. The genre is named after its founder, Tanzanian painter Edward Said Tingatinga.