(SPOT.ph) Nine-year-old Filipino artist Hamzah Marbella led young artists in a Shanghai exhibit spearheaded by the Philippine Consulate General in China, according to GMA News Online.

Entitled the "Joint Exhibition of Artworks of Gifted Filipino and Chinese Child Artists," the exhibit featured 42 pieces by Marbella and 400 works of Chinese children. The exhibit, which ended April 17, was part of the celebration of the 35th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and the Philippines, reports GMA News Online.

In a statement, the Department of Foreign Affairs in Manila said, "(Marbella is) blessed with the technical aptitude that rivals older peers in the art world... As the youngest member of the Art Association of the Philippines, he has been recognized by numerous local and international organizations and is a recipient of more than 50 awards acknowledging not only his impressive technique, but his unique vision as well."

According to GMA News Online, Marbella has received the Outstanding Artist Award, the National Commission for Culture and the Arts Special Citation, and the United Nations International Children's Art Competition Certificate of Recognition.

For more on this story, log on to GMA News Online.