ChinaDaily News (970430-8)

[Big Jim]

China Daily

97 / 04 / 30 /

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1. Painter's work reflects his 'soul'
2. Notes (Page 9, Date: 04/30/97)
3. What's on (Page 9, Date: 04/30/97)
4. Guizhou gears up series of events
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Painter's work reflects his 'soul'

PAINTER Lu Guangzhao's one-man show, which features his free-hand
flower-and-bird paintings, will open on May 7 at the China National
Art Museum.

"People say I'm painting better and better after I turned 80," said
the 83-year-old artist. "I feel I'm less and less restricted by
techniques, ideas and all with the advancing of my age. I also feel
that my painting is getting increasingly seasoned and forceful."

Lu, whose paintings have been given as State gifts to former Japanese
Prime Ministers Yasuhiro Nakasone and Toshiki Kaifu and former Irish
President Patrick Hillery, is never given to laboured depictions.

"Painting to me is a matter of the painter's soul and personality. If
one is too obsessed with images and shapes, one is actually preventing
one's personality from showing itself. At the same time, one's
inspirations evaporate away. As a result, rigidity and stiffness set
in," he said.

Large areas of ink patches in the form of lotus leaves, rocks and
other forms, as well as coarse and forceful strokes that outline
flowers and birds and randomly applied colours, are predominant in his
paintings.

Lu once studied painting under Qi Baishi, one of the four monumental
figures in contemporary Chinese painting history. The others are Wu
Changshuo, Huang Binhong and Pan Tianshou.

Qi once said: "One's art is as good as dead if one's style looks
exactly like mine."

He encouraged his disciples to blaze new trails and come up with
something that was really original.

Lu has ever borne his teacher's lessons in mind and has ever been
engaged in tapping his own creativity. Decades of honing his skills
and trying to understand the quintessence of life and art have paid
off. He has formed a style of his own.

"One can find in my paintings some traces of Master Qi's art but the
spirit and tone are exclusively mine," he said. "Monk artist Shi Tao
of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) once said that one's art should keep
up with the changing times. My painting is different from my teacher's
in that it is filled with the vitality of our times."

For example, Master Qi was good at drawing cocks and so is Lu. But the
latter's cocks are more terse. Lu applies colours in a much different
way from his predecessors. His shady lotus leaves are red, for
example, instead of black or green as lotus leaves traditionally are
in Chinese painting.

"I deliberately distance myself from my teacher and my colleagues and
I try to be different from others. Only in this way can I develop my
own style and in turn hold a place in the painting circles," he said.

His teacher Qi Baishi once wrote a few encouraging words to him: "My
student surpasses me."

The inscription is still hanging on the wall of Lu's study and he uses
it to urge himself on.

Although Lu's style is much different from Master Qi's, he has ever
followed the master's teaching: "It is better to tune the image
somewhere between looking like the real thing and looking not like the
real thing. When it looks entirely not like the real thing, the
painter is actually cheating the audience. When it looks too much like
the real thing, the painter is actually accommodating unsophisticated
tastes."

So the spirit, moods and tone underlying the images are what Lu is
after. Also, he gives vent to his own feelings while painting.

"You can see his agitation, impulses and passion through his hand
holding the brush, which keeps bobbing and rocking," said Lu's wife
Cheng Liying, who is also a painter. "His passions are racing within
him and he needs to find an immediate outlet for them. The rice paper
spread before him is the best place for all his feelings to go."

The painter should also seek majestic and momentous beauty instead of
petty and excessively delicate beauty. To achieve this, the painter
should have a broad mind and yearnings for majesty and forcefulness to
begin with, according to Lu.

In painting, he focuses on images, ink strokes and colour patches that
are the most basic compositional elements and overlooks minor details.

To be unique does not necessarily mean that the painter should "make
faces" at the audience, in his view.

"I can easily make faces at viewers by coming up with something
strange. But if the viewers don't appreciate it or even jeer at it,
what's the use of being different merely for the sake of being
different?"

In addition, being powerful does not necessarily mean being wild or
impolite to the audience with rude images, he said.

Although Lu is a venerable painter, he still learns from young and
middle-age painters whenever there is an opportunity.

"They are really inventive and often come up with something fresh and
novel. I myself have profited from absorbing something from their
art," he said.

Some of Lu's super-format flower-and-bird paintings are in the
collections or are hung in the Great Hall of the People, Zhongnanhai,
Xinhua News Agency and other important locations, which is an
indicator of his reputation as an outstanding painter.

Lu was born in Jixian County, Henan Province, in 1914. He entered
Beiping National Art School in 1934 and learned Chinese painting from
Qi Baishi, Huang Binhong and other famous artists. In the 1950s and
1960s, he worked as an art editor at People's Art Publishing House. He
is now a member of the Chinese Artists Association and is head of the
Institute of Qi Baishi Research.

He and his wife devote much of their time to painting. They share the
happiness of coming up with something really good and exchanging views
on art.

"Our small studios are just separated with a wall. We can easily laugh
and talk together. But most of the time, we're as if separated by
1,000 li (500 kilometres) when both of us are absorbed in painting. To
me, she is so close and yet so far away and vice versa," Lu said.

"Although our styles are different from each other, we cannot avoid
influencing each other as a result of decades of exchanging views.
Some critics say that in my painting there are traces of her style and
in her painting there are traces of my style. This is true," Lu said.
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_Date: 04/30/97_
_Author: Hua Jia_

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Notes (Page 9, Date: 04/30/97)

Photo show

SPONSORED by Futian District Cultural Bureau and Futian District
Photography Association in Shenzhen, a photo exhibition is under way
at Beijing People's Cultural Palace.

About 200 photos taken by more than 100 photographers reflect the
rapid economic development in Shenzhen -- a special economic zone in
South China's Guangdong Province.

Environment

WITH the help of the National Environmental Protection Agency and the
China Environmental Culture Development Commission, a set of books on
China's environmental protection and problems has been published in
recent years. The books contain essays, novels and reportages produced
by more than 140 contemporary eminent writers. In their works, the
writers call for people to show awareness of environmental problems in
China.

Encyclopaedia

WITH the help of the Ministry of Personnel, Chinese Communist Party
Central School, China's Policy Research Institute, Beijing University
and People's University of China, a four-volume encyclopaedia "On
Leadership" has recently been published by the Party Central School
Press. With more than 9 million Chinese characters, the encyclopaedia
provides readers a comprehensive exposition about why and how leaders
at all levels should master a wide range of knowledge and various
skills. In addition, the book contains many examples of the
accomplishments of famous ancient and contemporary leaders from home
and abroad.
_________________________________________________________________

_Date: 04/30/97_
_Author: _

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What's on (Page 9, Date: 04/30/97)

CONCERT

Hong Kong Orchestra -- The Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra, in its
22nd season as the only fully professional symphony orchestra in Hong
Kong, will pay its third visit to the Chinese mainland to stage
concerts in Beijing and Shanghai beginning on May 8.

Under the baton of Maestro David Atherton, the orchestra will play
such pieces as Dmitri Shostakovich's "Symphony No 5 in D minor, op
47," Max Bruch's "Violin Concerto No 1 in G Minor," and Victor Chan
Wai Kwong's "A glimpse of Blue."

Chan, vice-chairman of the Hong Kong Composers' Guild and producer of
the weekly Hong Kong Composers for Radio Television Hong Kong, is
Composer-in-Residence for the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra.

The first violinist, Arve Tellefsen, is a leading figure both in the
music circles and public life. He has been performing as a soloist for
over 20 years with leading orchestras under the baton of conductors
such as Ashkenazy, Berglund, Blomstedt and Harnoncourt.

Atherton, music director of the orchestra, now in his eighth season
with the orchestra, has worked with many of the world's greatest
orchestras and has firmly established himself as a superb artist in
the United States, United Kingdom and many other European countries.
Time: 7:30 pm, May 8. Location: Beijing Concert Hall, 1 BeixinhuaJie,
Xicheng District, Beijing. Tel: 6605-5812.

BALLET

Geneva Ballet -- The Geneva Grand Theatre Ballet Troupe from
Switzerland will present brilliant performances blending classic and
modern ballet on May 2-3 at the theatre of the Beijing Exhibition
Hall.

In recognition of its excellence in artistic value, the performance
has been designated one of the highlights in the China International
Opera and Ballet Year, organized by the Ministry of Culture and the
Ministry of Radio, Film and Television.

With Francois Passard as the troupe director and under art director
Giorigo Mancini, the programme includes both classic and modern ballet
pieces such as "Tarantella," "Desire," "Gaiete Parisienne" and
"Steptext."

The event is sponsored by the Beijing Venus Performance Corporation,
which has successfully organized many large performances.

Time: 7:15 pm, May 2-3. Location: Theatre of the Beijing Exhibition
Centre, 135 Xizhimenwai Dajie, Xicheng District. Tel: 6403-6065 or
6401-7663.

DRAMAS

French drama -- "Le Petit Prince," a French fairy tale for adults
written by Antoine Saint Exupery, will be performed May 1-3.

"Le Petit Prince" describes the human world through the eyes of a
young prince from another planet. It was revised into a play and has
been popular for several decades worldwide.

Chinese director Dai Rong has set the play in a traditional bar. Saint
Exupery, a World War II pilot, tells of his experience in the Sahara
desert after his plane was shot down, when he and the little alien
prince made contact.

Dai said that she tried to make the drama full of humour and joy.

The actors and actresses, most of whom are under 25, are graduates or
students of the Central Drama Institute and the Beijing Film Academy.

Time: 7 pm, May 1-3. Location: Small theatre of the Beijing People's
Art Theatre, 22 Wangfujing Dajie, District. Tel: 6525-0123.

Fishing for applause -- The Beijing People's Art Theatre's new
production "Fishermen" is another hit after the release of their two
stage hits, "Birdmen" and "Chessmen" last year, luring a large
audience.

"Fishermen" is the theatre's latest attempt to interpret the
tragedy-tinged side of life.

First "Birdmen," then "Chessmen" and now "Fishermen." The Beijing
stage has chronicled the so-called "trilogy of idlers," revealing the
relations between men and birds, men and chess, and men and fish.

Scripted by journalist-turned-playwright Guo Shixing and directed by
well-known artist Lin Zhaohua, the trilogy is the dramatization of
human obsessions. If "Birdmen" romanticizes, "Chessmen" sympathizes
and "Fishmen" laments.

A tragedy, "Fishermen" has been described by some critics as a fable
-- perhaps on human life.

The play has been well-received by Beijing audiences who include an
increasing number of anglers and raisers of fish, and who have
comprised the social and cultural scenario of this stage production
since its premiere last month.

The realistic touch of the production by Beijing People's Art Theatre
and the frequent humorous lines have already brought crowds to the
theatre for three weeks running.

Time: 7:15 pm, May 1-4. Location: Capital Theatre, 22 Wangfujing
Dajie, Doncheng District. Tel: 6524-9847, 6525-0996.

Out of work -- What is life like for those who have been laid off from
their jobs in State-run enterprises?

Learn the answer in the new play by the Central Experimental Drama
Theatre, "Live on Themselves."

Although the play deals with weighty subjects, Shi Ling, the
playwright, does not hesitate to blend in laughter.

Time: May 1-4, except for Monday. Location: China Children's Art
Theatre, 64 Dong'anmen Dajie, Dongcheng District. Tel: 6525-0123.
_________________________________________________________________

_Date: 04/30/97_
_Author: _

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Guizhou gears up series of events

GUIZHOU Province will make efforts to lure more investment from home
and abroad to strengthen its local economy.

The Guizhou Provincial Government is preparing events this year making
the province in southwest China open wider.

The events include the Guiyang Airport Opening Celebration, Guizhou
Investment and Trade Talks Meeting '97, Travelling in Guizhou as part
of Visit China '97, and Guizhou Reform and Development International
Seminar.

More than 4,000 people from home and abroad will attend the
activities, according to the Provincial Information Office, and
"people in Guizhou are ready to welcome friends from home and abroad."

Thousands of domestic and overseas business people from Japan, South
Korea, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Britain, France, Italy, German,
Australia, the United States, Canada, Brazil, Hong Kong, Macao and
other countries and regions will attend activities with Guizhou
partners from May 28 to June 1.

The province has prepared $23.9 million products to display at the
meeting.

The products include 10,000 tons of ferrosilicon, 4,000 tons of zinc,
500 tons of antimony, 2.5 tons of aluminum, 2,200 tons of native and
agricultural products, 21,000 tons of chemical products and light
industry, textile, arts, machinery and electronics.

Experts and scholars from home and abroad will be invited to take part
in Guizhou Reform and Development International Seminar. They will
discuss and research a series of items on the province's future
development.

Guizhou has spent about 1.3 billion yuan ($156 million) to build
Guiyang airport.

The airport has a 3,200-metre runway, a 34,000-square metre waiting
building and 1 million square metres of lawn.

The events will create opportunities to improve economic co-operation
between Guizhou and the outside.

The province is seizing the chance to promote its economy as China
emphasizes development of its central and western areas.
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_Date: 04/30/97_
_Author: _

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转 抄: PERL 5.001
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