ChinaDaily[971127-8]
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China Daily
97 / 11 / 27 /
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1. Year of Fine Arts kicks off
2. Show features young artists
3. Folk sculptor whittles instant art
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Year of Fine Arts kicks off
THE opening of the Exhibition of the Art Works in the Medici
Family Collection on Tuesday at the Working People's Cultural
Palace in Beijing marked the start of the '98 China Year of
International Fine Arts, which runs through late 1998.
The one-year cultural undertaking is sponsored by the Ministry of
Culture of China and is organized by China International
Exhibition Agency, with Nokia Group as the main promoter.
A series of exhibitions that display art works from more than 20
Asian, African, European and American countries will be staged in
the country. Also available are a chain of shows, including choice
Chinese paintings and oil paintings, organizers said.
The following are the major exhibitions in the year to come.
The first is the current exhibition of works in the collection of
the Florence-based Medici family, which runs through January 10.
The Medici family ruled Florence during the Renaissance. Florence,
a prosperous city at the time, was the centre of Renaissance art.
The Medici family had a rich collection of art works by
Renaissance masters. The show displays 102 paintings and relics,
most of which were created in the 15th, 16th and 17th centuries.
They include 50 original works by such masters as Michelangelo and
Sandro Botticelli. The show will move to Shanghai in February.
Then follows the Chilean Indian Culture Exhibition, which is to
start on January 13 in the Beijing Working People's Cultural
Palace and will continue until February 9.
The exhibits are from Santiago Relics Museum, Chile. The show will
highlight the splendid aboriginal culture of ancient and modern
Chile. The exhibits reflect the history of Chile starting as early
as 14,000 years ago when human beings began to inhabit the
country. The exhibition also covers the civilization of the Inca
Empire. The viewer will also be able to trace the development of
modern Indian culture in the show.
Then comes the exhibition of Austrian painter Max Weiler's works.
The 87-year-old Weiler has experienced different periods of
artistic development during his 60-year art career. He has staged
his one-man shows in his own country, Italy, Mexico, Switzerland,
Hungary, Germany, the Czech Republic and Russia. Now his works
will come to China. This is important because in his early years,
he was influenced by traditional Chinese landscape painting, those
done by painters in the Song Dynasty (960-1279) in particular.
More than 30 of his works which are representative of his sty
les and artistic conceptions in his late years are to be shown.
Landscape paintings by Russian painter Isaac Levetan and his
contemporaries will be displayed in the China National Art Museum
between April 8 and 28. Levetan is a member of the Tour Exhibition
Painting School. Through the landscapes, he represented Russia's
beautiful scenery and simultaneously expressed his mixed feelings.
Levetan contributed very much to the development of Russian
realist landscape painting. His works on show include "White Birch
Forest" and "Vladimir Road."
In April, a show of Iranian miniature paintings will be held in
the Beijing Working People's Cultural Palace.
Iranian miniature painting, which is representative of the
painting in West Asia, is characterized by elaborate splendour.
This will add a heavy decorative touch to the Fine Arts Year, in
the view of the organizers.
Then comes the exhibition that features modern Japanese
masterpieces, which is to be held between August 29 and September
25.
On show will be works done by such Japanese masters as Kaii
Toyama, Takayama Tatsuo, Suguyama Yashshi, Matazo Kayama and Ayao
Hirayama. After Beijing, the exhibition will be staged in Shanghai
and Shenzhen.
Between November 24 and December 15, 1998, the show of Belgian
painter Constant Permeke's paintings will be staged in the China
National Art Museum in Beijing.
Permeke is an important modern painter in Belgium. His works
mainly reflect the life of mortal beings and have unique styles.
The audience will be able to see works done by 19th century or
early 20th century European masters such as Edouard Manet, Edgar
Degas, Claude Monet, Auguste Renoir, Vincent Van Gough, Georges
Seurat, Henri Matisse, Pablo Picasso, Marc Chagall and Joan Miro
at the exhibition of the works in the collections of the Grenoble
Museum and Musee d'Orsay Museum of France, which is to be staged
between September 7 and 30, 1998, in the China National Art
Museum.
An exhibition of the sculptures from 10 African countries is to be
held in December 1998. The rugged features and terse and
metamorphosed images of African sculpture have deeply impressed
Chinese audiences. Now they will again have "a feast for their
eyes," organizers said.
An exhibition of art works from North America is still under
negotiation and is expected to be included in the Fine Arts Year,
organizers said.
As the host of Fine Arts Year, the Chinese also have something to
offer. There will be an exhibition of choice Chinese paintings,
which mainly feature paintings by masters in the Ming (1368-1644)
and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties and outstanding works by 20th
century Chinese painters. The pieces will combine to show the
trajectory of development of Chinese painting in the last
centuries, organizers said. In addition, there will be an
exhibition of Chinese landscape paintings.
The dates of some exhibitions are only tentative and changes are
possible. More art shows also may be added to the list, organizers
said.
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_Date: 11/27/97_
_Author: Hua Jia_
_Copyright© by China Daily_
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Show features young artists
THE Exhibition of Oil Paintings by Young Painters, which is
sponsored by China Oil Painting Assn, opened on Tuesday in China
National Art Museum in Beijing.
On show are 203 oil pieces selected from 2,500 works by young
painters from across the country. They present a diversified array
of styles and genres. This offers a cross section of Chinese oil
painting in the 1990s, said the organizers.
"Viewed as a whole, the pieces on show display the honesty and
sincerity of the young painters in creating art. Their works also
show they are more concerned with real life than painters in the
1980s, who were more concerned with self-expression, and are
trying to discover the beauty of life," said Zhan Jianjun,
chairman of the China Oil Painting Assn and an accomplished oil
painter.
Many young painters, while learning from European oil painting,
are trying to absorb nutrition from the Chinese cultural
traditions and also exploring deeply into the field of art
language. They are in hot pursuit of modern styles and try to give
expression to their feelings and spirits, Zhan said.
In the oil painting "1997," for example, young painter Zhong Biao
tries to capture the "poetic instant" to reveal the mysterious
relationships between things and between people. The author thinks
that memory and dream constitute part of the reality and that
one's personal experience and feelings are against the broad
background of society. The realization results in weaving together
different dimensions of time and space, which, somehow, is
visually rational.
The oldest participating painter is 40 years old and the youngest
20.
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_Date: 11/27/97_
_Author: Yi Shu_
_Copyright© by China Daily_
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Folk sculptor whittles instant art
SITTING on a 1-metre long bench inside the China Central
Television Tower, folk artist Chang Deming draws a crowd around
him with a king-size beer bottle-like mallet and a 30-centimetre
long chisel in hand.
Oblivious to the crowds, Chang begins to chisel and hammer on a
piece of wood. Chips come off the wood. In 15 minutes, a tiny,
vivid bust of a visitor sitting before him appears in his hand.
Fascinated by his skill, people queue up for hours to get a
sculpture of their own.
Before Chang travelled from his home Xinxiang of Central China's
Henan Province to Beijing to attend the International Folk Art
Week '97, he had surprised many more with what he calls "quick
wood sculpture."
In October 1996, he displayed his skill at the Exhibition Hall of
the China Central Academy of Fine Arts.
In early 1997, he performed at the Ditan Park Temple Fair during
Spring Festival and then in several scenic spots around Beijing
such as Badachu Park and Mount Miaofeng.
He also went to China Central Academy of Arts and Design, and
Beijing Aeronautics and Astronautics University, where he made
wood sculptures for hundreds of professors and students.
"No one else who can do this kind of 'quick sculpture' has yet
been found in China," said Xu Feng, vice-director of the Chinese
Folk Artists' Assn. Chang's current Beijing show is sponsored by
the association.
In 1992, Chang acquired the top prize in the Second Art Festival
of Henan Province.
His wood carving "Door Gods" won a silver prize at the China Folk
Art Gala Show '94 at China National Art Museum in Beijing.
In 1995, he was given the title of "folk artist" by the Chinese
Folk Artists' Assn and the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural
Organization (Unesco).
In 1998, he will participate in China Art Expo '98 in Beijing.
"It took me decades to develop such a special craftsmanship," said
Chang, 53, who has engaged in carpentry for 31 years.
In 1945, Chang was born into a worker's family.
When he was very young, he started to make kites and lamps with
burning candles in them.
But he liked drawing the most.
At 8, he said he was already quite skilled at drawing tigers, and
legendary and historical figures.
In his late teens, he started working as a carpenter in a
construction firm in his hometown.
At that time, Chang and his father could only earn a very small
sum of money to support the family, as his five younger sisters
and brothers all settled in the countryside to receive
"re-education."
"Because I was a poor carpenter, no family wanted to marry their
daughter to me. I had to wait until I turned 30 in 1975 when I
established myself and could live a considerably decent life,"
Chang recalled.
As a veteran carpenter, he knew wood well -- its colour, its
texture, its hardness and other subtle features -- and the use of
carpentry tools.
His passion for folk art prompted him to create something unusual
from woodcarving.
He first tried by himself but failed.
Then he turned to Ma Yunfeng, formerly a journalist and amateur
painter, for help. Ma taught Chang sketching for two years.
Seeing Chang had learned basic skills, Ma advised him to do clay
figurines for it is easier for a beginner to grasp.
Then Chang went to seek an apprenticeship from Zhu Lianshu, a
well-known folk artist in Xinxiang who was good at making clay
figurines and the skill of coloured drawing in the late 1970s.
Chang first tried legendary figures like the God of Longevity and
sculptures of the Buddha.
Gradually, he became known in his hometown and was invited to make
wood statues of gods in temples, monasteries in scenic spots in
Xinxiang and neighbouring cities.
However, Chang did not forget his carpentry.
He continued to make carved wood furniture for his relatives and
friends in his spare time and experimented with wood sculpture.
After years of practice, Chang was able to carve wood sculptures
very quickly.
At that time, he usually made sculptures the size of a living
person.
But Chang found this involved a dozen tools like knives and
chisels and took too much time to finish a single piece. "It drags
on and on and it is not challenging anymore."
"But people in real life are so different from each other that
even twins are not completely identical, which gives you much room
to exploit your creativity to the utmost."
So he began to focus on making little head sculptures.
By the early 1980s, Chang had trained himself to be able to spot
the most striking features of a person and recreate it in a
sculpture with some exaggeration to make the image more
impressive.
As tourism booms, Chang feels he'll display his skills best at
scenic spots or historical sites instead of elegant art works
displayed in an exhibition hall.
"My woodworks are products for sale, so they must be done quickly
so as not to keep the tourists waiting," Chang explained. "I
cannot make one piece for weeks or months as academic sculptors
do."
He said people do not buy sculptures similar to the ones others
bought no matter how carefully they were made or how beautiful the
figures were.
"The uniqueness of a sculpture is a strong appeal to the buyer.
It's also hard for other sculptors to imitate my creation."
Since 1986, he has been invited to perform in many places across
China including academies of fine arts, scenic spots and
historical sites.
In 1992, he became a member of the Chinese Folk Artists' Assn. He
became a member of the China Professional Sculptors' Assn in July.
"Chang's sculptures are pretty rough judged from a professional
point of view," said Xu Feng. "But it is great for such a man with
little education background to invent the special folk art form by
himself based on his rich practice."
Most importantly, his patrons -- tourists -- love his works, for
fun. That's enough, commented Xu.
"Chang is not just recording the extrinsic characteristics of a
person but also trying to bring out the unique disposition of the
person in the sculptures," said Wang Xiao who is in charge of the
exhibition hall of the Central Academy of Fine Arts. "Though he
cannot do it perfectly."
Chang was once invited to perform at Hubei Provincial Academy of
Fine Arts and was asked to lecture to the students.
But he turned it down. "I have not yet shaped my own systematic
ideas on this art form."
Chang does read books, however. "I often find the theories
difficult to comprehend," he said. "But I will not give up
reading. Rather, I will keep up reading them little by little the
way tiny ants eat up a huge bone."
Chang said his goal is to make perfect head sculptures at his own
will -- to "capture a person's feature in an extremely accurate
and speedy fashion."
"That's what I have been and will always be pursuing -- the
highest level of the skill in quick sculpture!"
_____________________________________________________________
_Date: 11/27/97_
_Author: Zhu Linyong_
_Copyright© by China Daily_
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Updated on September 24, 1997
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_[1]The 15th Party Congress_
_[2]Sep. 12 - Sep.18, 1997_
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[3][LINK] _[4]General Secretary Jiang Zemin's
Report to the 15th Party Congress_
[5][LINK] _[6]New Party Leadership elected,
Top Leaders' Profiles_
[7][LINK] _[8]Communique of 15th CPC Central
Committee's First Plenum_
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Feedback: [9]cd...@chinadaily.net
_Copyright by CBnet ®, China Daily Information_
References
1. http://www.chinadaily.net/cndy/history/15/engtg124.html
2. http://www.chinadaily.net/cndy/history/15/engtg124.html
3. http://www.chinadaily.net/cndy/history/15/report.html
4. http://www.chinadaily.net/cndy/history/15/report.html
5. http://www.chinadaily.net/cndy/history/15/engtgb46.html
6. http://www.chinadaily.net/cndy/history/15/engtgb46.html
7. http://www.chinadaily.net/cndy/history/15/engtgb09.html
8. http://www.chinadaily.net/cndy/history/15/engtgb09.html
9. mailto:cd...@chinadaily.net
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_Chinese, U.S. Presidents Hold Press Conference _
WASHINGTON, October 30 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Jiang
Zemin and U.S. President Bill Clinton have agreed that China
and the United States should strengthen cooperation in
building a strategic partnership oriented toward the 21st
century, with a view to promoting world peace and
development.
This was stated by Jiang during a joint press conference by
the two presidents Wednesday.
The two presidents also shared the view of holding regular
visits between the two countries' heads of state,
facilitating a Washington-Beijing presidential communications
link, triggering the mechanism of a regular exchange of
visits by foreign ministers and other cabinet officials, as
well as strengthening cooperation in economic, scientific and
technological, cultural, educational fields and in law
enforcement.
Jiang described his talks with Clinton as "constructive and
fruitful," and believed that his ongoing visit could attain
the goal of enhancing mutual understanding, broadening common
ground, developing cooperation and building the future.
The two presidents also agreed to handle bilateral relations
and differences in line with the principles of mutual
respect, non-interference in each other's internal affairs,
equality and mutual benefit, and seeking common ground while
putting aside differences.
Clinton said that Jiang's visit to the United States gave
them the opportunity and the responsibility to build a future
that is more secure, more peaceful, more prosperous for both
peoples.
The two countries share a profound interest in a stable,
prosperous and open Asia, and a strong interest in stopping
the spread of weapons of mass destruction and other
sophisticated weaponry, Clinton said.
He said he agreed to move ahead with the U.S.-China agreement
for cooperation concerning the peaceful use of nuclear
energy.
In both China and the United States, trade has been a
critical catalyst for growth, and China is the fastest
growing market in the world for America's goods and services,
Clinton said. He also said the United States would "do
everything possible to bring China into the World Trade
Organization."
Referring to the Taiwan issue, Jiang said that China wishes
to effect the peaceful reunification of the motherland by
means of implementing Deng Xiaoping's concept of "one
country, two systems."
But China is not committed to giving up the use of force in
this regard, he said, adding that this does not target the
Taiwan compatriots, but direct against the foreign force
interfering in Taiwan affairs and against the scheme that
would attempt to separate Taiwan from China.
On the human rights issue, Jiang said the current world is a
rich and diverse one, and concepts on democracy and human
rights and on freedoms are relative and specific ones.
Therefore, they should be determined by the specific national
situation of different countries.
References
1. http://www.chinadaily.net/cndy/history/visit/report.htm
2. http://www.chinadaily.net/cndy/history/visit/d1-jiang_j15.htm
3. http://www.chinadaily.net/cndy/history/visit/comment.htm
4. http://www.chinadaily.net/cndy/history/visit/backgrnd.htm
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