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  <title><![CDATA[Shanghai Daily: Sunday]]></title> 
  <link>http://www.shanghaidaily.com/sunday/</link> 
  <description><![CDATA[Shanghai Daily Sunday]]></description> 
  <language>en</language>
  <copyright><![CDATA[Copyright 2001-2021 Shanghai Daily Publishing House]]></copyright>
  <webMaster><![CDATA[ShanghaiDaily]]></webMaster>
  
    
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		<link>http://www.shanghaidaily.com/sunday/art/Exhibition-highlights-works-of-wellknown-Chinese-architects/shdaily.shtml</link>
		<title>Exhibition highlights works of well-known Chinese architects</title>
		<category><![CDATA[Art]]></category>
		<pubDate>Sat, 28 Dec 2024 00:00:02 +0800</pubDate>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Wang Jie]]></dc:creator>
		<description><![CDATA[Wind from the Sea — 2024 Exhibition of Architectural Artworks” is showcasing the work of approximately 100 prominent domestic architects, including Wang Jianguo, Sun Yimin and Cui Tong, at the China Art]]></description>
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		Wind from the Sea — 2024 Exhibition of Architectural Artworks” is showcasing the work of approximately 100 prominent domestic architects, including Wang Jianguo, Sun Yimin and Cui Tong, at the China Art Museum.Teachers and students from China’s numerous art and architecture institutions, along with prominent design institutes and enterprises, are among the participating architects.Architecture serves as both the city’s backbone and a cultural carrier. The works on display focus on urban redevelopment and rural revitalization. The majority consists of completed architectural works, with some conceptual designs and installations. These works highlight not only the design of heritage protection and reuse, urban public architecture and residential spaces, but also the preservation of traditional culture, the ecological environment and the incorporation of new technology.The exhibition, which runs until February 28, features three sections: “Renewal/Green Village,” “Renewal/Art City” and “Reinvention/Cultural Habitat.”For example, “Green Mound — Renewal of the Former Tobacco Company’s Mechanical Warehouse on Yangpu Riverside” by Zhang Ming, Zhang Zi and Qin Shu is a project based on urban regeneration. The project prevents the demolition of warehouses along the Huangpu River in Yangpu District and instead transforms them into an ecological complex. It breaks the traditional land use pattern by allowing the road to pass under the building, which preserved the old factory. By constructing a ramp in the northern part of the building, it creates a walking path to the riverfront.The section “Reinvention/Cultural Habitat” includes a number of new works.The city, the countryside and the natural environment serve as the sites for these works. These “regenerative” works draw from traditional and regional cultures, conducting a dialog with their environment and displaying structural beauty via a unique language.
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		<link>http://www.shanghaidaily.com/sunday/art/Museums-milestone-show-reflects-on-evolution-of-contemporary-art/shdaily.shtml</link>
		<title>Museum’s milestone show reflects on evolution of contemporary art</title>
		<category><![CDATA[Art]]></category>
		<pubDate>Sat, 21 Dec 2024 00:00:09 +0800</pubDate>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Wang Jie]]></dc:creator>
		<description><![CDATA[The final exhibition in the Long Museum’s 10th-anniversary series is showing at the Long Museum (West Bund).]]></description>
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		The final exhibition in the Long Museum’s 10th-anniversary series is showing at the Long Museum (West Bund).As suggested by the title, “50-90,” the exhibition is organized around key time periods, showcasing nearly 600 works from the collection of Liu Yiqian and his wife Wang Wei.The exhibition hall is filled with these artworks, which manifest the couple’s status through their collection of global contemporary art as the founders of Long Museum.The exhibition offers an opportunity to reflect on the evolution of contemporary art worldwide.Influenced by diverse cultural backgrounds and life experiences, these artists engage in active exploration and experimentation, shaped by both global perspectives and local contexts. The wide range of media featured in the exhibition such as painting, sculpture, installation, photography and video highlight the richness and complexity of artistic expression.“The importance of art today lies not in the pursuit of the ‘new’ or the preservation of the ‘old,’ but in how individual artists, across different eras, choose art as a means to respond to their time and the world, amid the blending of global civilizations,” said Wang, director of the museum.The exhibition is divided into two sections. The first section showcases the artistic journeys of three generations of artists born in the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s. Each generation’s work reflects a close connection to the cultural and social experiences of their time. The works on display offer powerful responses to the realities of their times — some capturing the present, others reflecting on the past, or pushing the boundaries of new ideas. Some artists draw inspiration from traditional cultural roots, while others explore the interplay of different cultural influences.The second section displays the practices of artists born in the 1980s and 1990s. Compared with the earlier generations, these younger artists place greater emphasis on self-expression and individuality while being deeply shaped by globalization. Although painting remains a prominent medium, rapid technological advancements and the introduction of new materials have profoundly influenced their imagery and creative processes. Through their personal perspectives, viewers could “read” their imaginative interpretations toward ordinary objects, an exploration of abstract forces, and a fluid blending of tradition with cutting-edge ideas.
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		<link>http://www.shanghaidaily.com/sunday/art/Calligraphy-show-displays-artists-daily-writings-and-true-character/shdaily.shtml</link>
		<title>Calligraphy show displays artist’s daily writings and true character</title>
		<category><![CDATA[Art]]></category>
		<pubDate>Sat, 14 Dec 2024 00:00:04 +0800</pubDate>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Wang Jie]]></dc:creator>
		<description><![CDATA[The largest calligraphy exhibition of Liu Haisu (1896-1994), a prominent Chinese painter, calligrapher, art educator and art historian, is on display at the Liu Haisu Art Museum until January 15.]]></description>
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		The largest calligraphy exhibition of Liu Haisu (1896-1994), a prominent Chinese painter, calligrapher, art educator and art historian, is on display at the Liu Haisu Art Museum until January 15.The exhibits, which take up six halls in the museum, comprise 200 pieces of calligraphy done by Liu.Liu, a major figure in China’s modern art history, is regarded as a “spiritual leader and academic mentor” to the subsequent generation with seminal influence.Liu was one of the first to incorporate elements of Western post-impressionism painting into the traditional Chinese splash-ink style.“Today’s young people no longer think that calligraphy is a must-learn skill,” said Jin Wenyi, the exhibition’s curator. “When you look back in history, calligraphy is actually the ‘cultural gene’ in the blood of every Chinese person. A pen and a sheet of paper were once considered the ‘standard equipment’ of Chinese intellectuals.”However, a computer keyboard now replaces them, allowing users to input information using a variety of fonts that can be mixed, deconstructed or reassembled.“While enjoying the convenience brought by the technological progress, we realized that calligraphy becomes something related to intangible cultural heritage, and only a few people can master the unique skill.”Thus, Jin and his curatorial team want to highlight a number of questions throughout the exhibition, such as “is there still a point in learning calligraphy” and “how to bring the audience to experience the traditions and culture that have influenced China for thousands of years.”Jin said: “We hope that Liu Haisu and his calligraphy would ignite the interest and passion among the viewers toward the charm of Chinese calligraphy.”Some argue that calligraphy, through those brushstrokes, reflects a person’s character, emotion, experience and self-cultivation because it is more than just a writing skill.Liu’s calligraphy work may serve as proof.Visitors will be able to see papers and letters written by Liu to his family. These exhibits are among the most popular at the exhibition. Among them are five letters sent to his wife, Xia Yiqiao, in which he expressed his worry for the world, discussed art concepts and exchanged information with relatives and friends.Calligraphy is commonly regarded as a beautiful art form, yet these “daily writings” with the flavor of everyday life best show the calligrapher’s true character.The exhibition also features some of Liu’s imitations of old Chinese masterpieces, and it is also interesting for visitors to compare the brushstrokes in Liu’s paintings to the curves he penned in calligraphy.
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		<link>http://www.shanghaidaily.com/sunday/art/Staging-Dunhuang-Ancient-artifacts-meet-modern-vision/shdaily.shtml</link>
		<title>‘Staging Dunhuang:’ Ancient artifacts meet modern vision</title>
		<category><![CDATA[Art]]></category>
		<pubDate>Sat, 16 Nov 2024 00:00:55 +0800</pubDate>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Wang Jie]]></dc:creator>
		<description><![CDATA[The Dunhuang Contemporary Art Museum opened to the public in Shanghai’s Yangpu District this week.]]></description>
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		The Dunhuang Contemporary Art Museum opened to the public in Shanghai’s Yangpu District this week.The opening exhibition, “Staging Dunhuang,” features precious artifacts, including the Bayeux Sutra and the Beiliang Stone Pagoda, on loan from different institutions around the world. The exhibition, which runs through May 31, consists of four parts: History, Nature, Reproduction and Mind.Through the perspectives of geography, nature and technology, the exhibition aims to focus on the art of Mogao Caves as a model for the production of contemporary culture and visual experience.It combines the work of Dunhuang’s nameless artisans with 20 contemporary artists such as Ding Yi and Ni Youyu.“When mentioning Dunhuang art, we immediately think of the Mogao Caves,” said Wu Hong, chief consultant of the exhibition. “But Dunhuang art is more than that. Dunhuang is a larger socio-geographical space. The Mogao Caves, a Buddhist cluster located 25 kilometers south of Dunhuang, is only one part of this geographic space.”With videos and interactive installations, the exhibition presents the profound and unique charm of Dunhuang culture. For example, Chen Zhihao and Zhou Zhenru use light and shadow to rediscover the Mogao Caves’ “Laba Lamp Burning Ceremony.” Their work “A River of Stars” is based on a draft painted by the Russian Oldenburg expedition. The digital work revitalizes a moving scene from Dunhuang’s history.The exhibition is like an experiment in the creation of new realms and images through the juxtaposition and dialog between the static and the dynamic. The organizers look to initiate a conversation on the relationship between historical archives and artistic creation.The museum’s exterior is reminiscent of Dunhuang’s natural landscape such as its wind-blown sand dunes and arched grottoes, echoing the esthetic elements of Dunhuang’s frescoes.Its interior design is also impressive as it borrows elements of the natural scenery in Dunhuang. A “mini mountain” made up of sand is placed in the center of the hall. By burning incense from Dunhuang, the whole exhibition hall is permeated with a special scent. Separate small rooms refer to Dunhuang caves, inviting visitors to “reperceive” Dunhuang across time and geography.
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		<link>http://www.shanghaidaily.com/sunday/art/Exhibit-shows-ties-between-man-nature/shdaily.shtml</link>
		<title>Exhibit shows ties between man, nature</title>
		<category><![CDATA[Art]]></category>
		<pubDate>Sat, 09 Nov 2024 00:00:58 +0800</pubDate>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Wang Jie]]></dc:creator>
		<description><![CDATA[Splendors of the Sun and Moon” is on show at Shanghai Jiushi Art Museum.]]></description>
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		Splendors of the Sun and Moon” is on show at Shanghai Jiushi Art Museum.Divided into three chapters — Heaven, Earth and Man — the exhibition features 70 artworks created by 60 renowned artists, including Paul Cézanne, Giorgio Morandi, Balthus, Chu Teh-Chun and Zao Wou-Ki.“Splendors of the Sun and Moon” was first held at the Fondazione Querini Stampalia museum in Venice in 2018. Later it was shown at Useless Space in Shanghai in 2020. Now is its third presentation to the public.The exhibition space is purposely designed into hues of black, white and gray, guiding visitors to ponder on the interrelationship in the universe, nature and mankind under the collision and fusion of Eastern and Western philosophies.“Black, the king of all colors, symbolized the heavens in ancient times. White represents light, the essence that fills all things, symbolizing indestructible vitality,” said Tong Yanrunan, curator of the exhibition.“Black and white, as the complementary forces of nature, form the cosmic world that unifies all things, manifested in the East’s philosophy that connects heaven and earth.”“Heaven” represents natural forces and cosmic order, Tong said. “Earth” represents the material world and living environment, while “Man” serves as both observer and participant. “Together these elements interweave and conjure up an emotional world for the viewers,” Tong said.For example, in the chapter of “Earth,” grass, trees, mountains, rivers and all natural things become the main characters of the artists, who, through delicate strokes or unique perspectives, show the beautiful vision of harmonious coexistence between man and nature.In “Man,” the artists focus on the complexity of human society, exploring the complex relationship between man and inner side, between man and nature, and between man and society. Using various perspectives and artistic techniques, the artists have integrated the grand themes of the universe, nature and life into their works, reflecting mankind’s yearning for beautiful things and deep thoughts toward the future.“The rising of the sun and the setting of the moon signify the passage of time. The sun and moon, along with yin and yang, form the most fundamental opposites in the universe,” Tong said. “For artists, art creation is a path to this connection, through which one becomes united with the sun and moon, revealing the light of life. Life itself is the manifestation of human splendors in the vast cosmos.”
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		<link>http://www.shanghaidaily.com/sunday/art/Exhibition-evokes-the-sublime-of-Turners-art-at-Pudong-museum/shdaily.shtml</link>
		<title>Exhibition evokes the sublime of Turner’s art at Pudong museum</title>
		<category><![CDATA[Art]]></category>
		<pubDate>Sat, 02 Nov 2024 00:00:03 +0800</pubDate>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Wang Jie]]></dc:creator>
		<description><![CDATA[Dialogues with Turner: Evoking the Sublime” is showing at the Museum of Art Pudong through May 10.]]></description>
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		Dialogues with Turner: Evoking the Sublime” is showing at the Museum of Art Pudong through May 10.Co-organized by the museum in Shanghai and the Tate in the United Kingdom, it is the largest exhibition of oil paintings ever loaned by the Tate and brings together Joseph Mallord William Turner and contemporary artists.Featuring more than 100 artworks, among which nearly 80 are original oil paintings and watercolors by Turner, the exhibition is an opportunity to delve into the artistic world of Turner, one of the greatest British painters of the 19th century.Many of these works are being exhibited in China for the first time.Born in 1775 in Covent Garden, London, Turner is widely regarded as the first modern painter. His legacy is rooted in his expressive style and bold use of color, with the capturing of atmosphere being central to his oeuvre. As a pioneer of Romanticism, Turner used his technique to capture the majesty and grandeur of nature, challenging the boundaries of human perception. From the towering peaks of the Alps to the winding canals of Venice, Turner’s canvases chronicle the eternal dialogue between humanity and the elements.The exhibition is divided into eight thematic sections and spans the first and third floors of the Museum of Art Pudong, offering a panoramic view of Turner’s artistic career, which intertwined his travels with the subjects of his creations. From early British landscapes to the dramatic scenery of the Swiss Alps, and on to the poetic depictions of Venice — the “city of sublime” — the exhibition reveals the evolution of Turner’s artistic style and his unique understanding of light and atmosphere.“Evoking the Sublime,” one of the sections, not only exemplifies Turner’s revolutionary style, but also places an emphasis on the enduring influence of the “sublime” as an esthetic concept. Works by leading contemporary artists such as Olafur Eliasson, Mark Rothko, Katie Paterson and Richard Long are interspersed alongside Turner’s masterpieces, offering alternative perspectives for viewers to appreciate Turner’s art as well as his courage and vision to constantly seek for innovative expressions to respond to the changing times.For example, “Your Double-Lighthouse Projection” by Eliasson, a prominent contemporary artist known for his grand installations, is a highlight of the exhibition. The work costs more than 1 million yuan (US$140,000) in transportation of the two large, free-standing circular chambers. Installed, one chamber is bathed in shifting hues of colored light, and the other is illuminated with white light. This highly subjective experience with an emphasis on individual perception echoes Turner’s exploration of light and color in the 19th century. Turner created a kind of dizzying visual impact through landscape painting, while Eliasson manages to arouse similar sensations by playing with contemporary light installation.
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		<link>http://www.shanghaidaily.com/sunday/art/Genuine-Rodin-works-carve-out-a-new-museum-on-city-art-map/shdaily.shtml</link>
		<title>Genuine Rodin works carve out a new museum on city art map</title>
		<category><![CDATA[Art]]></category>
		<pubDate>Sat, 19 Oct 2024 00:00:28 +0800</pubDate>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Wang Jie]]></dc:creator>
		<description><![CDATA[I see the whole truth and not just the surface truth, I accentuate the lines that best express the spiritual stage I interpret,” Auguste Rodin (1840-1917) once said.]]></description>
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		I see the whole truth and not just the surface truth, I accentuate the lines that best express the spiritual stage I interpret,” Auguste Rodin (1840-1917) once said.Featuring more than 100 authentic artworks by the French sculptor, including sculptures, paintings and ceramics, a permanent exhibition “Rodin: A Hinge Figure toward Modernity” is on show at Centre d’Art Rodin in Shanghai, a newly opened outpost of Paris-based Musée Rodin, or Rodin Museum.Transformed from the former French Pavilion of the 2010 Shanghai World Expo, Centre d’Art Rodin is located in the Shanghai Expo Culture Park by Huangpu River in the Pudong New Area, covering a main exhibition area of 4,200 square meters.The exhibition consists of six main chapters and two special chapters. The exhibits include national treasures from the Rodin Museum, such as “The Thinker,” “The Age of Bronze,” “Eve,” “Balzac” and “The Burghers of Calais.” The original editions of these works are presented in Shanghai for the first time.One of the highlights is “The Age of Bronze,” Rodin’s earliest surviving life-size sculpture.The sculpture was created while he was living in Brussels. It was completed after his return from a trip to Italy, where he was exposed to the work of Michelangelo. The sensitive and vibrant modeling of the statue, which a young Belgian soldier posed for, was the result of a close study of all the profiles of the model.The exhibition tries to chronicle Rodin’s alteration in his art styles.With his relentless pursuit of truth and nature and his pioneering creative expression and sculptural language, Rodin accomplished the transcendence of the classical tradition and opened up a new direction for the development of modern sculpture. As a result, he is regarded as the “father of modern sculpture.”Rodin loved and excelled in tragic themes such as “The Gates of Hell,” the most ambitious work of his life, which is also on show.In 1880, Rodin was asked to design a bronze gate for the future Museum of Decorative Arts (a plan for the museum that never came to fruition), which was inspired by the “Divine Comedy,” especially its inferno, by the Florentine poet Dante (1265-1321).Rodin passionately devoted nearly 10 years to the project. He waited until 1900 to show it at the Pavilion of the Alma in Paris.
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		<link>http://www.shanghaidaily.com/sunday/art/Modigliani-Picasso-paintings-grace-Bund-One-Art-Museum/shdaily.shtml</link>
		<title>Modigliani, Picasso paintings grace Bund One Art Museum</title>
		<category><![CDATA[Art]]></category>
		<pubDate>Sat, 12 Oct 2024 00:00:30 +0800</pubDate>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Wang Jie]]></dc:creator>
		<description><![CDATA[Picasso, Modigliani &amp; Modern Art: Masterpieces from LaM Museum” is on show at the Bund One Art Museum.]]></description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[
		Picasso, Modigliani & Modern Art: Masterpieces from LaM Museum” is on show at the Bund One Art Museum.This is the first collaboration between the Shanghai museum and the LaM (Lille Métropole Museum of Modern, Contemporary and Outsider Art) in Villeneuve-d’Ascq, France. Gathering the most influential artists of the 20th century, the exhibition features 61 works by 18 pioneering artists including Amedeo Modigliani, Pablo Picasso, Fernand Léger, Georges Braque, Joan Miró and André Derain.Including nine Modigliani works and five Picasso pieces, this is the biggest presentation of Modigliani’s art in China so far. Among the nine is the nude female portrait “Seated Nude with a Shirt,” a painting considered representative of Modigliani’s style. There’s also the extremely rare family portrait “Mother,” in which the protagonists are Modigliani’s last lover, Jeanne Hébuterne, and their daughter, Jeanne Modigliani.Italian-born Amedeo Modigliani moved to Paris in 1906. He developed a very personal style focused on the human figure — almost all his paintings are portraits and nudes. He wished to achieve the representation of an ideal figure, condensing the formal characteristics of diverse cultures: classical and Egyptian antiquity, Italian Renaissance, Khmer statuary, African art and modern painting.Picasso’s “Woman with a Hat” and other masterpieces are also on display.The exhibition divides the most influential schools in the first half of the 20th century into four major sections: “Cubism,” “Amedeo Modigliani,” “Painting in Dreams” and “Color and Expression.” One of the most important art museums in Europe, the LaM museum was the first French museum to integrate modern, contemporary and out-of-bounds art. The museum’s modern art collection comes from Roger Dutilleul (1873-1956) and his nephew Jean Masurel (1908-1991), who, through their keen appreciation of art, assembled an extraordinary collection of masterpieces. These works represent both the collector’s personal taste and the great artistic movements of the French modern period.
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		<link>http://www.shanghaidaily.com/sunday/art/Chinese-masterpieces-from-Paris-museum-return-home-for-display/shdaily.shtml</link>
		<title>Chinese masterpieces from Paris museum return home for display</title>
		<category><![CDATA[Art]]></category>
		<pubDate>Sat, 28 Sep 2024 10:53:27 +0800</pubDate>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Wang Jie]]></dc:creator>
		<description><![CDATA[The Journey of Ink: Modern and Contemporary Chinese Paintings from the Musée Cernuschi” is showing at the Bund One Art Museum in Shanghai through January 5.]]></description>
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		The Journey of Ink: Modern and Contemporary Chinese Paintings from the Musée Cernuschi” is showing at the Bund One Art Museum in Shanghai through January 5.Divided into nine sections, the exhibition features 89 masterpieces by 36 renowned Chinese artists, including Qi Baishi and Zhang Daqian, charting the development of ink painting over the last century.The narrative arc spans from early modernist experiments at the dawn of the 20th century, through the enthusiasm for study in France during the 1920s and 1930s, to creative adaptations during wartime relocations and the postwar reintegration of Chinese artists into the international art scene. It concludes with a focus on the museum’s recent acquisitions that reflect contemporary ink practices by Chinese artists.In addition to the masterpieces, the exhibition is enriched with multimedia displays and archival materials, providing dynamic insights into the evolving techniques of ink painting and chronicling the museum’s history of exhibitions and acquisitions. One of the highlights of the exhibition is the life drawings created by Chinese artists who traveled to Paris following World War I, where they sought to deepen their engagement with authentic Western artistic disciplines. Among the pioneers were Xu Beihong, Pan Yuliang, Sanyu and Lin Fengmian, who immersed themselves in rigorous Western art education.For example, Sanyu found kinship with the modernists of Montparnasse, captivated by the free-spirited environment of la Grande Chaumière studio. In his life drawings, Sanyu uniquely employed a Chinese brush and ink to delineate human figures, replacing the volumetric effects typically achieved through pencil shading with the fluid linearity characteristic of Chinese ink painting. Likewise, Pan and sculptor Hua Tianyou were thoroughly trained in the French academic tradition yet revisited the use of ink in the 1940s, creating distinctive figure works that harmoniously blended the precision of Western life drawing with the brushwork of Chinese painting.This is Musée Cernuschi’s first exhibition in China. The Musée Cernuschi, an Asian art museum in Paris, has a large collection of Chinese art. Since its founding in 1898, the museum has been dedicated to the study and collection of Asian art. The first modern Chinese artwork collected by the Musée Cernuschi was a calligraphic vertical scroll by Kang Youwei, renowned scholar and political reformer of the late Qing Dynasty (1644-1911).Some of the artists represented in the museum’s collection also include Fu Baoshi, Xie Zhiliu and Zao Wou-Ki.
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		<link>http://www.shanghaidaily.com/sunday/art/Artworks-celebrate-creativity-of-young-artists-rekindle-excitement-for-future/shdaily.shtml</link>
		<title>Artworks celebrate creativity of young artists, rekindle excitement for future</title>
		<category><![CDATA[Art]]></category>
		<pubDate>Sat, 21 Sep 2024 00:00:34 +0800</pubDate>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Tan Weiyun]]></dc:creator>
		<description><![CDATA[Bluerider Art Shanghai has launched “Hope Is The Thing With Feathers,” an exhibition showcasing 48 works of pioneering young Chinese artists.]]></description>
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		Bluerider Art Shanghai has launched “Hope Is The Thing With Feathers,” an exhibition showcasing 48 works of pioneering young Chinese artists.Selected from a competitive pool of more than 2,000 pieces submitted by 500 artists, the exhibition features the works of 25 outstanding young artists born after 1985, representing Generation Y and Z of China.The exhibition displays a variety of artistic media such as paintings, ink washes, sculptures and kinetic installations, embodying the diverse creative expressions of these young talent.“This showcase not only presents exceptional artworks by young Chinese artists but also offers a space to reflect on the spirit of our times and contemporary societal issues,” said Elsa Wang, founder of Bluerider Art.“Through these artworks, we see the diverse and limitless possibilities of hope, which rekindle our excitement for the future and love for life. We invite everyone to experience this exhibition and take with them a ‘feather of hope’ — a symbol of their personal dreams and aspirations.”Lu Jusong’s acrylic painting “What Is She Eating?” uses exaggerated and straightforward imagery of flying noodles to explore the contrast between self-perception and external viewpoints.Tang Jiaxin’s pinprick work “Stabbed Paper No. 5” delicately reveals spatial and temporal dimensions by lifting tiny burrs off the paper with each pinprick, creating a nuanced visual texture.Bai Shiqi’s ink painting “Dreamless Fantasy” depicts a group wearing masks and wings, blurring the lines between reality and illusion. Wang Minghui’s oil painting “The Heartbroken” captures deep emotional turmoil through thick brushstrokes and exaggerated facial expressions.Meng Chengxiao’s kinetic installation “IX-0” blends two-dimensional painting with three-dimensional bird sculptures, using mechanical control over lighting and color composition.Hong Kai’s oil painting “Eternal Spirits of the Prairie” captures a moment of transformation with wings, mountain landscapes and white flowers. Chou Gugu’s silk ink “Desire Flower 4” personifies flora to explore the theme of desires.Through their works, these young artists delve into themes ranging from personal introspection to broader societal realities, translating their reflections into visual language that pioneers innovation and experimentation.As members of Generation Y and Z who were raised in the digital era, their culturally diverse perspectives infuse their works with freshness, resonate emotionally with younger audiences and inject new vitality into contemporary art.Yu Wenjie’s “Sanctuary 1” is a tapestry of natural textures and materials, meticulously crafted from silk, cotton, pure cotton sewing thread, colored powders, clamshell powder, turquoise powder, lapis lazuli powder, cinnabar powder, orpiment powder, resin and wood lacquer.The artwork exudes a primal essence due to its reliance on natural fabrics, with the velvet surface conveying a sense of safety and comfort. The dependency on textiles offers a warmth and softness. The composition is framed, segmenting the visual space to express dreamlike scenes, reminiscent dialogues and childhood conversations — evoking a sense of nostalgia and protective refuge.The painting “Oral History” by Chingltu, a Mongolian artist from the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, presents a compelling visual narrative rooted in the nomadic lifestyle. The artwork features three stones set against a stark, green background, symbolizing the simple yet foundational aspects of nomadic life. These stones, traditionally used by nomads to support a fire for cooking and warming, represent the heart of daily life — where food is cooked and tea is brewed.“Life started on the three stones,” the artist said. “Today the life changes from the grassland to the city, but we’re still living fundamentally around these ‘three stones,’ which may be larger and more splendid but retain the same core function and significance.” This artwork emphasizes that no matter how much the exterior changes, the basic needs and simple truths of life remain constant.
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		<link>http://www.shanghaidaily.com/sunday/art/Georges-Mathieu-retrospective-showcases-calligraphic-lyricism/shdaily.shtml</link>
		<title>Georges Mathieu retrospective showcases calligraphic lyricism</title>
		<category><![CDATA[Art]]></category>
		<pubDate>Sat, 14 Sep 2024 09:35:10 +0800</pubDate>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Wang Jie]]></dc:creator>
		<description><![CDATA[The first retrospective exhibition of Georges Mathieu (1921-2012) in China is showing at Long Museum (West Bund) in Shanghai through October 27.]]></description>
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		The first retrospective exhibition of Georges Mathieu (1921-2012) in China is showing at Long Museum (West Bund) in Shanghai through October 27.Mathieu was a key figure in the New School of Paris and the founder of lyrical abstraction.The exhibition displays the French artist’s works created over four decades, offering a unique opportunity for viewers to explore Mathieu’s prolific body of work and its vigorous and exhilarating celebration of gesture.Combining violence and virtuosity, his paintings are instantly recognizable for their calligraphic lyricism and exceptional precision. Despite the speed and spontaneity with which they are executed, every stroke is purposeful.Mathieu grew up in various towns in northern France and Versailles, and studied English at the University of Lille. He began experimenting with painting at the age of 21 after studying languages, literature, law and philosophy at institutions in France.Mathieu played a decisive role within abstraction during the movement’s burgeoning in the late 1940s and early 1950s across Europe and the United States. Departing from the geometric abstractions that had dominated the previous era, he developed a visual language that favored form over content and gesture over intent, aiming for uninhibited creative expression. He termed this newfound esthetic “lyrical abstraction.”Mathieu’s works are characterized by a calligraphic quality of line, achieved by using long brushes and applying paint directly from tubes onto the canvas. The immediacy and rapid execution of these methods ensured the freedom that defined his work.For Mathieu, painting was rhythm, akin to musical improvisation. Some of his paintings from the 1950s and 1960s juxtaposed carnal opulence with radical minimalism, a visual language of Zen-like purity. Based on contrasting harmonies of red, white and black, works such as “Hommage to Louis IX” (1957), on display at the Long Museum, reveal Mathieu’s early interest in Far Eastern calligraphy.
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		<link>http://www.shanghaidaily.com/sunday/art/Exhibition-of-contemporary-paintings-delves-into-fluid-identities-of-Lucifer/shdaily.shtml</link>
		<title>Exhibition of contemporary paintings delves into fluid identities of Lucifer</title>
		<category><![CDATA[Art]]></category>
		<pubDate>Sat, 07 Sep 2024 09:20:16 +0800</pubDate>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Tan Weiyun]]></dc:creator>
		<description><![CDATA[The Space and Gallery Association Shanghai has unveiled the “Everyone is Lucifer” exhibition, an exploration of duality and transformation through the works of five Chinese contemporary artists — Liu Chao,]]></description>
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		The Space and Gallery Association Shanghai has unveiled the “Everyone is Lucifer” exhibition, an exploration of duality and transformation through the works of five Chinese contemporary artists — Liu Chao, Lu Pingyuan, Wang Shuo, Zhao Yang and Zheng Haozhong.The exhibition delves into the fluid identities of Lucifer, not just as the fallen angel of lore but as a metaphor for the human condition, where each person embodies both angelic and demonic essences.Zhao’s artistic style is marked by its fusion of reality and fantasy, often drawing heavily on literary influences to create scenes that blend childhood fairy tales with stark, mature themes. His work typically features exaggerated and abstracted figures, set in vivid, surreal landscapes that challenge conventional perspectives. This narrative approach imbues his paintings with a deep sense of melancholy, rebellion and contemplation.In “The Witch Hunter J and the Smoking Hen,” Zhao utilizes this distinctive style to craft a scene that is both whimsical and unsettling.The painting depicts bizarre figures in a disjointed landscape, rendered in muted grayish-pink tones that enhance its dreamlike quality. Through this work, Zhao invites viewers to explore the complex interplay between innocence and corruption, presenting a visual allegory that reflects the dual nature of human experience — where mythic elements of childhood imaginings are confronted by the harsh realities of adult life.Zheng’s artistic oeuvre reflects his multifaceted background as an artist, musician and writer, contributing to a style that is fluid, non-academic and deeply personal. His brushwork, often loose and relaxed, allows for an intimate yet unstructured portrayal of his subjects, highlighting the inherent casualness that defines his approach. In his works, Zheng intentionally leaves spaces blank, which invite viewers to engage imaginatively with the canvas, echoing the unfinished tales of a fable.In “She and Tree outside the Window,” Zheng captures a figure enveloped by the dense, overgrown foliage of a tree, peering out from an undefined, isolated space within a forest.The painting not only portrays the physical entanglement of nature but also metaphorically illustrates the constraints and pressures of contemporary life — money, fame and societal expectations — that shackle individuals.The figure’s subdued and somewhat oppressed gaze subtly conveys a longing for freedom or escape, making the painting a poignant commentary on the human condition. The lush greens and tangled branches dominate the visual field, creating a sense of suffocation and emphasizing the overwhelming feeling of being bound by unseen forces.Liu’s artistic approach is deeply influenced by his academic training at the Luxun Academy of Fine Arts, known for its strong foundational skills in painting. However, Liu has deliberately moved away from the strictures of academic art to embrace a more abstract and less detailed style.This shift allows him to focus on the essence of form and movement, liberating his figures from the constraints of detailed realism. His work often features repetitive motifs of human figures, which he uses to explore the themes of identity and existence in a modern, dehumanized context.In “The Man by the River” and its companion piece, Liu captures figures on skateboards in a minimalist yet expressive manner. It depicts a contemplative figure poised on a skateboard, a juxtaposition that infuses the static pose with a sense of potential movement. The companion painting mirrors this theme, exploring similar contours and emotions, which highlights Liu’s interest in how slight variations in a repeated form can convey different emotional states and narratives.These works exemplify his focus on the outline and silhouette, reducing the human form to its bare essentials. This simplification strips away personal identity, emphasizing universal human themes.Wang’s expressive artistry is characterized by her dynamic use of sweeping and semi-rotational brushstrokes that inject a vibrant, kinetic energy into her works. This technique effectively blurs the lines between the figures and their backgrounds, making her paintings immersive experiences that pull viewers into their emotional landscapes. Wang’s art often explores themes of intimacy and alienation within relationships, utilizing abstract forms and a vivid palette to evoke deep emotional responses.The painting “Hug” features soft, swirling brushstrokes which abstract the figures to the extent that facial expressions and detailed body language are minimized, focusing instead on the overall emotion of warmth and mutual comfort. This style creates a sense of enduring, gentle affection, portraying a relationship that is deep and nurturing.In contrast, “Twilight” presents a more complex interaction between two figures, set against a dark, tumultuous background.This painting captures a moment that could either be a dispute or a difficult embrace, reflecting the ambiguity and often complicated nature of close relationships. The stark contrast in colors and the intense, almost aggressive brushwork enhance the feeling of emotional turmoil and confusion.Lu’s artwork “Best of the Best Draw — The Mythical Beast and His Children” showcases his innovative approach to blending diverse media such as artificial intelligence, paper cutting and painting.In this piece, Lu explores the intersection of technology and traditional artistry, creating figures that oscillate between the realms of mythical beasts and demonic creatures, mirroring the complex narrative of Lucifer himself.
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		<link>http://www.shanghaidaily.com/sunday/people/Grape-king-fosters-new-varieties-and-shares-prowess-with-farmers/shdaily.shtml</link>
		<title>‘Grape king’ fosters new varieties and shares prowess with farmers</title>
		<category><![CDATA[People]]></category>
		<pubDate>Sat, 03 Aug 2024 00:00:07 +0800</pubDate>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Li Qian and Teresa Chen]]></dc:creator>
		<description><![CDATA[As the peak of grape harvesting unfolds in Shanghai’s suburbs, the Shiquan Grape Cooperative in Jinshan District is abuzz with activity. Workers scurry through sunlit rows, sorting and packing the day’s]]></description>
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		As the peak of grape harvesting unfolds in Shanghai’s suburbs, the Shiquan Grape Cooperative in Jinshan District is abuzz with activity. Workers scurry through sunlit rows, sorting and packing the day’s fresh harvest, with the spotlight on this year’s sensational newcomer — Shenxin.Developed in collaboration with the Shanghai Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shenxin offers a delicate rose aroma lingering even after the fruit’s sweetness fades, said Lu Yujin, the cooperative leader. “Although it’s only recently been introduced, it has quickly become a customer favorite,” he said.Lu founded Shiquan in 2001. Spanning roughly 200,000 square meters, equivalent to about 28 soccer fields, it serves both as a major grape production site and a hub for developing new grape varieties.With the vineyard his home and the grapes his business, Lu has devoted himself to fostering new varieties and researching cultivation. He monitored greenhouse temperatures and measured the grape sugar content, harvesting data with each bunch.Lu said that local grape varieties now make up 60 percent of the cooperative’s production, significantly outpacing the popularity of imported varieties. With more than 20 top-selling grape varieties in China originating from Shiquan, Lu has earned the title of “grape king.”In addition to the grapes available for sale, the vineyard is testing six new varieties.Lu lives by the proverb: “A single flower does not make spring.”For years, he has selflessly shared his cultivation techniques with other farmers by offering training sessions and instructions in the fields.Also nicknamed “the grape doctor,” Lu helps farmers diagnose growth issues. Whether by phone or a home visit, he never minds any inconvenience and patiently offers guidance. So far, more than 1,000 farms have reaped the benefits of his advice, making more than 80 million yuan (US$11 million).Lu’s public service has extended beyond just neighboring farms.In 2021, with Shiquan as its home base and Lu in charge, the Jinshan Grape Industrialization Consortium was formed, helping other vineyards in the district achieve the Shiquan standard of grapes and business practices.Two years later, six vineyards in the consortium were able to sell grapes to Alibaba’s supermarket chain Freshippo, making more than 7 million yuan.Lu also cares about sustainable agricultural development. As a city lawmaker, he has called for favorable policies to encourage young people in front-line agriculture and give farmers a safety net, so they could invest in the future, as well as promote sustainable, mindful production practices.“Like our children, who we hope can spread their wings one day,” Lu said, “we’re always rethinking our growing techniques and hoping each grape can shine.”
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		<link>http://www.shanghaidaily.com/sunday/art/Exhibition-illustrates-boundless-fusion-of-painting-and-poetry/shdaily.shtml</link>
		<title>Exhibition illustrates boundless fusion of painting and poetry</title>
		<category><![CDATA[Art]]></category>
		<pubDate>Sat, 27 Jul 2024 00:00:04 +0800</pubDate>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Wang Jie]]></dc:creator>
		<description><![CDATA[If I had not become a painter, I would have been a poet,” the late Chinese-French artist Zao Wou-Ki once said.]]></description>
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		If I had not become a painter, I would have been a poet,” the late Chinese-French artist Zao Wou-Ki once said.Zao was one of the most famous contemporary abstract oil painters both in China and France.“Echoes of Verses: The Poetic Palimpsests of Zao Wou-Ki” is on show at Shanghai Jiushi Art Museum through October 13. The exhibition features the master’s prints in different periods, spanning from figurative to abstraction.It is also one of a series of events to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the establishment of Sino-France diplomatic relations.Selected from Zao’s prints from the 1950s to the early 2000s, the exhibition includes nearly 100 of his rare prints and ceramics, plus works and poems completed in collaborations between Zao and various poets.It juxtaposes different stages of the master’s art renderings with corresponding poetry, reflecting a multidimensional enlightenment of intellect and spirit through the boundless fusion of art and literature.The exhibition also displays selected translations of more than 60 illustrated poems.Having grown up in a family with deep cultural traditions, Zao studied painting at the China Academy of Art during the 1930s and taught at the academy during the 1940s. In 1948, Zao went to Paris to further his studies because he loved French Impressionism.In 1949, after traveling around the world, Zao returned to Paris, fusing Western abstract painting with the ethereal imagery of the Chinese method of freehand painting. He then stepped into stardom in the art world. While deeply influenced by traditional Chinese poetry, Zao’s works on show also resonate with modern French poetry. Those images, like wordless verses, have constructed a world of colors, lines and patterns teeming with thoughts and sentiments. Focused on the poetic implications of his paintings, the exhibition illustrates the correspondence between visual art and literature by delving deep into imagery and metaphor.By reading texts by world-important literary figures such as Henri Michaux, René Char, Ezra Pound and André Malraux, viewers are able to reconceptualize the imagery and metaphors in Zao’s works.“I have read poetry since my childhood,” Zao once said. “I feel these two forms of expression as being of the same nature, physically. They both express the breath of life, the trembling of the brush on the canvas, or the hand on the paper as the character takes shape.”
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		<link>http://www.shanghaidaily.com/sunday/people/A-balance-between-work-and-sport-of-breaking-not-easy-for-Canadian-Bgirl/shdaily.shtml</link>
		<title>A balance between work and sport of breaking not easy for Canadian B-girl</title>
		<category><![CDATA[People]]></category>
		<pubDate>Sat, 18 May 2024 00:00:25 +0800</pubDate>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Ma Yue]]></dc:creator>
		<description><![CDATA[Canadian B-girl Tiffany Leung is among the 80 breaking athletes who will compete in the Olympic Qualifier Series in Shanghai.]]></description>
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		Canadian B-girl Tiffany Leung is among the 80 breaking athletes who will compete in the Olympic Qualifier Series in Shanghai.Changing her hoodie for formal business attire, Leung immediately transforms into a professional and confident employee of Deloitte, one of the world’s biggest accounting firms.“Breaking by night and breaking ground with clients by day” is Leung’s life motto. The 28-year-old is seeking the opportunity to qualify for and compete in the Paris Olympic Games in August.Having spent her childhood in Hong Kong before moving to Canada, Leung joined Deloitte Canada in 2017 as a consultant for AI strategy projects. She helps clients identify how to apply AI to their business to improve operations.Her interest in breaking started a decade ago in university when she was 18.“Breaking represents a large part of who I am,” Leung told Shanghai Daily. “I feel the freedom and connection to my mind, body and soul when I break.”Leung admitted that after becoming a consultant at a top accounting firm, the balance between work and breaking was not easy to achieve.“I previously found managing my two careers quite tricky,” she said. “When focusing on work, it was challenging to dedicate sufficient time to my training. But both breaking and work are very important to me, and I wanted to find the balance between the two.”Leung was thankful that when her colleagues and company leaders learned that she was aiming to participate in the Olympics, they showed her support.“We agreed that I could work on a part-time basis — working Monday to Wednesday. This means I have Thursday and Friday to focus on my training,” she said.A lot of breaking athletes learn the moves and train themselves with the help of videos and sport communities. For Leung, her occupation provides some training solutions.“I coach myself. I basically apply to myself the same framework that I do to my AI strategy projects,” she said.“I set my objectives and goals, break them down into activities, and then set milestones for each objective,” she explained.“There are so many things to learn and practice in breaking, and sometimes I panic because it just feels endless. However, when I see my plan and how I have progressed against that plan, I feel much more confident because I can visualize and see how much I have improved.”Leung even found synergies between breaking and her business role.“They both require the same level of dedication and passion. In breaking, I often need to analyze movements, develop strategies to execute complex routines and adapt quickly to new challenges. These skills directly translate to my work, where I apply strategic thinking and creativity to solve complex business problems for clients,” she said.“Additionally, both breaking and consulting require continuous learning and improvement, whether it’s mastering new dance moves or staying updated with the latest industry trends and technologies.” As a multiple champion of national breaking competitions in Canada, Leung’s goal in Shanghai is clear and simple — to get a good result and secure a position in the Paris Games.“Breaking is making its Olympic debut in Paris, and I want to share my style with the world,” she said. “Breaking has saved me from really hard times by giving me passion and purpose. I hope people watching me will also be inspired.”Having arrived in Shanghai on Monday, Leung’s preparation for the Olympic Qualifier Series involves intense training sessions focusing on refining her skills, stamina and creativity to assure her best performance on the competition stage.The preliminaries are scheduled today, while the round robin and finals will be held tomorrow.According to the rules, 40 men and 40 women breaking athletes are competing for a total of 100 points split equally between Shanghai and the second part of the qualifier series in Budapest, Hungary. The top-ranked seven men and seven women athletes after the two qualifiers will win entry to the Paris Olympic Games.Hangzhou Asian Games women’s champion Liu Qingyi of the Chinese national breaking team has already earned a ticket to Paris.Other athletes, including Chinese B-boys Shang Xiaoyu and Zhang Xinjie, have to showcase their skills to score higher in the qualifiers.
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		<link>http://www.shanghaidaily.com/sunday/art/Fanfan-Li-Artist-takes-mind-flight-to-new-spaces/shdaily.shtml</link>
		<title>Fanfan Li: Artist takes mind flight to new spaces</title>
		<category><![CDATA[Art]]></category>
		<pubDate>Sat, 11 May 2024 00:00:20 +0800</pubDate>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Shen Li]]></dc:creator>
		<description><![CDATA[Fanfan Li has moved from one home to another since she was young, and now she lives in France, serving as a cultural ambassador who well absorbs both Chinese and Western arts.]]></description>
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		Fanfan Li has moved from one home to another since she was young, and now she lives in France, serving as a cultural ambassador who well absorbs both Chinese and Western arts.She was born in 1958 in Shenyang, an industrial city in northeast China. Her parents were senior journalists working for the Xinhua news agency. Li moved to Shanghai in her late teens. Energetically open-minded, she became interested in many things, ranging from ballet and music to architecture and painting. She relished everything she learned about and found her interests inspired each other.In 1986, Li went to New York to study jewelry design at the SUNY Fashion Institute of Technology. Shortly after her graduation, the burgeoning designer joined Van Cleef & Arpels.In 1989, she won the first prize of Van Cleef & Arpels for Best Young Designer by the Comité Colbert, an association established in 1954 to promote French luxury brands. Her later experience working at Bulgari and Cartier further cemented her as a top-echelon high jewelry designer.Li did not rest on her laurels, nor did she want to continue to cater to the requirements of patrons, be they superstars or royals. Driven by a choice to settle in Paris, she started painting full time, with the aim to perform creatively as an artist. Most importantly, she was ready in every measure. Although a change of course for her, all her earlier interests and experience led her to this destination.The realm of painting opened up a greater media for her creative work. Her initial efforts were invested in a genre called gongbi, which is a kind of classical Chinese ink painting devoted to details. Her early artwork included bamboo and flowers, especially the lotus. The traditional symbols became fresh images through her treatment. The lotuses, petals and leaves, in “Reflexion” (2001), are painted like facets of gems that Li had deftly worked at.“Lotus — Faceted Ruby” (2019) visualizes a vision playing with cut gems, angular and geometrical in form, bright and rich in color, with the foreground and background in harmony.Li never abandoned her skills gained from high jewelry design, but how to integrate the privileged experience into her painting remained an issue she was constantly concerned about. Flowers and bamboo were the immediate symbols within reach, but still far away from her ultimate search for esthetic beauty. She kept broadening her vision while delving deeper into her thinking. Her mind flight eventually saw her art transcend from the bounds of Mother Nature to create imagined universes on a grand scale. Landing in a vast, uncharted universe, the new series went to great lengths to explore what beauty could be, rather than what beauty is. The promised land was to be renewed with immense strength as far as her imagination could stretch.The place created in her “Universe” series is different from the surreal world that Dali pioneered decades ago. No effort was made to distort objects as was practiced in surrealist painting. Surreal or rather dreamlike, Li’s paintings embrace the belief that beauty resides in order and order breeds calm.A striking element present in her canvases is poles sculpted minimally yet towering skyward. Strongly Bauhaus-flavored, they appear essential, sleek and neat. A close look brings to view patches of rich jewel colors — for example, “Imagined Peace” (2017) and “Echo — Aquarius” (2022).There was always room for the jewelry designer-turned artist to let her earlier glory dazzle on her canvas. Poised as otherworldly things resistant to seasoning and bending, the poles probably derive from the earlier bamboo. They appear as pillars for sheltering at surface value. Symbolically, they look like sacred totems wrapped up in simple dignified beauty. The point is connected auspiciously with another attention-grabber — origami. The well-known Japanese art form has been enlarged massively and breathed into life, so its blessings may also have multiplied considerably.The choice of the poles, vertical and horizontal, can also be read as a spin-off from a neoplastic esthetic regarding geometrical shapes, considering Li’s appreciation of that movement. Yet, she is always engaged in making variations and directing them in a painterly fashion. Instead of producing flattened patterns on canvas, a clear distinction is articulated between her figures and background. The tall poles, arrayed in an ordered pattern, play the role of figures against the vast background, where no flora or fauna is to be found. This act of sharp reduction still remains close to the spirit exerted by the Bauhaus school and neoplasticism as well. Due to frequent revisits to their traits, Li’s works define themselves as large-scale variations rather than revolution.One of the “Universe” series called “Passage — Libra” (2022) can be used to illustrate the graceful maneuvering of geometrical shapes, especially the poles, a contribution innovated to expand the spectrum of neoplastic forms. With spacing pitched rhythmically between crimson and grayish poles, they fence a spacious passage in the center of the scene. At its very end stands a huge hourglass portrayed in a couple of triangles. Light floods in vibrantly, straight rays dancing with flowing geometrical shapes, varying in color and tone. It is hard to name them but they build up an atmospheric vibe filled with mystery. It inevitably evokes thoughts about human destiny when we see a small human being in the process of going through the passage, or rather the passage of life at the symbolic level. There is a sense of uncertainty looming over all, except for the elegant layout of the towering poles.As can be seen, Li’s creativity lies in her capacity to deftly integrate her earlier experiences into her later work. She rarely started as a novice when embarking on a new career. From architecture to high jewelry design, from gongbi to oils, from flowers to the imagined universe, each and everything counts in the context of increasingly sophisticated experiment. This esthetic logic explains why her signature style arises with triumph.Li’s paintings were exhibited in many French cities and foreign galleries. Some are held by collectors, private and public institutions, including Château de Villandry and Cercle de l’Union Interalliée, where her paintings are displayed next to Zao Wou-Ki’s.Shen Li is an art critic and a retired professor at Fudan University’s School of Foreign Languages and Literature.
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		<link>http://www.shanghaidaily.com/sunday/art/Largest-exhibition-of-Lin-Fengmian-and-Wu-Guanzhong-provides-a-feast-of-art/shdaily.shtml</link>
		<title>Largest exhibition of Lin Fengmian and Wu Guanzhong provides a feast of art</title>
		<category><![CDATA[Art]]></category>
		<pubDate>Sat, 23 Mar 2024 00:00:56 +0800</pubDate>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Wang Jie]]></dc:creator>
		<description><![CDATA[The largest-ever showcase of two heavyweight painters in China’s modern art history provides a great opportunity for art lovers to experience their portfolios.]]></description>
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		The largest-ever showcase of two heavyweight painters in China’s modern art history provides a great opportunity for art lovers to experience their portfolios.Nearly 100 years ago, Chinese artists wondered where Chinese painting would go, especially in face of the impact and influence of Western culture.However, Lin Fengmian (1900-1991) and Wu Guanzhong (1919-2010) gave their splendid answers under their brushstrokes through combining Western techniques with Eastern esthetics.Held at China Art Museum in Shanghai, “Pictures of China: Artworks by Lin Fengmian and Wu Guanzhong” brings together 200 paintings, sketches and other creations by the two artists during different periods, forming an epic dialogue between the two great masters of the painting world.Both of them studied in France. French arts and culture left a great impact on them, and the exhibition, running through May 5, is one of the events marking the China-France Year of Culture and Tourism.The artistic path of Lin and Wu began in the East, fused with the West, and then influenced the world with a mutual understanding of Eastern and Western civilizations.Lin, a prominent figure in 20th-century Chinese art, is renowned for his role in founding modern art education in China and pioneering the modern art movement in the country.“The value of a person is built on the foundation of morality. Therefore, an artist must also strive to be a person of moral integrity,” Lin once said.In his personal life, he exuded gentleness and humility, calmly tutored his students and gracefully accepted misunderstandings or critiques from his peers toward his art. Lin’s art was much ahead of his time, and he never abandoned his art path.A lover of literature, he valued much in contemplation. His works are refined in style and rich in content, conveying a nuanced expression of sorrow.He also extensively absorbed “nutrients” from various folk arts and reinterpreted Cubism’s free handling of time and space through Chinese opera.Lin is widely recognized for his status in the pinnacle of the Western and Eastern art world.Wu, Lin’s student, aimed to explore his own art path based on Lin’s concept of fusing the Western and Eastern art.Wu’s contributions extended across diverse domains, encompassing painting, writing, art criticism and education. In his quest to modernize traditional Chinese painting and nationalize oil painting, Wu forged a new paradigm for ink art and a fresh perspective for Chinese oil painting.Wu opened a new chapter in modern-style ink painting. Though not as refined in brushwork as traditional ink painting, his paintings radiate an impressive Eastern charm. His unconventional assertions, such as “brush and ink values zero,” shattered monotony in the Chinese art world with a new expressive art language.
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		<link>http://www.shanghaidaily.com/sunday/art/Multitudinous-works-of-art-within-reach/shdaily.shtml</link>
		<title>Multitudinous works of art within reach</title>
		<category><![CDATA[Art]]></category>
		<pubDate>Sat, 16 Mar 2024 00:00:36 +0800</pubDate>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Wang Jie]]></dc:creator>
		<description><![CDATA[“Art within Reach II” is on display at APSMUSUEM through May 24.]]></description>
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		“Art within Reach II” is on display at APSMUSUEM through May 24. The exhibition, which is curated by Xu Zidong, a leading literary expert in China, features 21 works by 20 artists, including well-known figures like Zhan Wang, Richard Long, Damien Hirst and Zhou Xiaohu.“‘Art Within Reach I’ focused more on interior environments, while ‘Art Within Reach II’ is a step forward, searching for the connection between interior and exterior spaces, between family and nature,” Xu said.The exhibits include artificial rocks, a red-capped mushroom replica, framed insect fragments, a pot-belly-shaped vase and footprints in the desert.“Four broad categories — beautiful, sublime, parodic, and ugly — are frequently used in college textbooks to categorize esthetic standards from ancient times to the present,” Xu noted.“Traditional art tends to focus more on the sublime and the beautiful, but the ludicrous and the ugly are more accepted in contemporary art,” he added. “At least in this exhibition, we attempted to ask the question: ‘Can contemporary art not be beautiful at the same time that it is abstract, challenging and subversive?’”A good example of this is the artificial rocks by Zhan, a prominent Chinese modern artist.The series began in 1995. Zhan created stainless steel copies of “scholar’s rocks,” which are typically seen on the desks or in the gardens of Chinese intellectuals. The mirrored stainless surfaces address the merging of human and environmental history, as well as our relationship to urban and natural settings.One of the highlights is Giovanni Ozzola’s daunting canvas titled “Trino.”Ozzola was born in Florence in 1982 but lives and works in the Canary Islands. He is a multidisciplinary artist who works with photography, video and more traditional media like engraving on slate or sculpture casting.Obsessed with the traces of life in time, he wants to communicate the existence and nothingness embodied in these traces through literary means.Rather than depicting the borders between humans and nature, the artist excels at creating a frozen moment.Visitors watching his art tend to avoid the rush and bustle of reality. His work has become a portal to what is happening beneath the world, deep in the water, high above the sky or deep within the soul.Another noteworthy piece is “In Extremis No. 11” by Chinese artist Zhao Zhao.The piece depicts a flat, gilded cat sleeping on the ground. The artist creates a tranquil and pious atmosphere in the work that deals with the themes of life and death.Zhao once saw a cat get hit by a car on the road. Cats, in his opinion, are mysterious animals who roam the streets and neighborhoods looking for food. But they have no notion, especially when confronted with metropolitan perils.The exhibition includes several amusing pieces. Zhanna Kadyrova, a Ukrainian artist, created a bubble-sleeve garment. The adaptability and symbolism of urban building materials are influences on her work. As a result, her art features tiles, glass, stone and concrete. In this piece, the artist uses secondhand, colorful ceramic tiles that were previously utilized in businesses and cafes in Brazil.Chihiro Nakahara’s “Vegetable Head-Andrei” is a sculpture based on the persona shown in the artist’s paintings. Andrei, a teenager, has a reddish face covered in veggies. Andrei, who has always been a vegetarian, cultivates veggies slowly and carefully, watering them with lake water so that he can eat them all year.
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		<link>http://www.shanghaidaily.com/sunday/people/Foreignborn-Dean-of-Shandong-explores-Chinese-traditions-in-modern-context/shdaily.shtml</link>
		<title>Foreign-born ‘Dean of Shandong’ explores Chinese traditions in modern context</title>
		<category><![CDATA[People]]></category>
		<pubDate>Sat, 09 Mar 2024 00:00:14 +0800</pubDate>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[]]></dc:creator>
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		Q: How did your friends respond to your job as a dean at Shandong University from 2017 to 2022?A: There were different reactions. My Chinese friends generally thought it was an excellent opportunity to learn about the Chinese system from the inside because I had written a book about the idea of political meritocracy. But it was more based on my experience at Tsinghua University, where many academic discussions were about how to train future leaders. So finally, I was given this wonderful opportunity to learn about how these kinds of ideas of how political meritocracy or academic meritocracy might work from the inside.It’s also, perhaps, a Confucian-influence view that a desirable form of life involves serving the community, or sometimes, we say in Chinese, wei renmin fuwu (serving the people). For Confucians, the highest form of life involves serving as a public official. That’s probably why, generally speaking, in Chinese academic institutions, it is considered to be an honor serving in the university as an academic administrator. The term yuanzhang (dean) sounds very positive, even to non-academics.In English, the term “dean” doesn’t really have the same positive resonance, and actually, many academics in the West would much prefer to have free time to read, write books and teach — often seeking to avoid administration. So that’s why many of my Western friends were actually saying: “Why would you want to do this? It will take time away from your research.” They didn’t quite get it.Q: From your experience as a professor and dean at Chinese universities, do you have advice for Chinese universities eager to pursue global prestige?A: I think there’s sometimes a bit too much emphasis on global prestige and global rankings. In the hard sciences, I guess people prefer to rank themselves internationally, and there’s one kind of widely accepted standard for what counts as good research, and you publish in the leading journals, like Nature and so on.But in the humanities, sometimes it’s important to have a very good understanding of one’s own culture. It’s hard to mark that against international standards. China is one of the few countries in the world where there’s more support and funding for the humanities. Partly, it’s because for much of the 20th century, China’s own traditions were devalued, and it came time to re-evaluate them in academic research.It’s still important to compare one’s own traditions with other traditions abroad, so there is much comparative work we can do. For example, how Confucianism compares with liberalism, socialism, feminism and so on.Now back to your question. Well, Chinese universities do try to improve their international rankings. Sometimes that means professors feel pressured to publish in leading English journals that often are viewed more favorably in these international rankings.Now that’s both good and bad. Some professors are not really trained in English, and so it’s harder for them to compete. On the other hand, we are lucky that China has such a large academic market. We have our own way of assessing journals and academic contributions in Chinese.Q: You mentioned in your book that the West has a strong missionary impulse, dating from the early days of Christianity, to export ideas of morality and politics abroad. What do you think is a more sensible approach?A: The mainstream Chinese approach to religion and tradition is actually much more inclusive. Though it could be Confucian, Buddhist, Taoist or even Christian, it’s not necessarily viewed as all or nothing.Over the course of one’s life, one could prioritize different kinds of cultural traditions in different stages. But in the West, there’s a view that typically comes from the Christian tradition that there’s only one true and universal religious system.If you partake of that view, then you have to try to export it to the rest of the world, sometimes by force, such as the Crusades in the Middle Ages. That view is no longer so strong in the West, but there is still this kind of legacy that our view about morality and politics is the one universal view that should be exported abroad by whatever means, sometimes including military means.That’s a very dangerous view. My own view is that we do have some universal values. For example: Don’t kill innocent people. Don’t torture people. Slavery is bad. There are also what we call positive rights, like rights to basic material well-being. And it’s OK to try to universalize those rights. But on how to select political leaders and how to organize one’s economy — those can be very particular in different cultures and societies.I think it’s very dangerous if the West seeks to export those kinds of values. At the very least, there should be more serious effort to understand the political ideals that often motivate people here in China.Q: You mentioned in your book that there is nothing wrong with promoting Chinese ideas abroad so that foreigners can better understand what’s going on in China, but this should be done in the right way. Could you elaborate?A: Sometimes it’s the low-hanging fruit of how to translate some of the terms and ideas. In my book, I discuss translation issues for the term “harmony,” or he (和), in Chinese. There’s clear distinction between he and tong (同), like junzi he er bu tong, or “exemplary persons pursue diversity in harmony but not sameness/uniformity/conformity (tong).” This saying from the “Analects of Confucius” is well known to all Chinese intellectuals.So we can translate he as “diversity in harmony” rather than uniformity, sameness or even conformity. But in the West, there’s not that clear distinction between he and tong.So when people in the West hear that China values harmony, they often think that it means that everybody should try to think and act in the same way. It’s almost exactly the opposite meaning of he.That’s why we should translate terms in a way that doesn’t lead to such misunderstandings because clearly the Chinese idea of he values and, in fact, celebrates diversity.So those are some of the terms that literally are lost in translation. There are lots of things that need to be improved in intercultural communication.Q: Do you think Confucianism is still important for China or the rest of the world, for that matter? What should be done to spread its message?A: Confucianism is one of many traditions in China, and it’s the one that has been most influential, at least politically. It was devalued for much of the 20th century, because Chinese intellectual reformers blamed it for China’s poverty and relative backwardness compared with Western countries. But more recently, there’s a view that countries with Confucian heritage, including China, South Korea and Singapore, actually developed quite rapidly in an orderly and peaceful way. And maybe Confucian heritage has something to do with that.For example, Confucianism is a very diverse tradition but, generally speaking, it’s this-worldly. And it promotes constant self-improvement, with high value placed upon education and concern for future generations. All these values probably contribute to a relatively peaceful and orderly form of modernization.The Confucian tradition should not be studied in isolation. In China, it has often been mixed with other traditions, including Buddhism and Taoism. It’s important to examine these traditions. If the concern is intellectual history, fine. You just look at what people said and why they said it. But if the concern is about thinking what lessons Confucianism offers today, then it’s important to interpret these traditions in a comparative context. And sometimes the traditions need to be modernized in a way that adheres to central values.Q: Could you talk about your academic pursuits this year?A: I’m now at the University of Hong Kong, where I am writing a book and teaching. If you really want to promote ancient traditions, including Confucianism, in a way that engages modern university students, it’s best if we present them as though they are part of larger debates. I’m trying to show that fascinating ancient debates on issues like what counts as a “just war” or how to minimize corruption in government are still relevant today.I’m currently writing a book showing how these debates in the Warring States Period (475-221 BC) are diverse and engaging, but also have some lessons for dealing with contemporary challenges.Q: Do you already have a title for the book?A: Probably the title will be “Talking about Politics,” with the subtitle “Why Ancient Chinese Political Debates Matter Today.” I hope to finish a draft this year.
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		<link>http://www.shanghaidaily.com/sunday/art/Pudong-museum-sheds-light-on-convulsive-beauty-of-Surrealism/shdaily.shtml</link>
		<title>Pudong museum sheds light on ‘convulsive beauty’ of Surrealism</title>
		<category><![CDATA[Art]]></category>
		<pubDate>Sat, 24 Feb 2024 00:00:17 +0800</pubDate>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Wang Jie]]></dc:creator>
		<description><![CDATA[This year marks the 100th anniversary of the publication of the “Surrealist Manifesto,” written by poet André Breton.]]></description>
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		This year marks the 100th anniversary of the publication of the “Surrealist Manifesto,” written by poet André Breton.The Museum of Art Pudong is holding “Fantastic Visions: 100 Years of Surrealism from the National Galleries of Scotland,” featuring more than 100 major works by over 50 artists, including some of the world’s most important Surrealists such as Salvador Dalí, René Magritte, Max Ernst, Joan Miró, Leonora Carrington and Dorothea Tanning.All the works come from the collection of the National Galleries of Scotland, ranging from painting, sculpture, paper rubbings, collage and photography to manuscripts and books.Surrealism, one of the most influential art movements of the 20th century, is known for unleashing imagination and unconventional means of expression.The rise in Surrealism was a response to the horrors of war and the ongoing threats presented by the modern world. Artists resorted to psychic automatism, emphasizing the importance of the subconscious mind in artistic creation.Inspired by the psychoanalytic writings of Sigmund Freud, Surrealist artists gave up conventional techniques and explored the subconscious.Dadaism and Surrealism laid a foundation for later emerging movements such as Abstract Expressionism and Pop Art.The exhibition is divided into three periods: “1916-1929 From Dada to Surrealism,” “1930-1938 Surrealism Expands” and “1939-Late 20th Century Surrealism in Exile and The Post-War Period.”The exhibition sheds light on the “convulsive beauty,” as Breton put it.“Lobster Telephone” by Dalí and Edward James, one of the most celebrated works of Surrealist art, is an example of “assisted ready-mades:” an ordinary object altered in a specific way to give it a whole new meaning.Another exhibit, Dalí’s painting “Raphaelesque Head Exploding,” demonstrates his “paranoiac-critical method” for reinterpreting reality. His route to the subconscious involved conscious misreading of reality, overturned the accepted understanding of the world by taking paranoid delusions seriously.Magritte used a uniquely heightened realism to depict a Surrealist world. In “The Magic Mirror,” he explored the complex and multilayered relationship between words and images. The appearance of the French words corps humain (human body) in the work suggests an enigmatic interplay between images and words.
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