last chinese art class

the final class of our Appreciating Chinese Art class at Lifelong Learning was focused on modern Chinese art.  I think by the very nature of being modern and Chinese would mean it had a lot to "say" about things in the country... post Chairman and in today's political climate- and it did.

The teacher passed around this week's object(s) and they were Chinese red knot tassels for good luck and happiness- two charms - traditional and "modern" -

the more traditional one had Buddha images and the modern one had Mao images (vigorous youthful Mao on one side and the older more Imperial Mao on the other)

the point was to show how things today still reference the past - either Chinese traditions or Western traditions and generally done in a mocking ironic or kitschy way

we went on to some of the most recent big ticket sales in Asian Art Auctions for modern works - here is a really famous one-

it sold for over 7 million -

and another artist referencing the same work -

Then we have this fun work referencing the Chinese "Mona Lisa"-

A Chinese artist has created an updated version of the classic Song Dynasty painting "Along the River During the Qingming Festival" complete with many of modern China's social problems and peculiarities. Unsurprisingly, it's created something of a stir inside Chinese social media.

The original painting, "Along the River During the Qingming Festival" is attributed to the Northern Song Dynasty (960-1127) artist Zhang Zeduan (1085-1145), and has been called China's Mona Lisa (who also could use a makeover). It has been praised not just as art, but as a historical artifact that reveals the lives of the people residing in the capital Bianjing, today's Kaifeng city in Henan Province, including all levels of society, rich and poor, along with their dress and architecture. Maybe, a millennium later, Dai's work can serve the same purpose.

The 25-meter long photograph was created by artist Dai Xiang. CCTV reports that it touches upon some 40 recent social events.

you may remember the original from an earlier post-

You want overzealous chengguan, over-privileged rich kids, or overt sex shops? They are all here, among the hustle and bustle along the river bank copied from the original painting. It's essentially a contemporary China version of everyone's favorite page in Highlights.

Dai says it took him two and a half years to complete at a cost of nearly 80,000 RMB and involves photographs from more than 1,000 people.  'I want to present thought-provoking topics to interact with the reality and that are based on the attitude of pushing the society forward,” Dai added.

Then we went on to another famous artist- Miao Xiaochun

Microcosm gives Hieronymus Bosch’s 15th century masterpiece The Garden of Earthly Delights a distinctive modern spin. Ancient allegories that have become obscure to us are replaced with symbols and analogies of the current era. Miao uses digital and computer languages to depict an imaginative world we can understand, but also adds details to create mystery.

Miao Xiaochun also creates 3D animated and projected works that are constructed using computer technology and are at the cutting edge of new media. In his work, “The Last Judgement in Cyberspace”, Miao Xiaochun appropriates Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel fresco, as a metaphor for the sins of development and consumerism in present day China. Miao has built a virtual model of the “Last Judgement” by replacing each of the 400 figures in the original with his own sculptured form. The silvery figures are modelled on Miao’s naked body using 3D modelling technology and are placed in corresponding poses and positions to the original painting. He also creates different versions from varying viewpoints, such as looking down or from the side, to model the spatial arrangement of the figures in the original fresco. Miao positions the audience as saints looking down from above and ‘the damned’ if looking up from below, it is perhaps a timely reminder about the consequences of the ‘sins’ of the present day.

 Michelangelo “The Last Judgment”, 1537-1541, The Sistine Chapel, Vatican City, Fresco

“The Last Judgement in Cyberspace – the Front View”, 2006, 

Then of course we had to see at least one work by Ai Weiwei - his works “represent a coherent exploration of Chinese culture, history and material and, alongside Ai’s relentless campaigning for free speech and human rights, have been instrumental in establishing him as an artist of international standing.” - Adrian Locke

Here are some interesting images of his porcelain works-

and this one I recognized as referring to some of my own photographs from temples along the way-

and of course we saw the anti-propaganda art form so easily recognized in the style of various "schools" of art - Soviet Propaganda posters - Andy Warhol stuff etc... a very interesting class-

Here the subjects are a standard trinity of military, farmer, and factory worker- and the weapon they yield is the pen....

the Soviet influence is clear but just in case you missed the era where they were tight here is a poster that was really used to promote the friendship

and I will end with another version of the Chinese knot from the beginning of this post- LOL

I am so happy to have been able to make it to this very enlightening class at Lifelong Learning Academy - despite having a really tight schedule for class days because it is inconveniently located in a temple on the south side of Sarasota - it was worth it to learn so much in such a few classes- just enough to whet our appetites!

After this I will try to get some of the intro work we have done in my Skyscrapers- from Chicago to Shanghai class at the Ringling College (this one is 15 weeks so we are just warming up LOL) #wedokeepbusy

more on Chinese Art

So in our third class on Appreciating Chinese Art we discovered the language of ceramics...

The object we began with looked like a teapot with no lid- it has a small flower shaped hole in the bottom and a spout with the mouth of a dragon or serpent.

it was a copy of a famous one and the above are two nearly identical to the one our teacher brought for us to examine. The glaze is the extremely popular Celadon which is supposed to bring good fortune like the jade it resembles in color.

We also learned about the symbols of the ceramic decorations and the popular choices over the various dynasties- for instance - the pot shown above is decorated with the mythical phoenix - many items have the dragon (which when it is five-toed is a symbol of royalty).

When they began to get cobalt from the middle east from trade along the silk route they started making porcelain with blue and white glaze- something that became the rage the world over!

below vases decorated for export to the middle east as they have no figures but a lot of design elements in  repetitive patterns

some blanc de chine figures - another pillar of Chinese Ceramics- symbolizing purity

here are a few notes I made along the way - while viewing many ceramic and porcelain works form a number of dynasties-

The dragon is a force for good
The tiger is to ward off evil
The femme rose color palette is made up of sage green, rose and cream
The three friends of winter theme are exemplified by the pine and plum and bamboo (which symbolize- perseverance, steadfastness and resilience)
The peony is for love and beauty and good fortune
The bat is a good symbol
Peaches denote immortality

The Qilin is mythical creature made from several types of animals and is the Chinese version of a Unicorn and symbolizes good luck. The qilin is a mythical hooved chimerical creature said to appear with the imminent arrival or passing of a sage or illustrious ruler. It is a good omen thought to occasion prosperity or serenity. It is often depicted with what looks like fire all over its body. (wikipedia)

Here are some examples I culled from the Internet-

The three color ceramics which use green brown and cream and feature horses and camels are from the TANG dynasty

Some of the themes we explored that run through Chinese art were:

• Respect for  Learning
• Respect for Ancestors and History
• Importance of Trade
• Unity (Tea)
• Ambivalence about Outsiders
• Subversion of Tradition

The last class explored modern Chinese art and was a lot of fun stuff- including a guy who creates paintings with gun powder - so stay tuned for the next post...

school in session

Last year I took a class at Lifelong Learning Academy on Asian mysteries- we read six of them and while I didn't love every one of the books I did like the teacher very much. So when I saw she was teaching a course on Appreciating Chinese Art this term I signed up immediately.

We started with an exploration of a painting that is known as the Chinese "Mona Lisa" and she asked us to describe what we thought the painting would look like.... so first we made a lists of the things that were special about the Mona Lisa and then we made a list of characteristics of what a Chinese Mona Lisa might be like.

She told us a story of having seen this painting on exhibition while visiting Hong Kong... a long line, timed entry and limited time with the actual painting.  She described her experience as being so rushed and crowded that it wasn't pleasant (like trying to see the Mona Lisa LOL) but they did give her a small reproduction of the painting as a memento of the visit. 

And after we made our list she passed around her souvenir copy of the painting.  And we all laughed...

Of course we had an inkling that our viewpoint of "masterpiece" was skewed to Western culture but little did we know how much until we saw the painting-

Along the River During the Qingming Festival - Painting by Zhang Zeduan

from- wikipedia:
Along the River During the Qingming Festival, also known by its Chinese name as the Qingming Shanghe Tu, is a painting by the Song dynasty artist Zhang Zeduan (1085–1145). It captures the daily life of people and the landscape of the capital, Bianjing (present-day Kaifeng) during the Northern Song. The theme is often said to celebrate the festive spirit and worldly commotion at the Qingming Festival, rather than the holiday's ceremonial aspects, such as tomb sweeping and prayers. Successive scenes reveal the lifestyle of all levels of the society from rich to poor as well as different economic activities in rural areas and the city, and offer glimpses of period clothing and architecture. The painting is considered to be the most renowned work among all Chinese paintings, and it has been called "China's Mona Lisa."

As an artistic creation, the piece has been revered and court artists of subsequent dynasties made re-interpretive versions, each following the overall composition and the theme of the original but differing in details and technique. Over the centuries, the Qingming scroll was collected and kept among numerous private owners, before it eventually returned to public ownership. The painting was a particular favorite of Puyi, the Last Emperor, who took the Song dynasty original with him when he left Beijing. It was re-purchased in 1945 and kept at the Palace Museum in the Forbidden City. The Song dynasty original and the Qing versions, in the Beijing and Taipei Palace Museums respectively, are regarded as national treasures and are exhibited only for brief periods every few years

The Song original scroll is 10 inches tall and 17 feet 3 inches long. In its length there are 814 humans, 28 boats, 60 animals, 30 buildings, 20 vehicles, 8 sedan chairs, and 170 trees. Only about twenty women appear in the Song dynasty original, and only women of low social rank are visible out of doors unless accompanied by men.  The countryside and the densely populated city are the two main sections in the picture, with the river meandering through the entire length. The right section is the rural area of the city. There are crop fields and unhurried rural folk—predominately farmers, goatherds, and pig herders—in bucolic scenery. 

A country path broadens into a road and joins with the city road. The left half is the urban area, which eventually leads into the city proper with the gates. Many economic activities, such as people loading cargoes onto the boat, shops, and even a tax office, can be seen in this area. People from all walks of life are depicted: peddlers, jugglers, actors, paupers begging, monks asking for alms, fortune tellers and seers, doctors, innkeepers, teachers, millers, metalworkers, carpenters, masons, and official scholars from all ranks.

The bridge scene where the crew of an oncoming boat have not yet fully lowered their sails and are in danger of crashing into the bridge. Outside the city proper (separated by the gate to the left), there are businesses of all kinds, selling wine, grain, secondhand goods, cookware, bows and arrows, lanterns, musical instruments, gold and silver, ornaments, dyed fabrics, paintings, medicine, needles, and artifacts, as well as many restaurants. The vendors extend all along the great bridge, called the Rainbow Bridge or, more rarely, the Shangtu Bridge.

Where the great bridge crosses the river is the center and main focus of the scroll. A great commotion animates the people on the bridge. A boat approaches at an awkward angle with its mast not completely lowered, threatening to crash into the bridge. The crowds on the bridge and along the riverside are shouting and gesturing toward the boat. Someone near the apex of the bridge lowers a rope to the outstretched arms of the crew below. In addition to the shops and diners, there are inns, temples, private residences, and official buildings varying in grandeur and style, from huts to mansions with grand front- and backyards.

People and commodities are transported by various modes: wheeled wagons, beasts of labor (in particular, a large number of donkeys and mules), sedan chairs, and chariots. The river is packed with fishing boats and passenger-carrying ferries, with men at the river bank, pulling the larger ships.

Many of these details are roughly corroborated by Song dynasty writings, principally the Dongjing Meng Hua Lu, which describes many of the same features of life in the capital.

It is quite the painting! And obviously the emphasis on the culture and society of all versus the focus on an individual is one of the most striking differences between the Western Mona Lisa and the Chinese Mona Lisa :-)

here is a link where you can scroll through the whole 17 feet 3 inches but below are some details from the scroll -

http://www.comuseum.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/qing-court_qingming-shanghe-tu.jpg

here is a waaay coool "animated" close up video on YouTube of the Qing dynasty version of the Song dynasty scroll-

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mwMwDYEfMy0

they have even made it into a 3D animated giant screen version which you can find as well-

many detailed photos exist if you want to check them out- but here are a couple - one of the palace and one of the central bridge in the town...

a really fun class - we saw many later versions of the subject matter- each had its own take on the classic...

for our next class we did Religious Art and the focus was on the Dunhuang Cave of 1,000 Buddhas...

We learned about the difference between Buddhas and Bodhisattvas and Apsaras - and saw some amazing things from the temple caves which are located along the ancient Silk Route. 

The caves were carved by hand starting 1,700 years ago.  From the 4th to the 14th century, hundreds of caves were painstakingly hand carved out of the alluvial conglomerate rock cliff face, under the sponsorship of Buddhist monks, local officials, and wealthy families who wished to build karmic merit and perform an act of veneration. Nearly 500 of the elaborately decorated caves remain today.

They contain the world’s largest collection of Buddhist art.  The decorated caves’ walls and ceilings, totaling close to 500,000 square feet, are covered by elaborate paintings depicting stories of the Buddha, Buddhist sutras, portraits of cave donors, ornamental designs, and scenes of social and commercial life. The caves also contain more than 2,000 brightly painted clay sculptures of the Buddha and other figures, the largest sculpture being over 100 feet tall.

“Caves of the Thousand Buddhas”  According to legend, in 366 C.E. a monk named Yuezun had a vision of a thousand radiant Buddhas on the cliff face, which inspired him to begin excavating the caves. Today there are many more than a thousand painted and sculpted Buddhas within the caves.

The caves were carved by hand starting 1,700 years ago. From the 4th to the 14th century, hundreds of caves were painstakingly hand carved out of the alluvial conglomerate rock cliff face, under the sponsorship of Buddhist monks, local officials, and wealthy families who wished to build karmic merit and perform an act of veneration. Nearly 500 of the elaborately decorated caves remain today.

The world’s earliest printed dated book was discovered there. The Diamond Sutra, the earliest and complete printed book with an attested date (868), is among the most notable documents found in the Library Cave. Using carved wooden blocks, the book was printed onto strips of paper that were then pasted together to form a scroll. The text is a Chinese translation from Sanskrit of a highly regarded Buddhist sutra, and is now part of the collection of the British Library.

The caves’ remote location helped them survive.  Despite their great age, the sculptures and wall paintings in the Dunhuang caves remain remarkably well preserved, thanks in part to the dry desert climate and their remote location.

all this and more can be found at this website on the 2016 exhibition -

http://www.getty.edu/research/exhibitions_events/exhibitions/cave_temples_dunhuang/index.html

so two good classes and up next were ceramics and then current Chinese art trends... a terrific class with a lot of information that was new to me... never having studied Chinese art - despite being an Art History minor in college (think of the western - center of the universe perspective and you will figure out that we focused more on those works than any from the East...)

so stay tuned for more Chinese Art info and then a beginning of the skyscraper materials for my regular university class... don't want you to feel left out LOL...