CHINA DAILY | HONG KONG EDITION Friday, June 5, 2020 | 17 LIFE SHANGHAI Alex Katz Splendor of Jiangnan culture exhibition
Shanghai Museum at Fosun exhibits a rare range of artifacts Foundation with origins from By ZHANG KUN the lower reaches of Fosun Foundation is holding the the Yangtze River, first museumscale exhibition of Zhang Kun reports American artist Alex Katz in China. Featuring more than 30 paint in Shanghai. ings, sculptures and cutout instal lations by the 93yearold artist, the he new exhibition at exhibition is the first art show Fos Shanghai Museum, titled un Foundation is hosting since clos Spring Blowing in the ing because of the COVID19 Wind: Jiangnan Culture outbreak. TArt Exhibition, presents the rich Jiang Kongkong, a spokesperson cultural heritage of the Yangtze Riv with Fosun Foundation, says the er Delta region that spans thou exhibition was initially scheduled to sands of years. open at Fosun Foundation in March The exhibition, which runs from but was postponed because of the May 26 through Aug 23, showcases pandemic. 197 objects, consisting of selected “We are grateful that in this pieces from the collection of Shang moment in time, which will certain hai Museum, as well as those bor ly go down in the history books, we rowed from 15 other museums and are still able to make Alex Katz’s first institutions. major museum show in China a The Chinese phrase jiangnan reality,” Wang Jinyuan, chairwoman literally means “south of the river”, of Fosun Foundation Shanghai, said which specifically refers to the at the opening. “Katz’s exhibition is region south of the lower reaches researcher with Shanghai Museum soothing. This is the unique healing of the Yangtze River, including the and curator of the show. power of art.” southern part of the Yangtze River “We started to make prepara Katz, who was unable to attend Delta. tions for this exhibition in 2018,” Gu the exhibition, conveyed his mes Today, the Yangtze River Delta said during a preview with the sage for the Chinese audience in a has in a sense become synonymous media. “All the departments of video recording. with Jiangnan, according to Yang Shanghai Museum joined hands to “I think my work will resonate Zhigang, director of Shanghai work on this project, and we also here because of the simplistic sub Museum. With Shanghai being the consulted several scholars from ject matter and the artificial refine flagship city in the region, Shang other institutions to help the exhi ment of the technique,” he says. hai Museum has amassed an bition gain a better academic foot “The technique is related to Chi impressive collection and per hold.” nese calligraphy, and it is all done at formed extensive research on the To help audiences enjoy the exhi once. We don’t make a fuss with any history and art of Jiangnan. bition and experience authentic thing. That’s like Chinese calligra “For many years we have been Jiangnan culture and lifestyle, phy. So, I would see the work being dedicated to our role as a custodian Shanghai Museum introduced a easily understood in China.” of traditional Chinese culture and series of new merchandise related One of the most influential US have staged dozens of exhibitions to the objects, artworks and the artists of the 20th century, Katz is in Jiangnan,” Yang says. “It has subjects of the exhibition, such as known around the world for his become our important mission to an embroidered silk pouch for stor unique portraits and landscapes. leverage our rich collection to host age of herbal incense, porcelain tea Jiangnanthemed shows, which sets and even a limited edition of may help to implement the munici Chinese yellow liquors. pal and national strategies promot Top: Visitors view paintings on show at the ongoing Spring Blowing in the Wind: Jiangnan Culture Art The museum hosted a lives ing Jiangnan culture in Shanghai, Exhibition in Shanghai Museum. Above: A bronze oxshaped zun ( wine vessel) of the Southern Song treaming show on the night of May alongside revolutionary culture Dynasty (11271279). PHOTOS BY GAO ERQIANG / CHINA DAILY 26 to promote the exhibition and and modern Haipai culture (Shang the merchandise. Between 7 and 9 haistyle, which features a combi pm, more than 800 sales were nation of Chinese and Western social customs and rituals through Achievements, lays out the econom made during the livestream, raking elements),” he says. If you go ceremonial objects and paintings ic significance of the Yangtze River in more than 90,000 yuan From a pottery sculpture of a depicting the diverse ideology and Delta as well as international trade ($12,700). Many viewers had to domesticated pig dating back more 9 am5 pm, TuesdaySunday, religions in the area. and cultural communications, pre make preorders of certain prod Vivien, a cutout installation than 5,000 years to oil paintings by through Aug 23. 201 Renmin The third chapter, Moral Integri senting fine silk products and ucts because they sold out so quick created by Alex Katz in 2013. artists studying in Europe in the avenue, Huangpu district, ty and Worldly Success, highlights ceramic that were important mer ly. COURTESY OF ALEX KATZ AND GAVIN 1900s, the exhibition presents the Shanghai. 02163723500 great historical figures in the area, chandise on the Maritime Silk Admission to Shanghai Museum BROWN’S ENTERPRISE, NEW YORK / ROME long story of Jiangnan’s cultural from ancient politicians and mar Road. is free from Tuesday to Sunday. Visi development and economic impor shals to philosophers and literati. The exhibits cover such a wide tors to the exhibition will have to He was born in Brooklyn, New tance in five chapters. The fourth chapter, A Pastime of range of categories as ivory, bronze, make reservations on the museum York, in 1927, and began his artistic The first chapter, A Cradle of Val core value highlighting art and cal Grace, displays the interesting jux ceramic, paintings and calligraphy, website or official WeChat account. pursuits in the 1950s, when he bor iant and Intelligent Civilization, ligraphy was evolved. taposition of refined high life and lacquer and furniture, some of rowed stylistic elements from pop features the formation of a distinc The second chapter, A Life of civilian aesthetics. which are on public display for the Contact the writer at art, abstract expressionism and col tive Jiangnan culture, where the Decorum and Freedom, examines The fifth chapter, An Age of New first time, according to Gu Xianzi, a [email protected] or field painting to create his signa ture minimalist aesthetic. Katz’s famous portraits such as Tracy 2001, Trio 2009 and Beach Scene 2013 — all of which are on Making ancient art relevant for modern audiences show at the exhibition — have a flat rendering depleted of volume or for mal details and lighting, opening up By CAO CHEN new possibilities for painting in an [email protected] If you go era dominated by abstract expres sionism. He portrayed the human He Ting and Xiao Han were class 10 am4:30 pm, through July 5. form with simple and clean lines, mates at Shanghai Normal Univer Shanghai Public Art Museum, No flattening both the figure and the sity, where they majored in 125 Guyi road, Xuhui district. background. These portraits are traditional Chinese painting, an often exceptionally large in size and ancient art they were so enthralled heavily influenced by the cinema, with that they decided to make a television, fashion and billboards career out of promoting it in the “We’re lucky to be living in an that arose in the 1960s. modern era. era where the government fully In the 1960s, Katz combined dif After completing their graduate supports the culture industry and ferent aspects of the idea of “life studies, the duo took on jobs, such as is promoting the revival of tradi size” and created a series of cutout art editor or a lecturer at a school for tional Chinese culture. As the installations, which are twodimen the elderly, before realizing that the country develops, artists gain sional images like in his paintings. best way to promote the ancient art more opportunities to spread the But instead of placing them in is to experiment with it themselves, culture both at home and abroad,” frames, he had the human profiles as well as present it in a way that is A folding fan features land says He. and figures cut out and made into relevant to younger generations. scape paintings by He Ting. He is presently working on devel metallic sculptures. The pair, both aged 30, are now PHOTOS PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY oping cultural and creative prod Katz singled out his cutout sculp fulltime artists running their own ucts and online miniprograms to ture installations to the Chinese studios for traditional Chinese inspired by the pure, simple life of Born in the coastal city of Xiang promote art students’ innovative audience, believing they are the paintings. people in the Southern Song shan in Zhejiang province, He fan ideas in the future. most unusual aspect of his work. Traditional Chinese painting, Dynasty (11271279) and the idyllic cies the warm, delicate views of Xiao says he plans to further his “I got involved with the idea of dating back thousands of years, is poems depicting pastoral land Jiangnan water towns. studies in poems and arts history. ‘lifesize’ … which is determined not usually created using ink and scapes and rural life by Chinese In addition to Chinese painting He also wants to travel extensively by measurements but by percep waterbased colors on materials poet Lu You during the Song techniques, He also draws pattern by the time he turns 40. tion. A person 400 yards away is two such as paper or silk. Dynasty (9601279). styles and color designs of Japanese “Traveling expands my knowl inches tall … Hollywood closeup is Despite its long history, He and “That’s my ideal painting style Nihonga and Western paintings, edge and experience beyond the like reality: 20foot head and you Xiao believe that the art, which usu and ideal life in a busy world,” says adding bright tones to the works. metropolis and textbooks, which think it is lifesize,” he says in the ally evokes a sense of an idyllic life Xiao, who has set up a home studio He only chooses light colors from will greatly broaden my horizon video clip, which is projected in the and tranquility, can still be seen as near Huangxing Park in Shanghai Western paintings that can fit into and benefit the creation of artistic exhibition hall. vibrant in today’s busy world. with a window allowing him to the style of Chinese ink. works,” Xiao says. This concept of theirs is now enjoy the sunrise. Xiao depicts the In an attempt to reach a wider The artist also hopes to pursue being showcased in a collection of life he pursues in his paintings, audience, especially younger gener the kind of life depicted in ancient If you go 28 paintings at the Shanghai Public which feature scenes of people ations, He has been sharing his paintings and integrate the essence Art Museum. The ongoing exhibi making tea, reading, and listening works on the popular video stream of these ancient works into his own 10 am6 pm, TuesdaySunday, tion will end on July 5. to birds chirping. ing website Bilibili. creations. closed on Mondays, except for The paintings, designed to fit A round silk fan featuring a Instead of focusing on people To find inspiration, the duo fre “In this way, my real life can be national holidays, through Aug 9. round and folding fans, come in dif traditional Chinese painting by and life, the folding fans decorated quent bookstores, art exhibitions similar to the ideal life in art works, 600 Zhongshan No 2 road, ferent styles. Xiao Han is among the 28 art by He Ting, on the other hand, fea and visit scenic spots, such as and the works I create can show the Huangpu district, Shanghai. Xiao’s paintings are created on works on show at the Shanghai ture paintings that illustrate land Huangshan Mountain in Anhui spirit of both earlier masters as well 02163055119. round spun silk fans. Most are Public Art Museum. scapes, birds and fishes. province, to do sketching. as my own,” he says.