18 Tuesday, March 13, 2018 LIFE CHINA DAILY HONG KONG EDITION MODERN MASTERPIECES Rare works by Zhang Daqian and other Chinese masters amassed by an art collecting couple in California are going on display ahead of auction. Deng Zhangyu reports.
collection of paint ings and calligraphy featuring works by Zhang Daqian (18991983), A one of the most prodigious Chinese artists of the 20th century, as well as by many other Chinese masters, will go on public display at the Asia Week New York art event, which opens on Thursday. The works have been stored at the China Art Center in Carmel in California for more than 30 years by the Chew family, who enjoyed a close relationship with Zhang from the mid 1960s. Most of the 76 works of Chi nese paintings and calligraphy from the family collection were amassed by couple Thomas and Joan Chew dur ing the 1960s and 1970s, and of these, 11 pieces were gifts from their close friend, Chinese ink master Zhang Daqian. In the mid1960s, Zhang left Brazil and relocated to Califor nia. Before he finally settled down to live in Monterey county, he made frequent vis its to Carmel, a place known for its rich artistic history and where Zhang formed his long friendship with the Chews aft er spending weeks on end at Dolores Lodge, a guesthouse Above: Zhang Daqian painting at Dolores Lodge, a guesthouse operated by the Chew family in the mid1960s. Right and bottom right: A operated by the couple. Myna Under Banana Leaf by Qi Baishi, and Landscapes After Song and Yuan Masters by Qing Dynasty (16441911) painter Yun Shouping Joan Chew, or Wu Zhongy are among the exhibits on show. PHOTOS PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY ing, was the youngest daugh ter of general Wu Luzhen, who University in 1999, Zhang followed China’s founding produced a work painted father Sun Yatsen in his push onto fiberglass, attracted by to establish a Chinese repub the surface of the material’s lic. Born into a prominent resemblance to rice paper. family, Wu was surrounded by However, the artist soon gave Chinese art from a young age. up on the idea of using the After marrying Thomas Chew, medium after hurting his fin the couple ran a business gers, since he largely painted importing and exporting Chi using his fingers. This was nese art and antiques, before the only work he produced setting up the China Art Cen using fiberglass. ter in Carmel to house their Besides Zhang’s work, the collections. collection includes some Their entire collection of art ancient ink paintings collect has largely remained under ed by Zhang and sold to the wraps at the China Art Center Chews. The couple’s own and has seldom been seen by artistic vision for their collec anyone other than a handful tion is also evident, as seen in of family friends over the dec Water and Sky Gazing After Rain, a largeformat splashed color painting by Zhang Daqian. The work, their acquisition of works by ades. a typical one representing Zhang’s style and his technique of splashing paint and ink, was acquired by Chinese masters such as “The China Art Center was a the Chew couple immediately after Zhang completed it in 1968. ancient painter Dong small gallery but it played a Qichang, calligrapher Wen significant role in the career of Zhenming, as well as modern Zhang Daqian as he transi immediately after Zhang com son, a close friend of the masters such as Qi Baishi and tioned into life in California, pleted it in 1968. daughter. Frances Chew once Xu Beihong. Zhang even where he lived in the 1960s Fang Xian, head of Sothe studied Chinese painting inscribed some of the couple’s and 1970s, which were among by’s Classical Chinese paint under Zhang. ancient paintings. his most creative and produc The China Art ings sales in New York, says it Apart from this largefor Before the exhibition in tive years,” says Arnold Chang, is rare to find a splashed color mat work, other works from New York, the collection an expert on Chinese painting Center was a small work by Zhang of these Zhang include folding fans toured San Francisco and Los and a friend of Zhang. He once dimensions, which is about 2 painted with landscapes and Angeles, where it attracted visited the China Art Center to gallery but it meters long. Many of Zhang’s poems, and a painting depict many art lovers, says Fang. see Zhang’s works in the works of this type were much ing peaches on which Zhang “Zhang has big influence in 1990s. played a significant smaller and normally painted inscribed good wishes for the these areas of the US because The highlight of the gifts the role in the career on cardboard. Chew couple’s 60th birthdays, many local galleries have held couple received from Zhang is The entire collection is due featuring landscapes and fig his solo shows. He also had a Water and Sky Gazing After of Zhang Daqian.” to be auctioned at Sotheby’s on ures. There is even a unique close relationship with many Rain in Splashed Color, a work March 22. The proceeds from work that saw Zhang attempt American artists and photog typical of Zhang’s style and his Arnold Chang, expert on the auction will go to two to paint on fiberglass for the raphers, which brought him technique of splashing paint Chinese painting trusts that Frances Chew, the first time. wide recognition,” says Fang. and ink. He developed his Chew couple’s only daughter, According to a catalog for iconic style after an eye dis The work, a largeformat set up before her death in 2017, an exhibition of Zhang’s Contact the writer at ease prevented him from splashed color painting, was to help those in need in Car work held at the Fine Arts dengzhangyu@ painting in finer detail. acquired by the Chew couple mel, according to Anne Wil Center at San Francisco State chinadaily.com.cn Afterschool art classes could ease academic pressure
By WANG KAIHAO among children. work at this time. This has led equipped with a knowledge of and a copybook. He promoted [email protected] Xu, head of the China Acad to a rise in the number of child fine art, Xu argues. a textbook introducing emy of Art in Hangzhou, Zheji care centers and cram classes “We cannot always force ancient Chinese fine art clas Freeing elementary stu ang province, says: “Education popping up, which often lack more knowledge into chil sics as far back as a decade ago dents from their overwhelm does put pressure on many proper supervision. dren’s minds. Good values can in Zhejiang province. ing academic burden has students. But we need to get Yu Minhong, CEO of New be gained through their feel However, Xu also warns become a widely discussed rid of redundancy.” Oriental Education & Technol ings for fine Chinese culture.” that if fine art education is pro issue during the two sessions He says the introduction of ogy Group, says, “Teaching a This will also help to build moted in the wrong way, it underway in Beijing. extracurricular activities at 6yearold child something more “cultural selfconfi could place even more of a One political adviser has schools should not be pro that should be learned at the dence”, Xu says. “Once the new burden on students. proposed to use this as an longed. “Fine art education, age of 15” goes against the prin generation grows up in this He called for the introduction opportunity to improve basic which is essential for children’s ciples of human development. kind of environment, they will of activities that help to relieve levels of understanding about mental development, needs “Fine art is a good way to fill be proud to be Chinese no pressure and make children Chinese fine art at schools more emphasis,” he says. in afterclass time and resolve matter where in the world “happy”, stressing that no exams throughout the country. He says the practice of tradi the problem,” Xu says. “Extra they travel to in the future.” would be required for these Xu Jiang, a member of the tional Chinese fine art forms Xu Jiang, head of the China Academy of Art in Hangzhou, says fine art curricular activities need to be Xu is well known for his classes. Education departments 13th National Committee of such as calligraphy, or the education for children needs more emphasis. ZHU XINGXIN / CHINA DAILY organized by schools rather push to revive traditional Chi in different provinces could tai the Chinese People’s Political appraisal of ancient Chinese than being controlled by unreg nese culture in education. The lor their plans according to their Consultative Conference, says poetry, would be a good way to appreciate artistic beauty. es at many elementary schools ulated institutions off campus.” first things he gives to a fresh own situation, in order to avoid this could be a way of enhanc help children nurture more Education Minister Chen end at 3:30 pm, the parents of Therefore, more elementary man at the China Academy of promoting a uniform model ing cultural selfconfidence refined tastes and better Baosheng says that while class the students do not finish school teachers should be Art are two writing brushes nationwide, Xu says.