Archive for March 15th, 2015

  • Discovering the real art of a new culture

    China’s art sector is probably one of the most dynamic today since Chinese artists are constantly re-imagining the boundaries of art as they question their country’s role in the world. These artistic works can be viewed in the several popular art districts, key galleries and museums which are located in various areas around China.

    751D Park – Beijing

    I had thought that a visit to Beijing would only comprise an itinerary to historical sites. Therefore, this bustling contemporary art centre proved to be quite a surprise.

    Having been transformed from an industrial plant into an artistic hub, 751D Park boasts an area of 40,000 square meters and is now a very renowned area for art lovers. Its distinguished Bauhaus-style architecture has succeeded to blend harmoniously with the places’s new character which now houses many art galleries, bookshops, cafes and restaurants.

    Although I am not an avid art enthusiast, a stroll around the various shops and art exhibitions of this park served as a portal to another facet of China and its culture. Each outlet provided the opportunity to discover and purchase works of unique styles, original designs and ultimate creativity.

    Liu Fei - An enchanting war (1) - Photo by Fiona VellaI was particularly captivated by Liu Fei’s artistic exhibition named ‘An Enchanting War’. The artist described his sharp creations as his contemplation of future wars. Through them, he attempted to engage in social and political life in order to express his distaste and criticism on war. His main theme examined whether future warfare would be a performance of pretences? In his strong and bizarre artworks, there was no boundary between beauty and ugliness, and violence and contention were combined cruelly.

    The National Art Museum of China – Beijing

    The National Art Museum of China is dedicated to collection, research and exhibitions of modern and contemporary artistic works in China. Although this structure started to be constructed in 1958 and was open to the public in 1963, its architecture features the traditional Chinese style as the main building is roofed with yellow glazed tiles and surrounded by corridors and pavilions.

    This museum covers an area of more than 18,000 square meters and it includes 17 exhibition halls throughout its 5 storeys. It prides itself with more than 100,000 pieces of various collections, most of which are representative works of different periods and great artworks of Chinese art masters from the end of the 19th century till today.

    Artist Liu Xia besides her work at the National Art Museum of China - Photo by Fiona VellaSince its establishment, this national museum has organized thousands of various artistic exhibitions which reflect the development of Chinese art. These activities have attracted millions of visitors each year and so this museum has also served as a significant platform for the artists involved.

    During my visit, amongs its selection of expositions, this museum was holding the exhibition ‘Beautiful China: Call of Humanism’ which entailed the First National Fine Art Exhibition to help the disabled. The ensemble of 200 pieces of artworks included masterpieces of top artists of the contemporary art world,as well as works of disabled calligraphers and painters. Funds from the sales of these artworks were collected in order to assist the needs of the thousands of disabled Chinese individuals.

    M50 – Shanghai

    50 Moganshan Road or M50 art district as it is more popularly known, was a former textile mill in central Shanghai which has now been converted into a major zone of artistic galleries and exhibition spaces.

    This quarter started to become popular with artists in the year 2000 when the first individuals were initially attracted by the cheap rent of the disused industrial space. Soon, other artists followed suit and nowadays this complex has become known for its trendy and high art quality.

    Outdoor sculptures at 751D Park - Photo by Fiona VellaArt lovers who visit this place get a chance to enjoy and purchase some fantastic and unusual works directly from the artists themselves. The allure of this zone lies in the variety of displayed works using several mediums.Prices range from affordable to really expensive but one is expected to negotiate.

    Popular with both local and international visitors, this art quarter is unpretentious but interesting and often thought provoking. Amongst the wide selection of creations, it is engaging to notice also some works of a rebellious nature.

    (This article was published in the Travel, Leisure and Food Supplement in the Sunday Times of Malta dated 15 March 2015)

    2015.03.15 / no responses / Category: The Sunday Times - Articles

  • IL-KULURI TAĊ-ĊINA (L-10 Parti) Il-Venezja taċ-Ċina

    Issa li wasalna għall-aħħar artiklu, nittama li permezz ta’ din is-sensiela, irnexxieli ndewwaqkhom ftit minn dak li għandha x’toffri ċ-Ċina u li forsi wħud minnkhom, titħajjru wkoll iżżuruha.

    Iddeċidejt li nħalli dan il-post apposta għall-aħħar, hekk kif għamlu anki lilna l-gwidi Ċiniżi li akkumpanjawna matul il-vjaġġ tagħna ġewwa dan il-pajjiż. Niftakar li tassew issorprendejt ruħi meta sirt naf illi f’dik il-modernità kollha tal-belt ta’ Shanghai, wieħed kellu l-opportunità li jżur erbgħa bliet antiki li nżammu bejn wieħed u ieħor fl-istil oriġinali tagħhom sabiex jibqgħu bħala xempju ħaj tal-passat ta’ dawk l-inħawi.

    Dehra ta' ZhujiajiaoAħna żorna lill-belt antika Zhujiajiao li hi l-aktar waħda miżmuma tajjeb. Hija magħrufa wkoll b’bosta ismijiet oħra bħal ‘Il-Belt tal-Ilma’, ‘Ix-Xmara tal-Perli’ u ‘Il-Venezja taċ-Ċina’. Tinsab fil-periferija ta’ Shanghai u ġiet mibnija f’forma ta’ rewwieħa fuq medda art li tkopri 47 kilometri kwadri. Ilmijietha jleqqu bħall-perli fuq pajsaġġ bl-isfond tal-muntanji u l-għadajjar.

    L-istorja ta’ Zhujiajiao tmur lura 1700 sena għal żmien id-Dinastija Yuan, meta din il-lokalità bdiet isservi bħala ċentru tal-kummerċ għall-inħawi tal-kampanja tal-madwar. Il-pożizzjoni strateġiku tagħha, fejn jiltaqgħu numru ta’ xmajjar lokali, għenuha tiżviluppa malajr, l-aktar permezz tal-kummerċ tar-ross u tad-drapp, liema prodotti kienu jiġu trasportati mill-kampanja bid-dgħajjes, direttament għad-djar tan-negozjanti li kienu joqogħdu f’din il-belt. Dan wassal biex eventwalment Zhujiajiao kibret ħafna u ngħatat l-istat ta’ belt mill-Imperatur Wanli tad-Dinastija Ming.

    Hanut tal-ilbiesi tat-tiegDin ix-xejra kummerċjali għadha teżisti sa llum f’din il-belt, hekk kif din hija miżgħuda b’għadd ta’ ħwienet li jbiegħu kull xorta ta’ prodotti u servizzi. Fost dawn, wieħed isib: oġġetti maħduma bi snajja’ tradizzjonali, ikel u ħlewwiet ta’ kull tip, ħwejjeġ partikolari b’kuluri sbieħ li jintlibsu għar-ritratti tat-tieġ, djar tat-tè, kafetteriji, ħwienet tax-xorb u restoranti.

    L-arkitettura distinta tal-post hija mżejjna bi djar li jmorru lura għall-mijiet tas-snin. Bosta mid-djar antiki ta’ din il-belt iħarsu fuq l-ilmijiet tax-xmara u jistkennu għad-dell ta’ għadd ta’ siġar taż-żavżava li jkomplu jagħnu l-post b’element romantiku qawwi.

    Madanakollu, l-aktar li jiġbdu l-attenzjoni huma ċertament is-36 pont tal-ġebel li jgħaqqdu din il-belt flimkien. Dawn il-pontijiet inbnew matul id-Dinastiji Ming u Qing u jintgħarfu minn dawk ġodda permezz tat-turġien li jwasslu għalihom, minħabba li dari, dawn kienu jkunu aktar għoljin. Infatti llum fiċ-Ċina, dat-tip ta’ taraġ jinħadem bil-ħsieb tal-konvenjenza għall-pubbliku, b’mod partikolari għall-anzjani, u għaldaqstant hu mibni aktar baxx ħalli jkun aktar faċli biex titilgħu.

    Il-gondolaAnki t-tul ta’ dawn il-pontijiet ivarja ħafna, tant li wħud huma pjuttost qosra filwaqt li oħrajn huma twal mhux ħażin. Fil-fatt, Fangsheng, li hu l-aktar pont popolari f’din il-belt, hu għoli 5.8 metri, twil 70 metru u jserraħ fuq ħames arkati simettriċi. Oriġinarjament, dan inbena fl-1571 mill-patri Xingchao tat-Tempju Cimen. Iżda aktar tard, fl-1812, huwa reġa’ ttella’ mill-ġdid. L-arkata ċentrali ta’ dan il-pont ġiet dekorata bi skultura fil-ġebel ta’ tmien draguni jduru ma’ perla, filwaqt li t-truf tal-kolonni ġew skolpiti f’għamla ta’ ljuni.

    Jekk tkun qed iżżur dan il-post, m’għandikx titlef l-opportunità li tirkeb xi waħda miż-żewġ tipi ta’ dgħajjes li ssib fuq ix-xmara, ħalli b’hekk tosserva l-post minn perspettiva oħra. Il-gondola taħdem fil-kanali u tgħaddi minn taħt il-pontijiet, u permezz tagħha tista’ tmur dawra qasira sal-kanal prinċipali, inkella tagħżel distanza itwal li tieħdok madwar il-belt kollha. Min-naħa l-oħra, dgħajjes akbar joffrulek vjaġġ sal-għadira li hemm fl-inħawi.

    Zhujiajiao hija mfittxija ħafna mit-turisti imma anki min-nies tal-lokal li spiss imorru hemm fil-ġranet tal-mistrieħ jew fil-festi. Għaldaqstant, dan il-post għandu t-tendenza li jkun iffullat mhux ħażin u wieħed irid jiddedikalu almenu nofs ta’ nhar sħiħ jekk jixtieq iduru sewwa.

    Hemm min hu tal-opinjoni illi din il-belt saret artifiċjali wisq minħabba li saret tiddependi ħafna mit-turiżmu. Iżda ngħid għalija, Zhujiajiao hija lokalità indimentikabbli li wrietni xena surreali ta’ kif kienet il-ħajja fiċ-Ċina tal-passat.

    (Dan l-artiklu ġie ppubblikat fit-Torċa tal-15 ta’ Marzu 2015)

    2015.03.15 / no responses / Category: Torca - Features & Articles