Posts Tagged ‘Liu Fei’

  • 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 (Is-7 Parti) Ħarsa lejn l-arti Ċiniża

    Bħalissa, is-settur tal-arti fiċ-Ċina huwa wieħed mill-aktar dinamiċi, hekk kif l-artisti Ċiniżi qed jerħulha jesploraw u jimirħu f’orizzonti differenti sabiex jippruvaw jesprimu r-rwol ġdid li għandu pajjiżhom fid-dinja. Dawn ix-xogħolijiet artistiċi varji jinstabu mxerrda madwar iċ-Ċina kollha f’diversi distretti popolari tal-arti, f’numru ta’ galleriji artistiċi u f’bosta mużewijiet.

     Permezz ta’ dan l-artiklu, jiena se niddeskrivilkhom dawk l-inħawi li żort f’Pekin u Shanghai li huma relatati ma’ dan il-qasam.

     751D Park – Pekin

     Kont immaġinajt li ż-żjarat tagħna f’Pekin kienu ser ikunu kollha marbutin mal-istorja. Għaldaqstant kienet tassew sorpriża interessanti meta ġejna akkumpanjati f’dan iċ-ċentru ta’ arti kontemporanja.

    Sa ftit tas-snin ilu, din il-medda art b’qies ta’ 40,000 metru kwadru, kienet tifforma parti minn żona industrijali. Madanakollu, riċentement, din ġiet trasformata f’post iddedikat kollu kemm hu għall-arti u ngħatat l-isem ta’ 751D Park.

    Xoghol ta' Liu Fei - An enchanting warL-arkitettura distinta ta’ stil Bauhaus irnexxielha tisfuma b’mod armonjuż mal-karattru l-ġdid li ngħata lil dawn l-inħawi fejn issa wieħed isib numru ta’ galleriji tal-arti, swali tal-esebizzjonijiet, ħwienet tal-kotba, ristoranti u kafetteriji.

    Għalkemm m’inix xi waħda li nifhem wisq fl-arti, nistqarr illi l-ħin li qattgħajt f’dan il-lwog sabiex nesplora dawn ix-xogħolijiet artistiċi, fetħuli tieqa oħra fuq iċ-Ċina li minnha stajt nixtarr aħjar lil dan il-pajjiż u l-kultura tiegħu. Infatti, kull post li dħalt fih offrieli l-opportunità li nosserva, napprezza u nixtri kreazzjonijiet bi stili tassew uniċi u b’disinji oriġinali ta’ immaġinazzjoni bla tarf.

    Fosthom, laqtitni ħafna l-esebizzjoni artistika ta’ Liu Fei li kienet iġġib l-isem ta’ An Enchanting War. Fiha, l-artist ippreżenta l-perċezzjonijiet tiegħu dwar il-gwerer futuri filwaqt li kkontempla dwar kif dawn ser jiġu miġġielda. Għamel dan permezz ta’ kreazzjonijiet li jżommuk fil-post tħares lejhom, l-aktar hekk kif hu esprima d-disprezz u l-kritika tiegħu lejn il-gwerra permezz ta’ ġmiel u kruha ironiċi u li jaħsdu.

    Il-Mużew Nazzjonali tal-Arti – Pekin

     Dan il-mużew hu ddedikat għall-kollezzjonijiet, għar-riċerka u għall-esebizzjonijiet ta’ xogħolijiet artistiċi moderni u kontemporanji li jsiru fiċ-Ċina. Għalkemm il-bini tiegħu nbeda fl-1958 u nfetaħ għall-pubbliku fl-1963, l-istil arkitettoniku tiegħu tfassal fi stil tradizzjonali Ċiniż hekk kif dan jinkludi fih kurituri, paviljuni u saqaf imżejjen b’madum ta’ lewn safrani.

    L-artista Liu Xia biswit ix-xogħol taghha fil-Muzew Nazzjonali tal-ArtiFil-wisgħa ta’ 18,000 metru kwadru, dan il-mużew għandu fih 17 il-sala tal-esebizzjoni mqassma fuq 5 sulari. Fil-kollezzjonijiet tiegħu jħaddan aktar minn 100,000 biċċa xogħol artistika, li l-biċċa l-kbira tagħhom inħadmu minn artisti mill-aqwa matul perjodi differenti li jkopru s-snin mill-aħħar tas-seklu 19 sa llum.

    Mit-twaqqif tiegħu, dan il-mużew organizza eluf ta’ esebizzjonijiet artistiċi li jirriflettu l-iżvilupp tal-arti Ċiniża. Kull sena, dawn l-attivitajiet jiġbdu miljuni ta’ viżitaturi lejn dan il-post u b’hekk dan iservi wkoll bħala vetrina għall-artisti involuti.

    Waqt iż-żjara tagħna f’dan il-post, fost ix-xogħolijiet esebiti, kien hemm il-wirja Beautiful China: Call of Humanism, liema attività tax-xorta tagħha kienet qed issir għall-ewwel darba. Infatti, f’din l-esebizzjoni kien hemm 200 biċċa xogħol artistika għall-bejgħ u l-flus li kienu ser jinġabru minnha, kienu ser imorru biex jgħinu lill-eluf ta’ persuni li jbatu minn xi diżabbilità. Fatt interessanti kien li fost ix-xogħolijiet għall-bejgħ, kien hemm uħud li kienu maħduma minn artisti rinomati ferm imħallta ma’ oħrajn ta’ livelli differenti, fosthom anki ma’ ta’ artisti u kalligrafi li kellhom xi diżabbilità.

    M50 – Shanghai

     Din iż-żona artistika li tikkonsisti minn għadd ta’ galleriji u spazji għall-esebizzjonijiet, tinsab f’50 Triq Moganshan, Shanghai, imma ħafna jirreferu għaliha bħala M50.

     Sa ftit tas-snin ilu, din il-lokalità ċentrali kienet tifforma parti minn fabbrika tat-tessuti iżda wara li din l-industrija ngħalqet, ftit ftit bdew jinġibdu għadd ta’ artisti lejn dan il-post minħabba li kien qed jinkera bi prezz baxx. Kien fis-sena 2000 meta daħlu l-ewwel artisti sabiex jesponu xogħolijiethom f’dawn l-inħawi. Illum M50 inbidlet f’kumpless kollu kemm hu ddedikat lill-arti.

    Xogholijiet tal-arti fid-distrett M50Ċertament hawnhekk, dawk li japprezzaw l-arti għandhom fejn jintilfu bl-għażla tassew varja ta’ ideat u xogħolijiet, kemm f’dik li hi skultura u kif ukoll pittura. F’dan il-lwog, wieħed spiss ikollu ċ-ċans ukoll li jiltaqa’ mal-artisti nfushom u li jixtri x-xogħolijiet direttament minn għandhom. Il-prezzijiet ivarjaw ħafna: jibdew minn tassew irħas u jibqgħu telgħin sa somom pjuttost esorbitanti. Madanakollu, jekk wieħed ikun kapaċi jinnegozja prezz tajjeb, jaf imur lura d-dar b’xogħol tassew uniku u sabiħ.

    Għalkemm viżwalment din iż-żona ma tolqotx wisq l-għajn, wieħed m’għandux joqgħod lura milli jikkunsidra li jiddedika ftit ħin biex jevalwa dak li jista’ jsib fiha. Infatti wħud mix-xogħolijiet kapaċi jkunu interessanti u provokanti qatiegħ, b’numru minnhom mogħnija wkoll b’natura ribelli.

    Esebizzjoni artistika tal-pittur Heping – Malta

     L-għan prinċipali ta’ din is-sensiela ta’ artikli huwa li nxennaq lill-poplu Malti biex isir jaf aktar dwar il-kultura taċ-Ċina u niesha. Għaldaqstant, fejn nara li hemm l-opportunità li l-Maltin iduqu dak li nkun ktibt dwaru f’pajjiżna stess, jiena nħossni obbligata li ninforma lill-qarrejja bih.

     Fil-fatt, bħalissa, bħala parti miċ-ċelebrazzjonijiet tal-Ewwel tas-Sena Ċiniża, fil-gallerija artistika taċ-Ċentru Kulturali taċ-Ċina li jinsab f’173, Triq Melita, Valletta, qed tittella’ esebizzjoni ta’ xogħolijiet li saru mill-pittur famuż Ċiniż Heping.

    Heping huwa bbażat f’Shanghai u bħalissa huwa jservi bħala għalliem fl-Istitut tal-Moda, l-Arti u d-Disinn ta’ Dunghua University. Huwa jifforma parti mill-ġens Naxi; li huwa wieħed mill-minoritajiet etniċi li jinsabu ċ-Ċina.

    F’dawn l-aħħar snin, Heping żviluppa lingwa artistika ġdida sabiex permezz tagħha jittrażmetti l-karattru etniku u s-sengħa tradizzjonali tiegħu. Din il-linja artistika tinvolvi taħlita għanja ta’ pittura u kalligrafija li finalment tiġi espressa f’xogħol modern b’tema astratta.

    Xoghol artistiku ta' HepingIx-xogħolijiet ta’ Heping huma magħrufa għall-użu distint tal-kulur u għall-linji maħżuża li flimkien jikkontribwixxu xogħol mhux konvenzjonali li għalkemm jirrifletti ċertu loġika, jinħakem ukoll minn passjoni qawwija. Fuq kollox, is-saħħa ta’ din l-arti tinsab fit-taħlita tal-elementi artistiċi tal-Lvant u tal-Punent li jagħmlu dawn ix-xogħolijiet attraenti għal diversi individwi madwar id-dinja.

    Heping jistqarr li jinteressaħ ħafna l-bniedem u li għalhekk kull xogħol tiegħu jirrappreżenta individwu minn Shanghai: il-belt fejn trabba’ u tgħallem u l-post li għadu sa llum jinfluwenzah ħafna. Huwa jħobb joħloq illustrazzjonijiet li jissimbolizzaw id-dinja moderna urbana li teżisti f’ambjent li l-ħin kollu jinbidel. Madanakollu, huwa jara li jispjega dan kollu billi juża kemm jista’ s-sempliċità.

    Fil-fehma tiegħu, akkost li ż-żmien ta’ llum huwa miżgħud b’għadd ta’ informazzjoni u attivitajiet, min-natura tiegħu, il-bniedem jibqa’ jfittex li jissimplifika l-affarijiet ta’ madwaru sabiex jassorbi u jifhem aħjar. Fil-fatt Heping jissuġġerixxi illi dan it-tiftix għas-sempliċità jinħoloq proprju sabiex jinstab bilanċ mal-ħajja mgħaġġla ta’ kuljum.

    Intant, jekk wieħed jifli x-xogħolijiet ta’ dan l-artist, spiss se jilmaħ forom astratti imma sempliċi li bihom huwa jrid jiddeskrivi l-perċezzjoni ikkondensata tiegħu tas-suġġetti umani li jpinġi f’kultura urbana u immaġni metropolitana.

    Għal aktar informazzjoni dwar din il-wirja li se ddum miftuħa sal-5 ta’ Marzu 2015, wieħed jista’ jċempel liċ-Ċentru Kulturali taċ-Ċina f’Malta fuq 21 225 055.

    (Dan l-artiklu ġie ppubblikat fit-Torċa tat-22 ta’ Frar 2015)

    2015.02.22 / no responses / Category: Torca - Features & Articles