Tag: Chinese art

Art veteran Simon Ma’s vision of creating harmony through art

Hong Kong-born, Shanghai based, art veteran Simon Ma shares his vision of creating harmony through art with his recent travelling Drago Cavallo Exhibition

From a young age, you painted under the guidance of Chinese master Fan Tzu Teng. How did that shape you?
I was lucky to have him inspire me, and not just in painting. He also inspired me to become a good person. We believed that whatever you paint first comes from your heart, then flows through your hands – manifesting how we think and how we look at the world.

“Harmonise” is a word he always reminded me of. To harmonise with nature and with people, regardless of their background, whether they are rich or poor. This way, you allow yourself to view the world from all angles, looking at everyone and every situation from the top down, left to right and from front to back as well. He was my master in matters of the mind, too – an extremely kind and an open person, he believed that we should do charity work, with a pure heart – that is what would help one be a good painter.

For a time, you had your own company in Shanghai, Ma Design. What propelled you to make the transition from architect and urban planner to artist?

I started painting when I was seven years old, and I played music when I was 13 years old. After that, I attended boarding school in the UK and then studied architecture and urban planning at University College of London.

It’s hard being an architect. I prefer being an artist because I don’t have to just work for the client. As an artist, I can actually create anything I like, without limitations or boundaries. I started sculpting and exhibiting my work to the public in various locations around the world. To me, this is the more interesting part of art and creation, it is much more meaningful to me [than architecture. I put them there like an architecture but in miniature forms.

You recently launched a large touring artistic installation, Drago Cavallo, in conjunction with the Hong Kong Jockey Club. Could you tell us more about this?

Winfried (Engelbrecht-Bresges), the CEO of the Hong Kong Jockey Club, called me and wanted me to come back to Hong Kong to do the Drago Cavallo – Travel Around HK exhibition as part of the SAR’s 25th anniversary.

We thought the city needed new energy, something to bring everyone in harmony. The mythical dragon horse (‘drago cavallo’ in Italian) is the spirit of China – one of the eight mythical beasts that symbolises inspiration; and I think people all over the world like horses.

I actually created these lovable Drago Cavallos during Covid-19 to give people hope and new energy. So, we brought back 10,000 Drago Cavallos and are planning on displaying a 25-metre-high Drago Cavallo next year.

I’m working very hard on this, trying to harmonise Hong Kong society – in different districts and also in schools, where students can paint Drago Cavallo and understand the spirit of the two animals (dragon and horse). The cool thing about this project is that it will harmonise society through art.

The Jockey Club has also been very supportive. We are also hosting a competition, and asking everyone to join the competition and try to set up one Drago Cavallo for each district.

“I prefer being an artist because you can actually create anything you like, with no limitations, no boundaries. This is much more meaningful to me [than architecture]”

You have a strong affinity with horses. Could you share with us why that is?
The horse is the most beautiful animal. They are energetic, international and always moving forward. They never complain though they can have a temper, too; when they want to, they just go. I see myself as somewhat of a horse whisperer. I go around the world, to places like Mongolia, to see horses. And when I find them, they are like my friends. You have to build a friendship with horses before you can paint them. I paint from inside them; I’m painting their vision.

You divide your time between your Hong Kong studio in Wong Chuk Hang and Shanghai. What differences have you observed between the two major cities?
I have been in China for 23 years. Shanghai is a very fast-growing city and full of energy. Whereas Hong Kong has stopped for the past three or four years; it’s actually becoming less international. If you look at the government in Shanghai and the local community, there is such a respect for art and its artists. But looking at Hong Kong, one might question how many good artists there are in the city. Shanghai, on the other hand, has so many ‘West Kowloon’s, not just one. And there are 20 or 30 more museums as well.

But Shanghai is not an easy place to survive in as an artist. You have to be very good at what you do, you have to be really good with people, and you have to be really good with the market as well. You have to be ahead of the market rather than follow it. We change because of our environment, but the environment doesn’t change because of us.

You have collaborated successfully as an artistic designer with international brands, such as Porsche and Ferrari. How did that come about?
I think these international luxury brands are looking for a Chinese artist who can connect with people internationally and locally. I understand both cultures – especially the Italian mindset, and I can instil Chinese art into their luxurious products harmoniously; it goes beyond just mixing two things together.

You’re also pretty active on Instagram. What value does social media give you as an artist?
I am encouraging my team to be active on all social media platforms because it’s better to share and let more people appreciate your art. Why keep art to yourself? Open up and let people see it.


“I am like the horse whisperer. I go around the world, to places like Mongolia, to see horses. And when I find them, they are like my friends. I’m painting their vision”

If you could go back in time and meet anyone from the past, who would it be?
My auntie, who passed away four years ago. She gave me my name ‘Simon’. And also, my master, Fan Tzu Teng. I would pay a million dollars to have dinner with them again, because as you get older, you realise the number of people you love gets less and less. Fan Tzu Teng is like my father. He had no son, so I was like a son to him. When I approached his body at his funeral, I knelt down; I knelt all the way to his body. There were a few hundred people there and they all stood up. This is the highest respect I could give to my teacher.

When do you get your best ideas?
I always get my best ideas when I’m having a shower. I feel light, like I’m being purified by water – and all my spirituality emerges.

Do you still play music?
I love music. I still have my band in China. I used to write music before I got too busy. I’m a left-handed drummer (like Phil Collins) as well as a singer. If you ever hear me sing, you’d be surprised. Music is my life. It helps to create good art.

Thank you.

 

(Interview by: Robert Murry; Photographer: Jack Law; Art Direction and Styling: Jhoshwa Ledesma; Videographer: Jackie Chan; Venue: Simon Ma Gallery)

 

Collectible Investments: Opportunities to grow your portfolio…

Unlike vintage wine, classical art and centuries-old antiques that can cost an arm and leg to invest in, alternative collectables such as whiskys, sneakers and the burgeoning NFTs are easier (and relatively less expensive) to enter into the market and starting investing in now for higher returns in the future. Here are six types worth considering…

  1. Whisky
    In over an eight-year period, the value of single malt whisky has risen by 361.09% in value with particular interest in rare and special edition collections. Last October the oldest Japanese whisky Yamazaki-55 fetched a whopping HK$6.2 million while a collection of six-special edition Macallan single malt whiskys went under the hammer for an astounding HK$20.65 million, proving to be a lucrative investment.
  2. Chinese antiques
    Chinese antiques such as rare porcelains, jades, sculptures, bronzes and traditional works of art and calligraphy spanning 4,000 years reflect a rare part of Chinese history and heritage that is highly valued for its provenance and the fact that many of these artefacts were produced by high-ranking officials or housed within Chinese imperial quarters. Sotheby’s alone held a total of 23 live and online auctions across 3 continents for Chinese Art which altogether realised over US$193 million last year. With sales of Chinese art and antiques surging over the last decade, investments in Chinese traditional art and antiques have proven to be of high value and worth in the marketplace. 
  3. Vintage handbags
    Vintage handbags, dating over 20 years back, are known to fetch a sum on auction blocks. According to the Knight Frank Luxury Investment Index, handbags performed better than art two years ago, profiting with 13% gain in overall returns. World renowned luxury houses such as Hermès, Chanel and Louis Vuitton are known to have produced limited and highly exclusive hand bag models, such as Hermès Birkin, Chanel Flap Bag and Louis Vuitton Neverfull, often going under the gavel for hundred thousands and even millions (USD). 
  4. Comic books
    Once deemed as a pastime for the pre-pubescent, comic books — particularly rare first editions — have burgeoned into an unexpected investment opportunity in the last year or two. Their investment value have seen jaw-dropping returns such is the case of the record-breaking DC Comics Superman-debuting Action Comics #1 from 1938 which sold for a staggering HK$25 million, while the original artwork of the fifth instalment of the Tintin series from 1936, The Blue Lotus, fetched a whopping HK$31.75 million.
  5. Sneakers
    When it comes to the hypebeast culture — specifically sneakers —the truth of the matter is that although these footwear, at face value, don’t hold much value in themselves, their demand in the market have driven its worth through the roof. Rare or limited edition sneakers commonly resell for over 50 times its original cost. A case in point is the latest sale of a Yeezy at Sotheby’s, the original Nike Air Yeezy 1 that was worn by the artist Kanye West himself during his performance at the 50th Grammy Awards which sold for a jaw-dropping US$1.8 million, and this is just one example of many sneaker editions that have made headlines in the past.
  6. NFTs
    Non-fungible tokens are unique and new to the world of investment yet it is the talk of the town. One-of-a-kind and irreplaceable certifications of authenticity of any digital work from musical albums to digital art have proven to be worth millions at auctions as seen by the ground-breaking sales of two digital works in two different areas of the creative industry. Digital artist Beeple’s Everydays: The First 5,000 Days collection of illustrations went under the gavel for nearly US$70 million at Christie’s, while American producer and DJ 3LAU’s Ultraviolet music album fetched an astonishing US$11.7 million, and it is not likely to stop there.

The most expensive art works by Chinese artists sold

From classical fine art pieces to modern and contemporary masterpieces, Chinese artists are leading the charge at major auctions this fall.

Hong Kong enjoys the stature as a leading international art market in Asia and across the world, alongside New York and London. The city boasts of a diversity of art spaces, prestigious auction houses and exhibitions, including the internationally-acclaimed Art Basel, which opens a very wide window for international attention to be trained on Chinese artworks, a distinct phenomenon in recent years.

The most expensive art works by Chinese artists sold this October gafencu magazine Liu Ye florence
Florence by Liu Ye

Rise of contemporary Chinese art

Although Chinese art enjoys a long history and innovative techniques that date back to the stone age, it only started gaining international attention at the end of the 20th century. Contemporary Chinese art, as well as antique Chinese art, is now a fast-growing category that enjoys growing global attention and interest.

The most expensive art works by Chinese artists sold this October gafencu magazine zhang xiaogang amnesia and memory no 1
Amnesia and Memory no. 1 by Zhang Xiaogang

A case in point is the sale of  Amnesia and Memory No. 1  by contemporary artist Zhang Xiaogang whose works often explored identity in China. The eight-feet-tall oil on canvas was part of The First Avant-garde: Masterworks from the Johnson Chang Collection and was sold at at Sotheby’s contemporary Art Day Sale on 7 October for HK$6 million — significantly exceeding the pre-sale estimate of HK$4.2 million. As an artist who witnessed an era of the Cultural Revolution across the stronghold of the Communist party, and often exploring his identity in China, Zhang’s art piece represented expression of individual memory and its place within a collective identity.

The most expensive art works by Chinese artists sold this October gafencu magazine chinese calligraphy Pu Ru
Chinese calligraphy by Puru

Value of Traditional Chinese art

Like its European counterpart, Chinese art is valued for the purpose, material and theme of the piece, as well as, the artist’s social stance. Traditional Chinese literary arts have been created by scholars and literary elites who also practised  calligraphy. To qualify as a scholar painter, one had to pass a strict examination set by the emperor. This makes traditional Chinese paintings even more rare and respected. 

The most expensive art works by Chinese artists sold this October gafencu magazine endless streams and mountains by wang hui
Endless streams and mountains by Wang Hui

The fine classical painting, Endless Streams and Mountains, by Wang Hui (1632-1717) went under the hammer for HK$28.9 million, representing more than five times the high end of the estimated price of HK$5 million. The painting is one of only five that Wang has painted in his lifetime. It is an extremely rare handscroll, ink and colour on paper. Two of his paintings are currently preserved at museums, while two others are in an unknown location. Pieces like these are unique, especially before the rise of the ‘Individualist’ painters who opposed traditional rules in painting. His artworks represent Chinese history which can only be revisited in visual representations and physical materials which make them very rare and valuable. 

The most expensive art works by Chinese artists sold this October gafencu magazine ren renfa five drunken princes riding on horseback
Five drunken princes ride on horseback by Ren Renfa

An astonishing art piece that found its way to Christie’s Fine Classical Chinese Paintings auction block on 8 October was the extremely old and valuable six-foott scroll painting, Five Drunken Princes Returning On Horseback by Ren Renfa (1255-1328), an artist and government official during the Yuan dynasty. It sold at Christie’s Chinese Paintings and Calligraphy Auctions on 8 July for HK$307 million though estimated price was only between HK$80  to $120 million. It has been documented in imperial collections and features a collection of seals, including those of several emperors. 

The most expensive art works by Chinese artists sold this October gafencu magazine zhang daqian ancient pine in lush mountainscapes
Ancient pine in lush mountainscapes by Zhang Daqian

Modern Chinese painting heralds diversification

With globalisation prompting all things Chinese to move outside China after world war II, Western influences are making their way increasingly into Chinese culture and arts. While traditional Chinese paintings were mostly done in black or coloured pigments, modern artworks are presented in a combination of oil and ink on canvas. 

The most expensive art works by Chinese artists sold this October gafencu magazine wu guanzhong scenery of northern china
Scenery of northern China by Wu Guanzhong

Wu Guanzhong (1919-2010), one of the greatest contemporary Chinese painters, is also regarded as the founder of modern Chinese painting. His works feature a mix of Western and Eastern techniques — marked by the fusion of oil and Chinese ink painting. He travelled to Paris to study art at the prestigious Ecole Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts after world war II. His masterpiece, Scenery of Northern China, sold for a whopping HK$151 million at Sotheby’s Modern Art Evening Sale on 5 October. The six-meter-wide mural, assigned by the Central Academy of Craft Art, has been commissioned for Beijing’s Capital Airport, which at the time was of great importance for the optimism and pursuit of new opportunities after the cold war in 1978. The painting marked Wu’s contribution to the massive and historic national art program.

An introduction to Chinese Calligraphy

Chinese calligraphy is one of the four treasures of ancient Chinese scholars. Though it is not as widely practiced today as it was in the past, it is a sophisticated form of longhand writing that surprisingly continues to enjoy keen adherents today. This treasured art form is reputed to enhance people’s mental fortitude and learning ability. Although computer keyboards have taken over most of modern-day communications, this traditional form of Chinese longhand writing remains valuable and useful to its practitioners.chinese calligraphy brush stroke gafencu magazine (6)It serves as a link to traditional Chinese culture and heritage

Calligraphy serves as an excellent manner to stay connected to one’s Chinese heritage and to gain insights to the evolution of Chinese scriptures over centuries of visual representation of the world. It serves as a manner for appreciating one’s intellectual and artistic roots.

chinese calligraphy brush stroke gafencu magazine by Zhuge Liang

It is a form of meditation

Chinese calligraphy requires meticulous technique and patience that are useful in developing a sharp focus among those who practise it. The skills developed while practising this form of long-handed writing require strict control of a brush which  serves as a meditative outlet for practitioners. This art form also helps develop a deeper connection between the mind and body. 

chinese calligraphy brush stroke gafencu magazine (4)

It teaches discipline

Repeated practice over time and trained eyes eventually result in symmetrical, aesthetically-pleasing characters.  After learning calligraphy’s foundation and with muscle memory, the practitioner’s mind will achieve its highest performance level.  The rhythmic nature of brush writing lends itself to a full state of immersion. 

chinese calligraphy brush stroke gafencu magazine (3)

It is an artistic outlet with a philosophical depth

Every aspect of the Chinese brush strokes, from the shape and size, to the type of hair on the brush and density of the ink, all play a part in distinguishing the final outcome of a Chinese calligraphy artwork. Each character is a unique symbol of a word. The philosophy of mastering Chinese calligraphy can be explained with the Yi (intentional) and Wuyi (unintentional) movements in art creation. It is an art form that teaches rules and control, but it also allows the artist’s heart to guide practitioners.

chinese calligraphy brush stroke gafencu magazine (2)

There are still a few esteemed Chinese calligraphy teachers in the city who offer classes and workshops to willing students.

Here are a few places to take up Chinese calligraphy:

 

Cathy Ho, Cawah Arts Gallery

Chinese Calligraphy HK

Karen Tong Calligraphy

 

US$4.5 million bid for Fourteen Poems on Planting Bamboo by Li Dongyang

With 2019 looking set to be the Year of Reemerging Classical Chinese art, another venerable artefact from the Middle Kingdom’s golden era smashed expectations when it come up for auction at Sotheby’s in Hong Kong earlier this year. The collectible in question, Fourteen Poems on Planting Bamboo by Li Dongyang (1447–1516), dated back to the time of the Ming Dynasty and eventually changed hands for US$4.5 million – five times the original estimate.

Li Dongyang

For those wondering just how this handwritten scroll’s hefty price tag can be justified, a brief history lesson may prove enlightening. Li Donyang was something a distinguished fellow – a scholar, a poet, a painter a calligrapher and a holder of the highest level-imperial degree. Naturally highly regarded, his 14 poems run the length of the 10-metre scroll, with every character exquisitely calligraphed in the author’s distinctive cursive script. Even more impressively, it is virtually in mint condition, with only four characters said to have been lost in the five centuries since he sat down to work on it. A remarkable feat and one that, understandably, commanded a remarkable price.

Panda Brander: Dennis Chan on his new HaHaPanda sculptures and their Chinese connection

Dennis Chan, the Hong Kong-born jewellery guru who founded the much-loved haute joaillerie maison Qeelin, now looks set to dominate the art world with his HaHaPanda sculptures…

When did you first realise you were destined for a career in design?

As a child, I had no idea that design was to be the great passion of my life. In fact, it wasn’t until I finished high school that I even considered the notion. It was one of my uncles who first spotted my potential and encouraged me to take up art. My parents weren’t too keen on the idea. Coming from a family of doctors, my artistic streak was something of a surprise to them. I did manage to convince them, though, and eventually signed up for an Industrial Design programme at Hong Kong Polytechnic University.

HaHa Panda

What led you to specialise in product design?

While I was at university, I was introduced to a wide range of design disciplines, including interiors, fashion – for which I had a particular knack – and engineering. Without a doubt, though, product design – and three-dimensional design in particular – was my favourite, and that’s what I finally settled upon. I think it’s hugely versatile and essentially multi-disciplinary. Through it, you can pretty much access any other design sector. It’s a decision that’s definitely stood me in good stead over the course of my career.

Is it fair to say that all your designs have a distinctly Chinese feel to them?

For as long as I can remember, I’ve been captivated by Chinese culture. Also, I spent a large portion of my early career working in the UK, Europe and Japan. So I’ve got a very distinct East-meets-West perspective – a balance that’s a part of the charm and character of all my creations. So, in my designs, I want to bring out that traditional influence, but in an internationally contemporary fashion. I feel that, when people discuss Chinese style, they’re usually talking about old-fashioned, traditional objects, and that’s fine. We can’t stop there, though. There needs to be some inclusion of modernity as well. Take Ming dynasty furniture, for example. While it’s undeniably very beautiful, we can’t simply keep replicating it. Otherwise, 200 years from now, when future designers analyse the work being produced right now, they won’t see any unique design interpretations, they will just see something exactly the same as what was produced centuries before.

Dennis Chan

Nowadays, you are perhaps best known as the founder of Qeelin, the luxury jewellery company. What led you to branch off from jewellery design and into sculpture?

On the surface, they’re both quite similar. Jewellery is something you can use to decorate yourself with, while sculpture is something you can accessorise your home with. With jewellery, though, there are certain limitations as to how much you can express yourself. With sculpture, though, you can really express your own thinking and your own ideas. That’s what led me to launch HaHaPanda more than 10 years ago…

Why ‘HaHaPanda’?

I think the one thing everyone is seeking is (ha)ppiness. To achieve that, you need (ha)rmony, hence, HaHaPanda.

The idea to create HaHaPanda came to me first while visiting the Sichuan Panda Foundation. The undeniable naivety and purity of the baby pandas sparked something in me. As soon as I returned to Hong Kong, I started sculpting models based on the sketches and photos I’d brought back from that trip. That’s how HaHaPanda first came about.

HaHa Panda

While HaHaPanda is seen as very much part of a new wave of Chinese art, how much of it is inspired by traditional culture?

While I haven’t made a conscious decision to draw only from Chinese culture, it’s something inherent in my creative psyche. Pandas, for instance, are something I deploy as symbols for modern Chinese people. The country is increasingly opening up to the world and participating on a global scale – economically, politically and socially. I feel we’ve entered a new age – Modern China if you like – and I use HaHaPanda to express my own take on this blossoming era.

How have the HaHaPanda sculptures evolved over the years?

The initial spark came from the pandas in Sichuan and the first collection was definitely true to life in terms of their mannerisms and aesthetics. Over time, though, more abstract motifs have emerged and it’s an evolution I’m very happy with – it lets me go deeper and I can imbue greater meaning into each piece. There are two aspects to everything I produce. Firstly, it should be aesthetically appealing, and secondly, it should embody good feng shui. If you study my pandas, you’ll see they’re all curved and rounded, with no sharp edges or protrusions that could disturb the harmony of a room. Even the colours have been chosen to evoke happiness and bring good cheer. Then there are the deeper symbolisms in each piece. I created one particular panda, for instance, that was entirely covered in reversed gold coins. In Chinese culture, it can symbolise an in-pouring of wealth.

Dennis Chan

Are there any new HaHaPanda projects that you’re particularly excited about?

I don’t believe in having any boundaries and I love to express myself freely. Just because I’ve focused on 3D sculptures doesn’t mean I want to just stick to that. To that end, one of the new additions is a series of 2D wall-mountable designs, which I’m hoping to build on further by including lighting elements. I’m also in the process of creating some panda-inspired digital sculptures. Looking ahead though, there’s one particular project that I’m hugely excited about – an upcoming exhibition at The Landmark in Hong Kong. It opens in May and I can’t share too many details just yet, but watch this space…

Thank you.  

 

Interview by: Tenzing Thondup
Video: Kingsley Lau
Photos: Neville Lee
Art Direction: San Wong
Make-up: Mak Tung
Venue: Isola Bar & Grill

Interview: Yue Minjun, the artist behind the famous laughing face portraits

Yue Minjun, whose colourful depictions of maniacally laughing figures have captured the imaginations of critics and collectors alike, is commonly regarded as one of China’s pre-eminent contemporary artists…

           

How did you become one of China’s most significant and influential contemporary artists?

Well, it’s a little complicated. I was to drawn to art from a very young age. I was always very fond of using images and drawings to express my inner feelings and emotions. It was the way I tried to make sense of the things and events that surrounded me. As I grew older, I realised it was something that I wanted to pursue more seriously. That’s when I decided to devote myself to art – and painting in particular – full time. Thankfully, I eventually managed to carve out a career for myself in this field…

Yue Minjun 1

Along the way, you worked as an electrical engineer…

That was just one of the many jobs I had after I graduated from high school. At that time, I didn’t really have any real leaning towards a specific career. Instead, I thought I would take my time and explore the avenues opening up in the art world, something that allowed me to escape the limitations of the traditional education system.

Eventually, the pressures of work got me to a point where I could no longer paint or expand personally in any meaningful artistic way. That’s when I decided to enrol at a professional art school. Thinking about it now, It might have been the most important decision I ever made and was a key element in my eventual success.

Yue Minjun 2

After that, you moved to Beijing…

I decided to move to Beijing as I wanted to pursue a full-time career in art. I just loved art, and when you love something, sometimes you have to sacrifice everything else for it. Sometimes you choose an extreme path. I made a conscious choice to forsake everything else to pursue my one true passion in life.

Yue Minjun 4

Today, you are internationally known for your iconic laughing face portraits. Where did the initial inspiration for these particular works come from?

Actually they are all derived from my early life experiences. I was born at the tail-end of the Chinese Cultural Revolution, so there were a lot of government-commissioned propaganda paintings around that illustrated the apparent joy of being working class. In most of the these paintings, the subjects were laughing, but it was never clear why. People would be standing around Chairman Mao or around the produce resulting from a clearly bumper harvest, laughing all the while. I thought such images were somewhat ironic, so the inspiration for many of my later works were deeply rooted in this early experience.

The Massacre at Chios by Yue Minjun sold for HK$31.6 million
The Massacre at Chios by Yue Minjun sold for HK$31.6 million recently

Many people see your work as steeped in cynicism and being quite critical. Do you agree?

Well, yes and no. I think one of the biggest challenges in creating the laughing series was that there is really only one primary face on show and that it was always laughing. The challenge lay in creating a new story with every iteration and being able capture a new scenario every time I decided to add to the collection. They also needed to evoke different emotions and prompt the audience to consider what was really being said…

Yue Minjun 3

Your work often features strong colours and repeated motifs..

I think paintings – and any artwork in general – are really a reflection of their creators’ states of mind. Even when the completed piece is not a realism-driven encapsulation of an earlier experience, it’s still something very much anchored in reality, whether in terms of being an accurate depiction or a more symbolic recreation. For me, the use of strong colours and repetition actually come from the way I view the world.

Yue Minjun 5

You’ve said before that freedom is a major theme in your work. How do you, personally, define this fairly contentious term?

I don’t think I could explain that in just a few words, but I will try. For me, freedom is really how you relate to other people. When considering the notion of freedom, most people only think about themselves, while I believe it is actually deeply rooted in society’s sense of community and the relationships built within that framework.

Yue Minjun 6

What are your views on China’s current approach to art education?

I think the system is quite rigid. For instance, the programmes can’t be tailored to the needs or interest of any one student. It’s all homogenised and, should anyone want to veer away from the traditional approach, they will pretty much have wasted four years of their life. At the same time, it’s difficult to improve the system when there are so many students currently within it. As a result, I think it’s vital for serious students to be flexible enough to reposition themselves in terms of favoured mediums and overall approach.

Thank you.

Interview by: Dai Xuan
Text by: Tenzing Thondup
Photos: Zhang Yunjiang
Wardrobe: Loro Piana

 

Falangcai ceramic bowl from Qing dynasty sets record bowlsale prices

A small Falangcai ceramic bowl, believed to be commissioned by the Qing dynasty Emperor Kangxi (1661-1722), apparently ‘broke’ the Internet when it went under the gavel at Sotheby’s Hong Kong, ultimately selling for a truly staggering HK$238 million. Perhaps even more impressively, far from decrying its valuation as ludicrous, most leading art authorities seem to believe it is worth every cent, largely on account of its rarity and provenance.

Falangcai ceramic bowl

Previously taking pride of place in the private collection of Henry M, Knight, a renowned 20th century Brutish enthusiast for Chinese ceramics, this magnificently-crafted artifact, fetchingly decorated with an intricate floral motif and four turquoise quatrefoil lobes, enchants even those unaware of its singular history.

Falangcai ceramic bowl

What makes it truly unique, however, is that it is thought to be have been decorated and glazed in the exclusive imperial workshops hidden away within the precincts of Beijing’s Forbidden City. Featuring the Emperor’s favoured design theme – Imperial Flower Garden – the bowl was almost certainly fashioned for Kangxi’s exclusive use, as indicated by the by the phrase ‘Kangxi yuzhi’ (‘Made by the Imperial Order of Kangxi’), which is still clearly discernible on its base.

Scroll Survivor: Lost Chinese handscroll from Qing era attracts mountain bids

A little bit of history resurfaced at Sotheby’s Hong Kong outpost recently when a lost Chinese handscroll from the time of the Qing dynasty, thought to have been lost for nearly a century, came up for auction.

Known as Ten Auspicious Landscapes of Taishan, the rediscovered masterpiece is said to be the work of Qian Weicheng, one of the most renowned artists of the court of Emperor Qianlong.

Measuring 458cm x 33.7cm, the scroll is divided into ten sections, each depicting an aspect of Mount Tiantai, one of the sacred peaks of the Zhejiang province. Depicting peaks, valleys, streams, waterfalls, woods and historic sites at the same time, the scroll is said to mark the highpoint of Qian’s artistic career and was probably created during his time as the Education Commissioner of Zhejiang between 1763 and 1765.

Adding to the historic value of the Chinese handscroll, it also includes ten poems said to be inscribed by Emperor Qianlong himself. It was no wonder, then, that the sale attracted more than 100 bids, finally going for a truly impressive HK$146,794,000 (US$18,704,491).

Text: Suchetana Mukhopadhyay

Cha-Qing! Chinese antique shatters Sotheby’s auction record

Sotheby’s recently held its Important Chinese Art auction: a marquee event that assembled rare porcelain alongside artworks from the Ming and Qing dynasties. Sales totalled over HK$333 million, and amidst these impressive results there were some truly awe-inspiring highlights.

Case in point: a rare brush washer dating from the Northern Song dynasty and a “ram’s head” teapot crafted from white jade featuring a cloisonné enamel handle. The sale of the latter exceeded experts’ wildest expectations, netting an impressive HK$75.5 million – a world record for the most expensive jade carving to be acquired at auction. Sourced from a private collection, this ceramic is a fine example of classical jade art during the Qianlong Emperor’s reign.

Made from a singular block of white jade, the teapot’s body is shaped into 12 evenly-spaced petal lobes. The titular “ram’s head” carving forms part of the spout and is finely detailed, with each of the creature’s features individually articulated. “It is a fine example of Qianlong period imperial jades,” says Xu Lin, a Sotheby’s cataloguer. That this piece was once owned by debonair American socialite Millicent Rogers – reportedly a confidant of Madame Chiang Kai-shek – is merely the icing on the cake.

Images: Sotheby’s