Cloud Canvas 10-11 44-49 - China Pictorial
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Vol. 865 July 2020
10-11
Road to Mastery
44-49
Crescendo in Violin Town
国内零售价：10元
Cloud Canvas
邮发代号2-903 CN11-1429/Z
USA $5.10 UK ₤3.20
Australia $9.10 Europe €5.20
Canada $7.80 Turkey TL.10.00
牢记使命 艰苦创业 绿色发展
已达 80%
可绕地球赤道 12
栽种树木按 米1株距排开，
塞罕坝机械林场的森林覆盖率
寒来暑往，
沙地变林海，荒原成绿洲。
半个多世纪，三代人耕耘。
，
圈。
Saihanba is a cold alpine area in northern Hebei Province
bordering the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.
It was once a barren land but is now home to 75,000
hectares of forest, thanks to the labor of generations of
forestry workers in the past 55 years.
Every year the forest purifies 137 million cubic meters of
water and absorbs 747,000 tons of carbon dioxide.
The forest produces 12 billion yuan (around US$1.8 bil-
lion) of ecological value annually, according to the Chinese
Academy of Forestry.
Express
Road to Mastery /10
July 2O20 Go with the Flow /12
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Yu Tao, Li Xia, He Peng 于 涛、李 霞、贺 鹏
Bao Linfu, Yu Jia 鲍林富、于 佳
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Cloud Canvas /14
UCCA: Moving Art Online /16
Virtual Graduation Show /20
Beijing People’s Art Theatre:
New Scenes in an Old
25
Overseas Distribution:
China International Book Trading Corporation (Guoji Shudian), Theater /24
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Origin and Inquiry of Online
出版日期 每月1日 “Screen Art” /32
国内刊号: CN11-1429/Z
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30
Follow us on:
Panorama
Crescendo in Violin Town /44
Static Travels
—From Grand Tour to
Online Art /36
Cinema: Present and
Prospects /40
46
Mosiac
On Site: Interview with
Contemporary Artists /50
Art Innovates Life in the
Digital Era /54
Publishing Possibilities in the
Post-Epidemic Era /56
Zooming In on COVID-19
33
—Unforgettable Moments in
the Global Fight Against the
Pandemic /58
55
38
57
Cover caption
June 3, 2020: The exhibition “Medita-
43 tions in an Emergency” held by UCCA.
by Wan Quan/China Pictorial
EXPRESS 04 VOLUME 865
April 12, 2020: Italian tenor Andrea
Bocelli performs a live concert titled “Music
for Hope” from the Milan Cathedral in Italy
as the country confronts Europe’s worst
coronavirus outbreak. With no audience
present, the concert featured only Bocelli
and the cathedral’s organist Emanuele
Vianelli. Livestreamed through social
media, the concert was watched by 500,000
real-time viewers. By the end of the day,
the concert had been viewed more than 21
million times. “Thanks to music, streamed
live, bringing together millions of clasped
hands everywhere in the world, we will hug
this wounded Earth’s pulsing heart,” said
Bocelli. VCG
CHINA P I C TO R I A L 05
EXPRESS
June 13, 2020: On China’s Cultural and Natural Heritage Day, a
live show themed “Monkey King” highlighting Peking Opera and
intangible cultural heritage is staged in Shanghai Jingju Theater. With
unique cultural features, Shanghai-style Peking Opera is most famous
for shows based on Journey to the West. Through a livestream, Yan
Qinggu, the representative inheritor of the Shanghai intangible cultural
heritage (Peking Opera) project, taught young opera fans how to paint
facial makeup and perform common dance moves to shine light on the
essence of Shanghai-style Monkey King opera. VCG
06 VOLUME 865
May 31, 2020: National Symphony Orchestra (NSO) Principal
Second Violin Marissa Regni hosts NSO@Home LIVE. The
U.S.-based symphony orchestra is influential around the world.
Founded in 1930, NSO maintains a year-round season of about
175 concerts. Even amid the spreading coronavirus epidemic,
NSO maintained its tradition by moving concerts online with
@Home LIVE, a streamed performance presented and produced
by NSO musicians. VCG
CHINA P I C TO R I A L 07
EXPRESS
June 16, 2020: The “Echo” online music festival is held simul-
taneously in Fujian and Taiwan in southeastern China, with six
young bands from both sides of the Taiwan Straits participat-
ing. Via the new mode of livestream performance and broadcast,
the music festival solved the difficulty of music communica-
tion between the mainland and Taiwan due to the epidemic and
triggered a cross-Straits music buzz. The photo shows mainland
band Rolling Zoos performing in Fujian. VCG
08 VOLUME 865May 31, 2020: Soccer players celebrate towards cardboard
cutouts after scoring goals in the almost empty stadium of
Borussia-Park in Monchengladbach, Germany. The Bundesliga
has been strict with epidemic prevention and control since
its return on May 16. The stadium with a capacity of tens of
thousands became empty, so Borussia Monchengladbach, a
Bundesliga team, placed 13,000 cardboard cutouts with photos
of fans in the stands. For a May 31 match against Union Berlin,
Borussia Monchengladbach also placed cardboard cutouts of
fans behind their goal for the visiting team, demonstrating
consideration for the opponent. VCG
CHINA P I C TO R I A L 09EXPRESS
Road to Mastery
I
was born into a family of intellec-
tuals in Shiyan Town of northern
Jiangsu Province. Influenced by
my father, I became obsessed
Text by Wu Weishan
with illustrations in old books and
paintings on porcelain in my family’s
collection by the age of five. Elegant
landscape and female figure paint-
ings were especially seared into
my brain. At 11, I started to sketch
various seniors I saw on the street.
In 1979, I enrolled in Wuxi Institute
of Arts and Technology to study clay
sculpture. It was the first time I saw so
many statues in my life: Venus, Busts
of Michelangelo, Voltaire, the Head
of Alexander the Great… Huishan
clay, a raw material used to create
figurines, was piled in a small court-
yard outside the studio. This black
clay is oily and soft. With a history
of about 400 years, Huishan clay
figurines made in Wuxi are one of the
well-known folk crafts in China. The
white plaster used to craft Western
statues and black Huishan clay
sharply contrast each other. I saw my
destiny somewhere between the two
sculpting materials.
My first class at the institute was
a sketching course taught by Wu
Kaicheng, a renowned Chinese
painter. His concise but inspiring
instructions as well as his proficient
painting skills impressed me immedi-
ately. It was like bathing in the warm
light of art. Mr. Wu stressed that an
artist should depict real feelings
about subjects rather than staying
confined to any “certain patterns.”
A research trip to Suzhou with my
class in the spring of 1980 remains
Over thousands of years, traditional Chinese sculpture has devel- fresh in my memory. In Suzhou, we
oped a freehand style and unique aesthetics different from West- visited two ancient painted sculp-
ern realistic sculpture. In 2002, Wu Weishan first put forward the tures in the city’s Dongshan Town
concept of freehand sculpture. courtesy of the author to copy them. One was the painted
10 VOLUME 865statues of the Eighteen Arhats in little about Monet and Cezanne
Zijin Nunnery, which are said to be and had no clue as to the distance
crafted by Lei Chao and his wife, between an eager student and an
both renowned folk sculptors of art master, the internal connections
the Song Dynasty (960-1279). The between abstract Chinese calligra-
other was a screen wall and clay phy and realistic Western sculpture,
statues said to be created by Tang or the relationship between clay
Dynasty (618-907) sculptor Yang figurines and the creativity pulse of
Huizhi in Baosheng Temple of Luzhi our national culture. Nevertheless,
Town. Those statues are all lifelike the instruction of such art masters
and infinitely charming. However, through both words and deeds still
to whom their creation should influenced us insistently.
be credited remains debatable. During the two years I studied
Whoever it was, the ancient sculpted at Wuxi Institute of Arts and
masterpieces demonstrate the Technology, I learned not only
superb skills and subtle designs of from many art masters and famous
masters who achieved integration of folk artists but also from unknown
form and spirit. As precious cultural craftsmen. To a large extent, the
Wu Weishan working on a
legacies left by ancient saints to later beauty of arts is embedded in the
sculpture for the Memorial
Hall of the Victims in Nanjing generations, they vitalized Chinese beauty of crafts. The techniques
Massacre by Japanese Invaders culture, helping it continue its inher- constantly inherited and enriched
on a summer night of 2007. itance and renewal from generation by generations of folk artisans and
courtesy of the author to generation. Ancient Chinese craftsmen transmit the unconscious
sculpture is an integral component wisdom of our nation.
of greater Chinese culture. It not only Later, I attended university and
carries national spirit and collective then studied in Europe and the
wisdom, but also inspires creativity. United States. Now, I have been
The clay statues in Baosheng Tem- Also in 1980, celebrated artist teaching in universities for about
ple of Luzhi Town. Those statues are Wu Guanzhong delivered a speech 20 years and was nominated as
all lifelike and infinitely charming. at our institute on the beauty of a corresponding member of the
However, to whom their creation form, the relationship between craft French Academy of Fine Arts and a
should be credited remains debat- and art, and how to find beauty member of the Italian Academy of
able. Whoever it was, the ancient
in daily life. Renowned art scholar Arts. Many of my works have been
sculpted masterpieces demonstrate
the superb skills and subtle designs and educator Zhao Daoyi lectured displayed at prestigious museums
of masters who achieved integra- on how young art students should and public spaces around the world.
tion of form and spirit. courtesy of maintain the right direction in life Nevertheless, I still consider my
the author and explore the law of art. Famous experience in Wuxi the fundamen-
sculptor and calligrapher Qian tal source of my art. Like the crystal,
Shaowu expounded on the unique tranquil water of Wuxi’s Huishan
features of the works of Greek Spring, it constantly paves my road
sculptor Phidias and Italian sculp- to pursuits of truth through art.
tor Michelangelo while tracking the
The author is director of the National
aesthetic convergence between
Art Museum of China, corresponding
calligraphy and sculpture. All these member of the French Academy of
experiences broadened our vision. Fine Arts, and vice chairman of the
Back then, my classmates and I knew China Artists Association.
CHINA P I C TO R I A L 11EXPRESS
Go with the Flow component of educa-
tion, which is now
of teaching made them
uncomfortable about
practiced in an unprece- talking to a machine at
Text by Ran Hongyin Illustrated by Liang Yu
dented way. first. Moreover, none
However, I was the were very familiar with
only person participat- the software. However,
ing in the class. The students from across
teacher, “Wu Feng,” the country asked
was just a program, and questions, expressed
everything he said was opinions, sent messages
predetermined. The of gratitude, posted
person responsible for virtual flowers, and
his wisdom was proba- clicked “like.” Assistants
bly drinking coffee choose questions
somewhere. submitted by students,
When I first heard and the teacher won’t
online education over be bothered by seeing
a decade ago, it mostly distracted students.
involved prerecorded The tasks of online
video classes. I consid- teachers have also
ered online education changed. Alongside
nothing more than a teaching, they are
complement to face-to- also orators in this
face teaching. Many new era, influencing
people can access it at the public with their
once, but the depth of expertise. They are
information is lacking. salespeople for cultural
However, my opinion industries, hawking
W
hen the tasks are gradually has turned around 180 cultural products with
body is being replaced by degrees. their wisdom. They are
confined, machines. So how During the epidemic, new online celebrities
the mind should we change our I subscribed to several as well, enriching online
wanders. When trapped way of working and online courses includ- culture with some schol-
in a small space, you thinking? How can we ing formal courses from arly charm.
may find interest in become more compet- higher education institu- What other changes
things you wouldn’t itive with the help of tions, public lectures by can we expect? Who
have otherwise. This is technology?” research institutes, and knows! However, due
how I began learning I pressed the “Enter” promotional activities to the epidemic, new
programming. key. Multiple choices, organized by publish- currents are surging.
I enrolled in an pictures, charts, comics, ers of cultural materials. Everyone will probably
online class, and when I exercises in class… At The lecturers were all feel it.
logged in, the first thing each step, I never got experts and profes-
out of the teacher’s bored at all. Instead, I sors, most of whom
The author is an associate
mouth was: “With the joyously welcomed this were new to working professor at China Academy
evolution of technology, new world. Interaction online. Their unfamiliar- of Discipline Inspection and
simple and repetitive has always been a key ity with this new method Supervision.
12 VOLUME 865Embroidering Stories of Dreams at Consumption
Beautiful Amber Hengdian Boosts
China World Studios Vitality
Chinese people have Amber is one of the Located in Dongyang, In the post-epidemic
crafted countless exqui- most precious natural eastern China’s Zhejiang era, retaliatory saving and
site and colorful works materials, and it preserves Province, Hengdian World restorative consumption
with needle and thread. things from thousands of Studios, dubbed“China’s emerged simultaneously.
The history of Chinese years ago, wrapping them Hollywood,”is one of the Thanks to joint promotion
embroidery can be traced in stories of the past. country’s biggest film and stimulus of various
back at least 3,000 years. Tracing the art from and television production consumption festivals,
The oldest embroidery the earliest amber relics centers and a bellwether consumption vouchers,
pattern on record in discovered in prehis- of the film industry. shopping subsidies, and
China is simple and rough toric Sanxingdui Ruins in Due to the corona livestreaming sales, offline
chain embroidery found Sichuan Province to the virus outbreak, production consumption has rapidly
in relics from the Shang robust collection from the was suspended, dealing resumed, and new online
and Zhou dynasties (1600- Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) a heavy blow to the entire consumption has soared.
256 B.C.). shines intense light on film and television indus- Boosting economic
Tracing the origin the aesthetics and skills try. Some film extras resumption by reinvigo-
and development path of ancient Chinese artists from Hengdian World rating consumption power
of Chinese embroidery and craftsmen. Since Studios have to work in depends greatly on how
provides a glimpse of the China has never been local factories or deliver much money consum-
history of Chinese cloth- a major amber produc- food temporarily to keep ers have in their pockets
ing, society, and culture. ing country, amber relics their dreams alive. As and their confidence in
Through complex and also provide evidence of the epidemic wanes, an the future. However, the
varying patterns, stitches, links between China and increasing number of epidemic has dragged
and materials, it captured neighboring countries by paused film and teleplay lifestyles into a new
and interpreted the preserving contact and crews have resumed normal, and the concepts
aesthetic concepts of exchange stories involv- work in Hengdian. Many and trends of modern
Chinese style to present ing distant countries and outside crews have moved consumer society are
a splendid image of the regions in ancient times. into Hengdian as well. being reconstructed by
country. The remaining “dream the epidemic situation.
chasers” are also returning
to work and normal life.
Chinese Heritage Forbidden City Sanlian Life Week New Weekly
June 2020 May 2020 June 15, 2020 June 1, 2020
CHINA P I C TO R I A L 13F E AT U R E S
Cloud Canvas
T
he internet is playing an increasingly important
role in art, and the change of medium is “unavoid-
able.” The analysis of art displayed online may
provide a glimpse into future trends in art.
14 VOLUME 865The exhibition “Meditations in an Emergency.” On May
21, the UCCA Center for Contemporary Art opened
its first physical exhibition this year, “Meditations in
an Emergency.” The exhibition features 26 artists of
different generations. It presents the thoughts of artists
on the pandemic and the living condition of mankind.
by Wan Quan/China Pictorial
CHINA P I C TO R I A L 15FE AT URE S
Philip Tinari, director of UCCA
in Beijing, and his team have
launched many online projects.
Behind him is The Square ,
an installation by renowned
contemporary artist Lu Lei.
by Wan Quan/China Pictorial
UCCA
Moving Art Online
Text by Gong Haiying
Exploration of online projects could produce more
energy for the development of art institutions.
O
n May 21, the UCCA Center for exhibitions. As a leading contemporary art
Contemporary Art opened its institution in China, UCCA has presented
first physical exhibition this year, a series of online projects since February of
“Meditations in an Emergency,” this year, including concerts, exhibitions,
after over four months of closure. For the lectures, and movies. The center continues
need of epidemic prevention and control, to display works and concepts of Chinese
the opening ceremony of the exhibition was artists and maintain close connections with
attended by only a limited number of people its patrons during the special period.
and kept simple and low profile in addition Founded by Belgian collector Guy Ullens
to being livestreamed on several online and his wife in 2007, UCCA has become
platforms. iconic for contemporary Chinese art. Philip
Due to the COVID-19 outbreak, Tinari from the United States has had the
many museums and art institutions began longest tenure as the center’s director. Since
to launch online projects and virtual arriving in China in 2001, he has witnessed
16 VOLUME 865the establishment and development of many Spring Festival holiday, I traveled to
modern art institutions in the country. Europe, Saudi Arabia, and South Africa.
During the epidemic, he and the UCCA I returned to Beijing on February 11
team endeavored to organize many online while China was still struggling with the
projects. They also seized the opportunity epidemic. We rescheduled all the year’s
to ponder over the future of art institutions work and postponed all major international
like UCCA. exhibitions planned to be held at our center.
We began to design this new exhibition
China Pictorial : How has the epidemic about the epidemic in March. The COVID-
changed your life and work and how has it 19 epidemic has been quite a tragedy for
inspired you? How did “Meditations in an the 21st century as well as a rare experi-
Emergency” come about? ence shared by all human beings. We see it
Philip Tinari: The epidemic disturbed from different perspectives and put together
my life and work schedule. During the interesting works to present the feelings of
CHINA P I C TO R I A L 17FE AT URE S
The exhibition “Meditations in an
Emergency.” Whispering Pines ∞ is a six-
channel video installation created by
American artist Shana Moulton. In the
work, the artist plays a person suffering
agoraphobia but trying her utmost to live a
healthy life. The work aims to discuss “self-
realization.” by Wan Quan/China Pictorial
Just Like in the Mirror, a series of works
created by Chinese artist Zhang Hui, tells
how nurses are drawing new energy in their
daily lives. courtesy of UCCA Center for
Contemporary Art
while the center was closed. On February
29, the online concert “Voluntary Garden
Online Concert: Sonic Cure” was welcomed
by lots of people who hadn’t been outdoors
in over a month, and they were happy about
watching it online together.
contemporary Chinese artists. Combining online and offline projects
Over the next few years or even longer, has been a struggle for art institutions
the biggest change will probably be less since the emergence of the internet. And
exchange in the realm of contemporary art. the current situation offers new possibil-
Maybe the term “New Intentionality” can ities to solve the problem. When online
describe some changes, which means that life is increasingly enriched, exhibitions
we will take advantage of resources at our finally become part of it. In the long run,
disposal in a more comprehensive and smart we will try other online forms and prepare
way. This exhibition reflects what our young to open an exhibition center in Shanghai to
exhibition design team was forced to brain- reach people across the country and around
storm to find interesting ideas. We hope to the world.
arrange more great exhibitions in the future Physical art galleries create intimacy
and share our enthusiasm with more people. between the audience and works of art,
This is the core spirit of UCCA. which not only makes for an experience
that is irreplaceable, but also endows art
China Pictorial : During the epidemic, with more value. As for the future of virtual
many art institutions launched online exhibitions, I want to spend more time
exhibitions. What do you think about online figuring out what we can do and ponder-
platforms for art institutions? Will virtual ing the situation. We are now preparing,
exhibitions become mainstream? for example, to create VR materials by
Tinari: We launched many online taking photos of the exhibition. Although
projects to stay connected with our patrons the experience of art cannot be duplicated
18 VOLUME 865May 2020: Few tourists are seen outside
the UCCA Center for Contemporary Art
located at the core part of the 798 Art
District when Beijing’s epidemic prevention
and control measures are still in place. As
an art institution based in China but with
a global vision, UCCA provides millions
of viewers a wealth of art exhibits, public
projects and research projects every year.
by Wan Quan/China Pictorial
online, knowledge related to art can be
available online. We hope to achieve more
in this regard.
China Pictorial: How do China’s art
institutions differ from their counterparts in
Europe and America? When the epidemic is
over, what will the future of art institutions
and their roles look like?
Tinari: Governments in Europe are
giving art institutions substantial support.
Many institutions are mainly funded
by local governments. In the United
States, museums can facilitate nurturing
better citizens.
Similarly, considering the country’s
booming economy, the Chinese government
is expected to promote the development
of art and creativity. Thanks to China’s
focus on economics as well as art creation,
the number of art museums is increasing,
and the 798 Art District is growing. In the
future, excellent art institutions will find
their own paths to survival, but they must
keep an eye on their academic status and
influence. Exploration of online projects
could produce more energy for the develop-
ment of art institutions.
CHINA P I C TO R I A L 19FE AT URE S A screenshot of the online graduation works exhibition of the Central Academy of Fine Arts (CAFA). The exhibition presented a 3D virtual CAFA Art Museum. It leveraged VR, AR, 3D, and other technologies to display graduates’ works in creative ways, which achieved impressive exhibition effects in the post-epidemic era. Virtual Graduation Show Text by Anne Cao Photographs courtesy of Central Academy of Fine Arts Exhibiting graduation works online presented new challenges but also inspired art schools and their graduates. 20 VOLUME 865
T
he graduate show is the most import- on the mask when the air temperature
ant graduation season event for art changes due to the wearer’s breathing so
schools. This year, the coronavi- you can tell if someone else has worn it.”
rus pandemic pushed many of those Wang Jiaxing from the Sculpture
institutions, including the Central Academy Department shared his creation experience
of Fine Arts (CAFA), to move the shows at home: “The biggest difficulty working
online and display graduation works in at home was a lack of tools and materials.
the “cloud.” I had to improvise various ways to solve
On June 15, the 2020 CAFA undergrad- the problems. I even used my mother’s
uate students’ graduation kitchen ware in my work.
works exhibition, themed The process was innovative
“Then and Now,” was The coronavirus and interesting.”
officially launched. The pandemic pushed You Qinhuang from the
exhibition showcased
graduation works by 846
many art institutions Oil Painting Department
held an exhibition at home,
undergraduate students to move shows which attracted many
from 11 schools and depart- online and display local art enthusiasts. “I
ments of the CAFA in five graduation works in recorded the real lives of
virtual exhibition galleries. ordinary families during
It also included draft works, the “cloud.” the epidemic,” he said. “My
and traced the creation inspiration was this house,
process and growth of students’ skills. so I held the exhibition here. I wanted to
In total, nearly 20,000 drawings, paint- capture the state of life during the special
ings, prints, 3D works, and video works period through paintings and leave a
were presented. special mark to fuel memories.”
It was the largest graduation works
exhibition in the history of the CAFA. New Forms, New Ideas
To some extent, the online show will Exhibiting works online brought new
continue forever. challenges as well as new inspiration for
art schools and their graduates alike.
Working Through the Epidemic Zhang Zikang, head of the CAFA Art
Art is born of life. In 2020, a sudden Museum, noted that due to space limita-
epidemic disrupted the normal graduation tions in the museum’s exhibition halls,
schedule but also offered new avenues for students could only show a few works in
inspiration. previous years. Some big series and instal-
Wang Zihe from the School of Urban lations suffered because only snippets
Design explained that his graduation work could be displayed. “The virtual exhibi-
Breathing Grass is based on the epidemic tion gives students more space to present
outbreak in Wuhan and created to solve their works, so the viewers can take in a
real problems. more comprehensive understanding of the
“In January and February of this year, works, which is a great breakthrough.”
the extreme shortage of masks lured some Wang Ming, a sculpting graduate,
illicit factories to reprocess used masks pointed to the impact of the online exhibi-
for resale, which posed a great infec- tion on his creating experience. “This
tion risk to the public,” he recounted. “I online exhibition caused me to do a lot
designed a hidden pattern that appears of new thinking. For example, I had to
CHINA P I C TO R I A L 21FE AT URE S
Seven Sages of the
Bamboo Grove by Zhan
Ji’ang, 240x200cm, light
color, silver and copper foil
on silk.
A screenshot of the
work Seven Sages of the
Bamboo Grove displayed
in the virtual gallery. Each
graduate was provided a
webpage on which to add
new designs and works for
the virtual gallery, so every
graduate enjoyed sufficient
exhibition space and diverse
presentation forms.
22 VOLUME 865Seven Fans by You
Qinhuang, 80x120cm,
oil on canvas.
A screenshot of the work
Seven Fans displayed in the
virtual gallery.
use 3D technology to transform a tradi- the presentation and development of art.
tional sculpture into virtual form, which The exhibition fully leveraged VR, AR,
inspired many new ideas for future works. 3D, and other technologies to display
It’s important to embrace digital think- graduates’ works in creative ways, which
ing during the creation process, which can achieved impressive effects.
open new windows of possibilities.” The exhibition presented a 3D virtual
The online exhibition has been enjoying CAFA Art Museum. Each graduate was
heavy viewing traffic. “It would be impos- provided a page on which to add new
sible for a physical exhibition to reach so designs and works for the virtual gallery,
many people,” said Zhang Zikang. “This so every graduate enjoyed sufficient exhibi-
is the big reason we see so much potential tion space and diverse presentation forms.
in the internet as a tool for promotion, and Online exhibitions also free patrons
the advantages of online exhibitions will from the constraints of physical exhibi-
increase in the future.” tions. Viewers can observe works from
every angle, search for information about
Crossover Arts creators, and view the complete series
In the internet era, the deep interac- and portfolios. The flexible, efficient, and
tion and integration of technology and interactive online exhibition delivered new
art could exert a profound influence on experiences for art enthusiasts.
CHINA P I C TO R I A L 23FE AT URE S
Beijing People’s Art Theatre
New Scenes in an Old Theater
Text by Gong Haiying
“Amid the COVID-19 epidemic, it felt like the internet was
the only place free of the deadly virus. It is where spectators
and performers can reach each other without worry and a
conduit for art to be spread widely to more people.”
J
une 12, 2020 marked the 68th birth- Full house? Yes and no. There was no
day of Beijing People’s Art Theatre. audience sitting in the theater. However,
That day, 30 performers from the the performance was played for the largest
institution ranging from veterans real-time audience since the establishment
to recent graduates returned to the stage of the institution. For the past 68 years,
for their first performance in the five Beijing People’s Art Theatre, one of the
months since the COVID-19 outbreak. most revered theaters in China, has estab-
Scenes from 16 Chinese and interna- lished close bonds with its audience. That
tional plays were performed, including night, the limited seats in the theater were
scenes from Thunderstorm and Sunrise by unnecessary because the internet created
Chinese playwright Cao Yu, Peter Shaffer’s millions of virtual seats for anyone with a
Amadeus , and Hamlet . The performances connection. The performance was broad-
either combined versions or featured the cast on dozens of China’s online platforms.
theatre’s original cast. The event featur- By the end of it, the count of total real-time
ing actors and actresses of different viewers surpassed five million, thousands
generations working together was highly of times the seats (about 1,000) in the brick-
anticipated and drew massive attention. and-mortar theater.
24 VOLUME 865Lan Tianye (left), a veteran performer from Beijing People’s Art Theatre, waits to get on the stage.
The 93-year-old actor is the only one still active on stage among the theater’s first-generation per-
formers. This time, he worked with young actors and actresses to reproduce several scenes from the
classic play Cai Wenji which tells the story of a female poet and musician of that name in the late
Eastern Han Dynasty (25-220). Their performance showed the heritage of Beijing People’s Art
Theatre across time. by Li Hongbo
CHINA P I C TO R I A L 25FE AT URE S
Before the performance
for the 68th anniversary of
Beijing People’s Art Thea-
tre starts, the machine for
live broadcast is already on
standby. Quite different
from previous online per-
formances, this show made
its spectators feel like they
were on the scene, thanks
to the actors and actresses
working on the real stage of
the theatre. by Li Hongbo
understanding of the world and forced us
to learn new skills,” said Feng. “Amid the
COVID-19 epidemic, it felt like the inter-
net was the only place free of the deadly
virus. It is where spectators and perform-
ers can reach each other without worry
and a conduit for art to be spread widely to
more people.”
Feng admitted that at first it was merely
an expedient measure to organize online
activities after the closure of the physi-
cal theater. However, as time passed,
the theater began to explore such activi-
ties more actively. Classical script reading
through the cloud is a major online
program organized by Beijing People’s Art
Theatre. Actors and actresses sit at home
and read through a play as the audience
listens in. The professionals have only their
voices and their lines to portray differ-
ent characters and emotions. As online
During China’s fight against COVID-19, script reading grew in popularity, Feng’s
Beijing People’s Art Theatre carried out faith in the potential of virtual art activi-
a series of online programs and activities ties expanded. So far, Beijing People’s Art
such as cloud script reading, museum in Theatre has scheduled five script readings
the cloud, and performances and exhibi- during its closure due to the epidemic,
tions through the cloud. One mastermind including the original play Top Restaurant
behind these online programs was veteran and Romulus the Great by Swiss playwright
Chinese actor Feng Yuanzheng, head of Friedrich Dürrenmatt. The number of
the performers team of Beijing People’s listeners for each reading has reached
Art Theatre. “The epidemic definitely has hundreds of thousands.
been a disaster, but it also deepened our For International Museum Day on
26 VOLUME 865Actress Gong Lijun (right),
who has been playing Fan
Yi in Thunderstorm for 31
years, works with young
actor Zhou Shuai to give a
fresh take on the time-
honored play. Although
there were no audiences
sitting in the theater, actors
and actresses had no diffi-
culty in finding the unique
theatrical atmosphere.
by Li Chunguang
Prince Hamlet played by
actor Wang Ban of Beijing
People’s Art Theatre has
long received overwhelming
popularity with audiences.
His monologue helps build
the noble character of the
prince and touches the
hearts of his audience.
by Li Chunguang
May 18, the Drama Museum of Beijing online platforms to shoot our own version
People’s Art Theatre launched a lives- of National Theatre Live (NT Live) like
treamed “tour” of the museum, which some European theaters did to spread our
revealed many unknown stories happening drama art to every corner of the world,”
throughout the history of the theater. In he said. “We may also invite both domes-
just over a month, the cumulative viewers tic and international artists to rehearse the
exceeded 80,000. same play at the same time in their respec-
Regarding future online innovations tive cities or countries. They perform the
of Beijing People’s Art Theatre and other play together on the internet, and they could
drama institutions, Feng is already working even use different languages. How thrilling
on a pattern. “We can cooperate with and amazing would that be?”
CHINA P I C TO R I A L 27FE AT URE S Taking Drama Online Text by Heidi Gong Photographs courtesy of Ying Drama Studio The magic of drama is not confined to the stage. We can harness the power of online platforms to transcend time and space to share plays and spread dramatic ideas. 28 VOLUME 865
O
n April 22, 2020, two days after
Ying Drama Studio issued a
recruitment announcement for
its inaugural online drama class,
the studio expanded the class size from 50
to 1,000. By the end of June, three series
of streamed classes had drawn thousands
of students.
Drama director Wang Xiaoying,
a founder of Ying Drama Studio and
lecturer of its first online drama class, has
always sought ways to bring drama to more
people. The class combined video and
livestreaming to enhance interaction and
encouraged participants to engage in deep
discussions online.
Since the 1980s, Wang has directed
dozens of dramatic classics in China and
beyond, injecting them with his own
singular interpretations. The theme of the
early lessons was “A good drama is a lab
for human nature,” a philosophy Wang has
promoted for years. He has prying into
human nature through productions such as
Blind City, adapted from Portuguese writer
José Saramago’s novel Blindness , and The
Orphan of Zhao , a famous Chinese histori-
cal work. Through practice on the internet,
Wang has updated his ideas about technol-
A still from the drama Copenhagen . Director ogy and hopes to use it to explore new
Wang Xiaoying began rehearsing the new possibilities for drama.
version of classic British drama Copenhagen
in China in 2003, and since then it has been China Pictorial : As stage art, drama
performed on stage for more than 10 years. traditionally places great focus on face-to-
The original drama, created by prominent face communication. How has “cloud
British playwright Michael Frayn in 1998, teaching” worked for you?
depicts a meeting between the spirits of
Wang Xiaoying: When I first started
German physicist Werner Heisenberg,
looking into a camera instead of the faces
Danish physicist Niels Bohr and Bohr’s wife
Margrethe. The play reinterprets the famous of students and lecturing to empty seats,
“mystery of the Copenhagen meeting” indeed, I had to overcome huge psycho-
between the two renowned physicists in logical discomfort. But this forced trial
the history of modern science, and asks ending up with thousands of viewers was
a question: “As a scientist with morality tremendously encouraging. I gradually
and justice, what should he do for the recognized that the appeal of drama is
development of human society?” not confined to the stage. We can employ
online platforms to transcend time and
CHINA P I C TO R I A L 29FE AT URE S
A still from the drama Blind City. Directed by
Wang Xiaoying, the drama was premiered in
2007. It is an adaptation of the novel Blindness
by Portuguese Nobel Literature Laureate José
Saramago, which Wang Xiaoying read during
the 2003 SARS outbreak in Beijing.
space to share plays and spread ideas. and the collapse of social order caused by
sudden blindness.
China Pictorial : You have directed many The novel coronavirus pandemic has
Chinese and foreign classics. Why did caused a far greater impact than SARS did,
you choose Blind City as the first topic to but thankfully we are hearing more inner
discuss in the online class? reflections and rational voices than we did
Wang Xiaoying: History is always during the SARS outbreak.
surprisingly familiar. The drama Blind The epidemic is a special situation and an
City was inspired by Blindness , one of event worthy of in-depth study in dramatic
the most renowned novels by Portuguese laboratories. I hope to guide the audience to
author José Saramago, which I read during appreciate the most valuable things found
the 2003 outbreak of SARS in Beijing. The in the drama. I want to show everyone that
novel revolves around an unexplained mass drama can be a human nature laboratory.
epidemic of blindness afflicting nearly In the theater, you can feel and think about
everyone in a city. The heroine in the play emotions and ideas that may not ever be
witnesses the distortion of human nature perceived in daily life. Exploring them can
30 VOLUME 865As the play Copenhagen
is staged at Ying Drama
Studio’s theater, audiences
carefully read the playbill
while waiting for the start
of the performance.
Director Wang Xiaoying
giving an online lecture
on drama. Wang admitted
that when looking into a
camera instead of the faces
of students and lecturing
to empty seats for his first
online class, he had to over-
come huge psychological
discomfort.
facilitate deeper thinking and understand- reflection and contemplation on reality.
ing of human nature. Western dramas focus on human nature and
soul searching when facing dilemmas and
China Pictorial : You have summarized reflect on the power of human nature.
two of your methods for creation: inject- Although physical theaters can never be
ing Chinese narratives into foreign dramas completely replaced, the development of
and digging into Chinese classics. What are online activities is a necessary promotion
the similarities and differences between and extension of offline works to some
Chinese and Western dramas? How do you extent. Our online class will continue to
envision the future development of Ying invite more famous drama masters to teach
Drama Studio after the epidemic? and participate. In the future, I am sure we
Wang Xiaoying: From a narrative point will find even more diverse and flexible
of view, Chinese and Western dramas take ways to communicate with the audience.
different paths to arrive at the same desti- Ying Drama Studio will continue explor-
nation. The major difference is that Chinese ing creative practices to enrich avenues of
dramas pay more attention to people’s drama exchange and development.
CHINA P I C TO R I A L 31FE AT URE S
From Screen to Mind:
Origin and Inquiry of
Online “Screen Art”
Text by Jonas Stampe and Xiao Ge
As cutting-edge art was broadcast directly into people’s homes, it
seemed like the possibilities for exhibition could become endless.
T
hese days, online exhibitions As cutting-edge art was broadcast directly
have become a survival mode for into people’s homes, it seemed like the possi-
art galleries, museums, and art bilities for exhibition could become endless.
fairs. But more than 50 years ago, The idea was simple yet ingenious. He
before the internet and other visual online replaced a conventional recording from the
media emerged, remote art shows were exhibition space or studio with works made
simply called television art. specifically for television. These works were
Although television art was first intro- not shown on small square-box screens in
duced as a notion by Lucio Fontana and galleries to art aficionados. Quite the contrary,
the Italian Spatialists in their “Manifest they were meant to be broadcast into every
for Television” in 1952, it never material- home from the initial artistic concept.
ized as a specific art form. In 1969, however, Imagine how contemporary art and the
a young innovative German artist and art world would look like today if this vision
filmmaker named Gerry Schum embarked had succeeded. How would perceptions and
on a short and intense journey that made philosophies about art have changed? What
history. With his wife Ursula Wevers, he we can say with any certainty is that things
conceived and created the first television would be different. Of course, some people
gallery, Fernsehgalerie Berlin Gerry Schum. would just switch channels, but many would
It broadcast its first television exhibition have continued looking at their screens with
“Land Art” at 10:15 p.m. on April 15, 1969, wonder and a hunger for understanding.
showcasing works of eight legendary artists. The television gallery was unlike any
32 VOLUME 865Filz TV, a video work created in 1969 by Joseph Beuys (1921-1986), a
famous German artist, is screened at the exhibition “From Screen to
Mind—A 50-Year History.” In the video, the artist constantly knocks on
the television screen to reflect on the current situation that television is
firmly controlled by ideology and commercial interests. by Yi Zilei
CHINA P I C TO R I A L 33FE AT URE S On the first floor of the gallery, The World Question Center, a unique and historic work by American artist James Lee Byars, is presented for the first time in China. It was filmed by TV producer, art critic and film director Jef Cornelis, and broadcast on Belgium’s National Television on November 28, 1969, seven months after Gerry Schum’s first TV exhibition “Land Art.” James Lee Byars’ The World Question Center is also one of the first interactive works in the history of contemporary art. It was the first time in contemporary art history that a work of art used live broadcast as a medium and interacted with an audience through open phone calls. by Wan Quan/China Pictorial other kinds of art galleries; its physical space carried a critique of the commercialism of was television sets in people’s homes— contemporary art that aligned with ideolo- it sought an immediate place and space in gies of mid-century modern art movements people’s minds and lives. Furthermore, that celebrated art’s profoundly immaterial each show was only broadcast once, ensur- qualities. ing an extremely ephemeral flavor. You This idea, which aimed to commission either saw it or you missed it. That was it. art created especially for television as an There were no reruns. Schum’s visionary alternative to documentaries about artists, idea was driven by his desire to use the mass should be analyzed in the social context of medium of television as an artistic medium Europe and the United States of the late and as a consequence, make art more acces- 1960s. Influenced by the idea of bringing sible to a wider audience, an idea which also art and culture to all citizens, many sought 34 VOLUME 865
to make art accessible to everyone. But
the concept was also highly influenced by
new emerging and groundbreaking artistic
movements of the period: performance art,
process art, conceptual art, photography,
arte povera, and a few artists using video.
Such forms aspired to break through limits
imposed by traditional art disciplines like
sculpture and painting.
When looking at these screens and at
these works of art, it is important to be
aware you are practicing a mind-resil-
ience, conceptual imagination—learning
to understand other ideas and perspec-
tives. These artists conceived the images
while knowing that they would be presented
on the television set’s square screen with
rounded corners. Their contrasting usages
of perspective, motion, and stillness are all Untitled (1970) by Keith Sonnier, an American artist born in 1941.
deliberate and chosen for the format of a courtesy of Wind H Art Center
television set with flatness and illusionary
depth in mind.
The show “From Screen to Mind”
recounts a time 50 years ago when art
and society witnessed profound changes.
Female artists were excluded or not even video. If Gerry Schum’s television gallery
considered even at a time when the notion triggered the emergence of video art and its
of art as a tool for change was the norm— early development, it also raised questions—
when cutting-edge innovation with only questions that “From Screen to Mind—A
art as a concept was respected and market 50-Year History” may help to answer.
forces were less imposing on artistic Furthermore, the exhibition raises
creation. It was also a time when screen- questions about our current understand-
based art started to take baby steps, a time ing and engagement with the screen, its
when online television programming was mobile and omni-contextual potential,
limited to a few channels and when trans- and the problems of reproduction of scale
mission was national rather than global. and space.
The radical innovations of Fernsehgalerie
Berlin Gerry Schum remain the key pillars of
online screen-based art due to the attempts to The authors are a curating duo. Jonas Stampe is a
find unity between works and media, but also Danish curator and art theorist. Xiao Ge is a Chi-
because of the drive to redefine an art form nese artist, curator, and media professional. The
aimed at a mass audience. This vigorous and Wind H Art Center is exploring the source and
early beginning of online exhibitions with the show
highly influential yet short-lived experiment
“From Screen to Mind—A 50-Year History” which
prompted artists who might otherwise not highlights the early origins of online screen-based
have considered screen-based art to engage art. This article is an excerpt from the preface of
in broadcast projects first using film and later the exhibition.
CHINA P I C TO R I A L 35FE AT URE S
Static Travels
From Grand Tour to Online Art
Text by Miriam Mirolla
Switching from real to online exhibitions results in
gains as well as losses.
T
o commemorate the 500th anniver- awake past experiences. A live approach
sary of Raphael’s death, the to art can stimulate a wide range of mental
Scuderie del Quirinale in Rome processes that cannot be reached from
organized an impressive exhibi- screen-based exploration.
tion that was shut down only a few hours For example, many Italian cities offer
after opening due to Italy’s lockdown to visitors an opportunity to make intimate
fight COVID-19. The museum promptly contact with different artistic theories
uploaded a free video to its website to developed through the centuries, which
maintain interest in the event with hopes are often represented in the same area. For
of a revival. example, Florence is a perfect fusion of
If art is an expanding group of cultural the Middle Ages and Renaissance styles.
devices capable of transforming the But what is the difference between visiting
audience’s social wisdom and bring- this stunning city in person and through
ing them into the future, online art will a device? The real experience involves
become a key tool to launch a complex crossing the city center, walking through
journey into the soul. the Ponte Vecchio, turning left towards a
small square, and entering Santa Felicita’s
Grand Tour church. Finally, visitors can appreciate
Since ancient times, art has always been one of the most gorgeous masterpieces
produced as a site installation in which the of Mannerist painting—Descent from
observer’s point of view is crucial. Unique the Cross by Jacopo Pontormo, a large
relations with art trigger imagination and canvas set in the chapel. A true psychic
36 VOLUME 865Many exhibitions to commemorate the 500th anniversary of Raphael’s death have been suspended
due to the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic. Thanks to the improved situation in China, the
exhibition, “Raffaello: Opera Omnia,” finally opened in Kunming, the capital city of southwestern
China’s Yunnan Province.
and emotional experience for the viewer, in the world, recently organized the First
it is deeply integrated with the architecture National Online Meeting along with all
and impossible to be fully reproduced on 20 Italian Academies. The aim is to share
screen. teaching experiences in this difficult time.
Travel is a method of learning. In A temporary solution is clearly
the modern age, the Grand Tour was an blended learning. But what about practi-
important element of European cultural cal disciplines such as painting, sculpture,
lifestyle that interested the well-off scenography, decoration, and engraving?
from Britain, France, Germany, the And what about historical laboratories
Netherlands, and Russia. Writers, artists, including the most recent and innovative
and musicians such as Goethe, Stendhal, one, the Laboratory of Art Psychology?
Raphael Mengs, and Lord Byron took part They certainly cannot be replaced by
in it. The Grand Tour was the first major remote lessons, virtual laboratories, or
form of cultural tourism to gain popular- online exhibitions.
ity. By the mid-18th century, about 40,000
travelers were traveling from Northern Online Art
Europe to Italy. Their goal was to study the A virtual show about Raphael’s life
classics by living and learning in drawing and painting designed by the Italian
academies. company Magister Art is set to travel the
Through distance learning since the world. The original paintings of Raphael
COVID-19 outbreak, the Academy of Fine were transformed in hypertext and LED
Arts in Rome, one of the oldest institutions walls into which the observer can inquire
CHINA P I C TO R I A L 37FE AT URE S
1
3
as intimately as a doctor explores the
body. Technology enables the patron to
enter the work of art and fathom it as a
complex universe, and online exhibitions
can deepen a hasty encounter with the
masterpieces.
Though live experiences are essential in
art, the digital acquisition of Italian artis-
tic and monumental heritage promoted by
Google Arts and Culture should be consid-
ered a valid activity to promote positive
outcomes for academic training in art.
Furthermore, Italian museums are rapidly
adapting to social distancing, introduc-
ing online access to their collections and
online exhibitions.
Epidemic waves may continue to
38 VOLUME 8651. Students make an eye tracking
experiment on The Winged Psyche in
the Laboratory of Art Psychology.
2. A Laboratory of Art Psychology
student wearing eye tracking glasses.
3. Descent from the Cross by Jacopo
Pontormo (1494-1557). The oil
painting on wood is one of the at-
tractions in the Capponi Chapel,
Santa Felicita Church of Florence,
Italy. The work’s grandeur is deep-
ly integrated with the architecture
and cannot be fully reproduced on
screen.
2
limit the possibility of real experiences. survival, a pre and post learning moment.
Switching from real to online exhibitions Digitalization is succeeding in “bringing the
results in gains as well as losses. Patrons observer into the center of the painting,”
save time and money by surfing rapidly as the Futurist painter Umberto Boccioni
while still at home. People can consume envisioned in the early 20th century. Online
thousands of pieces of informational exhibitions make viewers the center of
data daily while still avoiding gathering the work and their thoughts and emotions
in museums in terms of psycho-physi- essential facets of the aesthetic experience.
cal experiences. Furthermore, people can Focus on the viewer has pushed a new
avert the possibility of enduring the unpre- paradigm shift: online exhibitions will
dictable and extraordinary cocktail that is become a new conceptual frontier combin-
aesthetic experience—the basic platform ing the Grand Tour and Depth Psychology
for every human interaction, for individual with real and virtual knowledge to
and social evolution, the encounter point ultimately transform the observer into a
among the Self, the Other, and reality. perfect motionless traveler.
But online art is already succeeding as
a considerably important tool of cultural The author is an Italian art critic and theorist.
CHINA P I C TO R I A L 39FE AT URE S
A poster for Leap , a film which chronicles the stories of China’s national women’s volleyball team.
The movie release was previously scheduled for the Spring Festival holiday. After its withdrawal, the
movie has yet to set a new release date. IC
Cinema
Present and Prospects
Text by Duan Xiaosha and Wo Kexin
What will the future bring for the film industry?
40 VOLUME 865A poster for the superhero film Black Widow . Previously set for release on May 1, 2020, the new
release date for the movie has been set for November 6 this year. IC
A
bout 13,000 film and television techniques and viewing habits are evolv-
production companies in China ing rapidly as online videos reach viewers
have folded or dissolved since the with unprecedented convenience after
beginning of 2020. Hollywood theaters shut down. Furthermore, previous
production shut down for three months pursuits for new frontiers of filmmak-
from March to June. Next year’s Oscars ing and nagging problems hindering the
ceremony, scheduled for February 2021, development of film have been signifi-
will be postponed for two months due to cantly magnified. What is film? What roles
the film shortage caused by the coronavi- do movies play in our world? What will be
rus pandemic. possible for movies in the future? Those
Facing such a grim reality, filmmak- questions are worth rethinking.
ers are struggling to survive. Production The rapid development of science and
CHINA P I C TO R I A L 41You can also read
