My Antwerp days
Photos and article by Zhu Luming
Translated by June Zhou

Zhu Luming, a Xiamenese studying for a postgraduate degree in art in Belgium, has successfully organized several bilateral cultural exchange activities in Xiamen. Recently, he was offered a scholarship in Germany and started a new phase of pursuing art. The following is a brief introduction to his study in Belgium.

朱路明,一位在比利时攻读艺术专业硕士的厦门青年,曾在厦门成功组织过几次中外艺术交流活动。最近,他得到德国的一项奖学金,又开始了新的深造。以下是他在比利时学习的一些情况,读者从中不难体会到中外艺术教育方面的不同之处。

In June 2001, I was admitted to the Belgium National Art Institute （比利时国家艺术学院）, which is the only authoritative institution within Belgium to confer a postgraduate degree in Art. I was quite lucky because out of more than a hundred applicants from all over the world, only twenty-seven made it to the final.

The institute is located in Antwerp, Belgium's second largest city. The city is not only famous for its 124-year old Royal Antwerp Football Club, but also for its dense ambience of art. There are about twenty galleries scattered around the city whose population is only 500, 000. Art institutions, both classic art galleries and contemporary art galleries play significant roles in the urban cultural life.

Institute rebuilt from hospital
Frankly speaking, I was pretty disappointed in the appearance of the institute when I first arrived. The place used to be a military hospital before it was reconstructed for art studios. Later I learnt that in Europe, it is phenomenal（普遍的） to transform abandoned workshops into art studios. In some countries, even national art galleries are materialized this way. A prominent（重要的） example is the Berlin Contemporary Gallery in Germany, whose predecessor was an aged railway station.

I was deeply impressed by this notion of utilizing waste material to create something new, which contrasted sharply with China's recent massive movement in removing old buildings for skyscrapers. It would economize a lot of money, time and resources if some of the old factories and buildings could have been transformed into art studios and galleries directly. In this way, a city would be able to present its cultural capacity（容量）, which requires something far more than brand-new skyscrapers.

Be an individual artist
Belgium National Art Institute is a one-hundred-percent international artists' village, which is made up of artists from various countries. Its uniqueness lies in its unfixed teaching and living schedule. There are not any lecturers in the strict sense, only a few administrative staff and technical consultants who answer for technical support.

Guest Professor Mr. Nedko Solakov, who plays an active role in the field of contemporary（当代的） art, made such a passionate remark when we first met. "Remember you are not a student, but an individual artist like any one else here. Do make good use of your time to experience individual thinking and experimenting. You are your own man!"

I actually appreciate the exceptional ways of teaching and learning which differ from what I got used to at home.

International communication
Even without regular lecturers, students are able to interact with world-leading professors, artists, theorists and exhibition curators who visit studios on campus every month. Celebrated exhibition curators such as Ms. Catherine David and Mr. Hou Hanru also paid their visits, which excited all of the young artists who had been thirsting for a chance to communicate with big-shots（名人） in their fields of study.

The compound where I live has always been quiet, which can be easily associated with loneliness. Yet, isn't it a real reflection of an artist's inner world?
I miss my unforgettable days at Antwerp.

Xiamen Choir, a promising asset to the city
Photo and article by Vivian Zhang

From 16th February, the newly founded Xiamen Choir has been rehearsing twice a week, hoping to sharpen their talents and be fit for the International Olympic Choir Competition in Germany in July. It is also a vital step towards Xiamen competing for the candidate host city for 2006 International Olympic Choir Competition.

Wang Jun, the art monitor and chief conductor of Xiamen Opera House Orchestra, revealed that the solicitation of choir members was just before the Spring Festival. Over 300 people signed up and 90 qualified after a strict examination, most of whom are experienced members from other amateur choirs in Xiamen. "There is only 5 months left and we have to race against time. Several experts from other big cities have been invited to come and train the choir. Before May, there will be another phase-out test reducing the number of choir members leaving for Germany to 60."

Wang believes in a promising future for the Xiamen Choir. "Compared with big cities such as Shanghai, Beijing and Guangzhou, Xiamen lags behind in opera, dance and other professional performing arts. However, I dare say that the level of Xiamen amateur choirs is on par with their counterparts in any city in China. Gulangyu Choir once even got an award at the Beijing International Choir Festival. All we need to do is to assemble the very best human resources together and produce a mature choir with a unique style."

"The government needs not put much money into an amateur choir. What counts most are time and enthusiasm. But all will be paid off when the day comes that Xiamen Choir gets competent both at home and abroad and is regarded as another name card of Xiamen."