Abstract in concrete
By Vivian Zhang
Photos by Yao Fan

上周五, 在双语周刊和中国欧洲艺术中心联合举办的讲座中, 中国读者和西方现代艺术家们"短兵相接", 碰撞出一连串"思想的火花". 在这里我们除了报道以外, 还选登了两则热心读者的反馈文章.



The lecture on contemporary western art, held jointly by Common Talk and the Chinese European Art Center of the Xiamen University Art College, attracted a large local and foreign audience and generated an exciting exchange of views in a field that is rarely explored on our small island. The feelings produced by the artwork may be abstract, however the form of the communication is concrete.

The lecture, given at the Xiamen Daily News Building on the evening of June 10, was the first of a series of art events planned by the two organizations, aimed at bridging the gap between western art and Chinese viewers by providing a head-on communication between viewers and foreign artists.



"We try to bring progressive Chinese and European art in a professional way.""With the newspaper Common Talk and the CEAC organising lectures and discussions by Western and Chinese artists once a month in Xiamen, we hope to get more people interested in Western and Chinese Contemporary Art," said Ineke Gudmundsson, Director of the CEAC.

During the evening, artists from Europe, namely Jeroen Jacobs, Caroline Eggel, Susann Brannstrom and Orjan Wallert, exhibited their art and shared with the audience their feelings toward those works.



Jeroen Jacobs had opened his sculpture exhibition "Concrete Blanks" on the previous Friday at Xiamen University, thus the exhibits he chose that evening where to illustrate his views on the relation between objects and space.

As a curator, Caroline Eggel organized an exhibition titled "What's in my apartment when I'm not there," in Berlin last year. In the lecture, she presented some slides expressing her opinion that"the apartment as such becomes part of our psychological profile, and at the same time a mirror held up to our own personality."



Susann Brannstrom showed some slides and passed photos of her paintings around. Judging by her artwork, she is an artist who tries to "keep away from tradition." Her bright colors, bold lines and compositions speak for her spontaneous feelings and emotions.

Occasionally in the video work by Orjan Wallert, one may be reminded of scenes in the "Apartment Exhibition," as the space changed when the camera moved around the four-story building, and the feeling of three-dimensional space was enhanced by sound effects.



The organizers previously had an apprehension that such a display might go nowhere, since many Chinese locals have never looked into contemporary artwork, let alone western art, likewise the artists seldom had the chance to learn what Chinese audiences think about their art. Amazingly, after the ice was broken, the audience raised questions one after another, which were enthusiastically answered by the artists. Questions such as "Is any deep meaning rendered by the works?" "Why choose concrete as the sculpture material?" "What is the criteria in judging a contemporary artwork?" "Do artists adhere to their art style, or change from time?" "What does it feel like being an artist?" Some attendees also expressed their feelings and views toward the artwork, whether they liked it or felt perplexed.



Some of the audience stayed and had a heated discussion with the artists after the lecture was over."The audience are so nice," the artists claimed when asked of their impression of the lecture.

 

 

We can be viewers at least
By Paulina Huang

The European artists sat around the same table with all the readers. It turned on a new page for our English Salon. It eased us that we could talk to them about anything we wanted.

Many foreigners came and shared their opinions with us. I think it's a feast on our ears. But just like the artists said, " Art is a kind of feeling." As we know, feeling is abstract. I'm not sure if the audience can understand the art only by looking at the screen if they haven't been to the exhibition before. So it would be helpful for the audience to be well informed in advance.

On the other hand, decorating the meeting room could be a good way, such as hanging some of the artists' works. The audience would benefit from the atmosphere and their inspiration could be aroused, and would not just sit there torturing their imagination.

Anyway, it was quite a good try. I learnt a lot from the lecture; it opened my mind. I believe I'll understand more next time when I attend other art exhibitions. Life is full of art. The artists are viewers. We are not the artists but at least we can be the viewers.

First touch
By Shirley Yang

It was a wonderful lecture and an unforgettable night on June 10.

It was my first experience of being so close to the European artists and their works, and of touching the field of contemporary art.

I was especially impressed by artist Jeroen, who used concrete in his works. It is quite different and creative from those in Chinese art (from my point of view), in which wood, bamboo or porcelain is generally used. Through those vivid displays of the artists' works and their explanations, all the CT members including me had some idea of what artist meant to tell us.

Although it was the first touch of European contemporary art, I could feel the quite fresh air from it. And I really appreciated the way all these artists dedicated to the communication of Chinese and European art.

 

 

The Carpenters



七十年代的美国, 是一个需要平和而温柔的时代, 几乎每个人都急切地盼望关怀自己的内心, The Carpenters的成功也是顺乎时代的需求. 到目前为止, 他们在全世界大约销售了十亿套唱片. 而且The Carpenters在美国拥有无数荣誉: 八项金质纪念册; 五项铂金纪念册和十项惟一金奖; 在1970年至1980年期间美国销售量最好的组合. 在他们出道第一年里, 他们获得的奖项已是那段时期任何艺术家的两倍. 说起The Carpenters兄妹合唱团在乐坛的成就, 以他们的一首经典歌曲"Superstar"(超级巨星)来形容则一点不为过.

Superstar 超级巨星

Long ago, and, oh so far away
I fell in love with you
Before the second show
Your guitar
It sounds so sweet and clear
But you're not really here
It's just the radio
Don't you remember
You told me you love me baby
You said you'd be coming back this way again baby
Baby, baby, baby, baby, oh baby
I love you I really do

Loneliness is such a sad affair
And I can hardly wait
To be with you again
What to say, to make you come again
Come back to me again
And play your sad guitar
Repeat the 2nd paragraph


Vocabulary
blank 空白
curator 策展人
slide 幻灯片
phsycological 心理学的
apprehension 担心
adhere 坚持
criteria 标准
perplexed 茫然的

 

 

"Cuatro Amigos"
菲律宾画家作品展
Time: June 12-19, 2005
时间: 6月12日--19日
Venue: SM City Plaza
地点: 厦门SM城市广场

Photos exhibition on Sino-Filipino relation
中菲关系图片展
Time: June 11-20
时间: 6月11日--20日
Venue: Central hall of the SM City Plaza
地点: 厦门SM城市广场中庭

Performance by the Filipino Bayanihan National Dance Troupe
菲律宾Bayanihan国家舞蹈团文艺晚会
Time: 7:30 p.m. June 18, 2005
时间: 6月18日晚7: 30
Venue: Xiamen Arts Theatre
地点: 厦门市艺术剧院
Time: 8:00 p.m. June 19, 2005
时间: 6月19日晚8: 00
Venue: C parking lot at the SM City Plaza
地点: SM城市广场C区停车场