Nothing fishy about skeleton art
By Vivian Zhang
Photos by Yao Fan

林翰冰毕业于福建工艺美术学校, 也是中国发明家协会会员. 良好的艺术感觉加上创新思维, 在他手中诞生了一种全新的艺术形式--鱼骨画. 在近日厦门旅游纪念品征集评选暨设计大赛的展示中, 他的新作《厦门二十名景图》与观众见面. 林翰冰说, 他要将鱼骨画做成厦门最出色的旅游纪念品.



Lin Hanbin is a man with feet in two different camps. A graduate of Fujian Fine Arts College, he possesses an excellent understanding of art, while as a member of China's Association of Inventors he has also acquired patents for his inventions. It is little surprise then that he has invented a totally new artistic genre: fishbone collage. This intriguing new form is a mixture of fine art and invention. Lin's newly finished fishbone works showing 20 of Xiamen's famous tourist attractions were on display at the 2005 Xiamen Tourist Souvenir Design Contest & Exhibition. In an interview with Common Talk, Lin announces that he aims to make fishbone collages Xiamen's most distinctive souvenir.

Fascinated by fishbone

Q: How did you come up with the idea of making fishbones into artworks?

A: The story can be dated back to 1990, when one day I was having a fish dish and was fascinated by the shape of the bones left over. They looked exactly like an elegant woman playing the violin in her white gown. Then an idea struck me: why not make a picture using fishbones? At first the works were rather plain and vulgar. Anyone was able to tell at a glance that they were made of fishbone. But after years of strenuous efforts, both my design and techniques improved a lot. During the May Day Holiday this year, I held an exhibition which aroused a great deal of enthusiasm in the audience. Many simply wouldn't believe that the pictures were made of fishbone.



Q: How do you achieve that effect?

A: I have been trying to make collages by using only fishbone, without any other materials, no knives, paint or dye. To create the final image, a lot of things have to be done before putting the fishbone into the picture frame. There are more than 10 procedures, like the separation of fish meat and fishbone, deodorizing, preserving and drying. The preserving procedure here is unique because as well as learning from books, I have also contributed my own expertise, and I can guarantee that my works won't decay for decades.

Waste becomes treasure

Q: Do you have any difficulty in collecting fishbone?

A: I used to buy a dozen kilograms of fish at a time and it used to cost me a fortune. My family also got fed up with eating fish and protested vocally! Later I began to collect fishbones at restaurants and hotels instead. Now I am considering setting up collection spots in residential estates. Xiamen is a coastal city with rich marine resources, and I don't think it will really be a problem. Actually, I hope that if fishbone drawings evolve into an industry, it will bring great benefits to the city's environment as the smelly waste can be reused and turned into dazzling art.



Q: I hear that you have drawn a grand scheme for the 2008 Olympic Games.

A: Yes, and it is something really big. I am expecting to hold an environmentally friendly art exhibition in Beijing in 2008, with 2008 fishbone collages in support of the so-called green Olympics. I sincerely hope the youngsters of Xiamen will join me in making the pictures, and show their own skills and artistic flair. I am looking forward to teaching them everything I know about art.pty

A potential new industry

Q: How do you get the ball rolling for a fishbone collage industry?

A: My exhibition in the May Day holiday has attracted a lot of interest from the general public and senior officials, including Mayor Zhang Changping. A sum of RMB 200,000 has been granted by the government to kick start the fishbone collage industry. A factory has been set up with 50 workers, and mass production is in sight.



Q: What do you think are the prospects of fishbone collages as tourist souvenirs?

A: Very promising. They are natural, environmentally friendly, portable, attractive, and sold at a reasonable price - generally RMB 200 for a single work. The subjects of the pictures are unique, mostly covering local culture, ranging from the city's scenic spots to the city flower and city bird. If things go well, I will found a fishbone art museum on Gulangyu next year with 1,000 exhibits. Any tourist will be able to come in and have a look for free, and pick up their favorites at the attached store.

Xiamen artist selected by RF
By Vivian Zhang



A painting by a Xiamen artist has caught the eye of one of the world's most renowned art collectors. In a move which is sure to inspire other Chinese painters seeking recognition for their work, Steven C. Rockefeller(L), the fifth generation of the famous Rockefeller family, decided to add the painting, entitled "Four Hand Guanyin" to his collection. The artist, Xu Li(C), is a renowned oil painter and deputy chairman of the Xiamen Association of Art and Literature.

Mr Rockefeller saw the work by Xu Li during a short stay in Beijing last month, and was immediately impressed by its quality. "I believe my wife would like it very much," he commented to the artist. It is the first time any member of the magnate family has ever bought a Chinese oil painting.

Steven C. Rockefeller worked in international finance for many years, particularly with Deutsche Bank. He now serves on the board of a firm which makes educational materials, and works with various charitable organizations.

Vocabulary
intriguing 令人着迷的
patent 专利
vulgar 粗俗的
deodorize 去臭味
dazzling 令人倾倒的
flair 天分
collage 拼贴画
vocally 口头上