Lacquer painting booms in Xiamen
By Zhao Jing
Photos by Yao Fan

代表全国最高水平的厦门2005中国漆画展于11月23日在工人文化宫大厦艺术展览馆开幕. 今年3月, 中国美术家协会与厦门市政府签订协议, 全国漆画双年展从此落户厦门, 并以厦门市树--凤凰树冠名设奖. 这既是对厦门漆画水平的肯定, 也为将来的漆画发展提供了一个绝佳的交流平台.



On November 23, the Chinese Lacquer Painting Exhibition 2005 opened in Xiamen, with 211 pieces on display. An agreement between Xiamen Municipal Government and China Artists Association (CAA) means that Xiamen will be the permanent host for this biennial exhibition. This marks the first time that the CAA has fixed the venue of an exhibition in this way.

Lacquer painting integrates elements of traditional Chinese painting, oil painting and sculpture. It strikes a fine balance between art and decoration, and so is commonly seen in hotels, restaurants and ballrooms as well as in homes. Lacquer paintings also tend to last a long time, which makes them popular in the decoration market.



The first time the Xiamen Municipal Government and CAA worked together in a lacquer painting exhibition was in 2002. It proved a great success and 30 pieces were added to the collection of the Xiamen government. This began the tradition of outstanding works finding a home in Xiamen after each exhibition. The Xiamen government is even planning to build a museum to display their lacquer painting collection. In future, visitors interested in art will have the chance to enjoy all of the paintings together.

What the experts say

Xu Li(徐里)
Deputy Chairman of the Xiamen Arts and Literature Association, Deputy Chairman of Fujian Artists Association:
In China, Fujian Province is undoubtedly the most important center for lacquer painting. There used to be two lacquer factories in Fuzhou city. Lots of lacquer painters and scholars used to come to Fujian to study the art. Interestingly, you might have expected lacquer painting in Fuzhou to have seen more development than Xiamen, but in fact it is Xiamen that has been recognized as the most exciting city for lacquer painting in the country. I would like to say it is a credit to Xiamen and its efforts in promoting lacquer art.



Chen Wencan(陈文灿)
General Secretary of the Lacquer Art Committee of the CAA, former Deputy Director of Arts and Design College, Fuzhou University:
The first teacher to introduce lacquer painting into college education was Mr Shen Fuwen from Sichuan Province. He established the lacquer art major, which nurtured many creative young talents. Later, his student Wang Heju came to Fujian Province and, together with Mr Wu Chuan, forged a new center for the lacquer painting arts in Fujian Province. Early in the 1970s the Gulangyu campus of the Arts and Design College, Fuzhou University started offering courses in lacquer art. Ever since then, lacquer has been a major part of the Xiamen art scene.

Chen Jinhua(陈金华)
Deputy Director of the Decorative Art Department, Arts and Design College, Fuzhou University:

The achievements in lacquer painting made in Xiamen are for the most part the result of having a solid creative team in the Arts and Design College. This college produces highly qualified graduates every year who ensure the development of lacquer painting. Lacquer painting has a fairly long history in Xiamen, and the city offers a supportive environment in which the painters can research and innovate.



Wu Jiaquan(吴嘉诠)
Professor and Director of Decorative Art Department, Arts and Design College, Fuzhou University:
Our school has tried to integrate more elements of painting into lacquer art since the 7th National Fine Arts Exhibition. In 1996, Fujian Arts and Design College took on the task of creating lacquer paintings for the Ballroom in People's Conference Hall in Beijing. All of the teachers and students took part in creating the work, and the piece named Wuyi Mountain Spring was 10m x 4m when it was finished. It is by far the largest lacquer painting in history and is highly rated by the public. The students' participation enabled them to gain a lot of techniques and practical experience that cannot be learned in the classroom. Two years ago, some large works by our teachers and students were presented as gifts to the chief executives of the Hong Kong and Macao Special Administrative Regions as gifts. The influence of the Xiamen lacquer painting is spreading ever further a field!

Zhang Houjin's works on display
张厚进遗作展



An exhibition dedicated to the works of the late water color painter Zhang Houjin is currently on at the Macchiatto Coffee(玛琪雅朵咖啡)Hexiangxi Store. The exhibition features 27 works by the renowned artist, who was the Deputy Director of the National Water Color Art Committee and the Director of Fujian Water Color Society. It was jointly organized by the Xiamen Water Color Research Society and Macchiatto Coffee, and runs from November 23 till December 8.


Vocabulary
lacquer 漆
biennial 两年一次的
water color 水粉画
permanent 永久的
innovate 革新
executive 行政官