Chang An and Nanyang Exhibition 2015

An Malaysia and China art exchange exhibition to learn about the relationship between ChangAn and Nanyang. 

This exhibition held in an ancient town ~ Xi Tang until 8th April then will be exhibit in Hangzhou ~ Shang Kun.Luo Qi International Contemporary Art Museum. 

西园雅集：从长安到南洋

3月21日下午的江南古镇西塘春雨绵绵，来自故都长安、江南名城与南洋马来西亚的当代艺术家作品在朦胧江南古镇西园进入我们的视野。

由西园·中国书法主义文献馆、嘉善西塘古镇保护委员会、西安美术学院、苏州大学、江南大学、尚坤·洛齐国际当代艺术馆、杭州神畅艺术机构、马来西亚哲轩画廊、马来大学艺术学院等联合主办，英国著名美术理论家马丁和中国美术学院著名画家洛齐主持，中国国家博物馆张志民和马来西亚画家许佩瑶联合策划的《西园雅集：从长安到南洋》中马当代艺术展3月21日下午3点在西塘西园中国书法主义文献开幕，中马艺术家们从西塘江南古镇的人文历史出发，就中国当代艺术与南洋艺术的发展及历史进行了学术研讨，参加本次邀请展的艺术家们不仅有从江南古镇走出去的名家、西安美术学院的著名画家项仕中，也有毕业于中国美术学院的江南本地画家马学文、陈东、上海名家张晨初，更有来自江南大学的名家唐满生、冉海泉、苏州大学的戴家峰，而活跃于国际当代艺术领域的洛齐及中国美术学院的著名油画家杨参军、井士剑与来自西安美术学院的麻爱周、梁宏理、彭建忠、杨洋、董文通，广州画家王水清等学院派代表组成了中国当代艺术家格局，而来自马来西亚的艺术家作品包括前马来国家美术馆馆长拿吉、南洋艺专前辈名家余荣兴、蔡静华夫妇、当代名家张协成、许佩瑶及拉尼的南洋艺术作品等作品30余件。中马艺术家的艺术风格虽然各不相同，但是我们从展览座谈会上，从英国著名美术理论家马丁先生与洛齐先生、马来画家的发言中了解到了20世纪以来江南人文精神对中国艺术以及南洋艺术的影响与文脉联系。

艺术家们感谢西塘旅游文化公司、感谢书法主义文献馆，本次展览于4月8日结束后将移师杭州尚坤洛齐国际当代艺术馆继续巡展。

西塘西园•中国书法主义文献馆报道

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5月25日下午，汇集长安古都西安美术学院、江南名城与南洋马来西亚、泰国、印尼当代艺术家作品展在杭州西园路，尚坤创意集聚园区尚坤•洛齐国际当代艺术馆开展。

本次展览3月曾展于浙江著名水乡西塘西园•中国书法主义文献馆，数万人次参观艺术家作品。今天移师杭州尚坤文创园区，展览得到了西园·中国书法主义文献馆、嘉善西塘古镇保护委员会、中国美术学院、西安美术学院、苏州大学艺术学院、江南大学设计学院、上海华东师大艺术学院、浙江工商大学设计学院、浙江财经大学艺术学院、尚坤·国际创意园区、马来西亚理工大学、泰国宋卡王子大学、印尼国际艺术博物馆等文化教育机构的大力支持，经由杭州神畅艺术机构与尚坤•洛齐国际当代艺术馆联合策划主办，由英国著名美术理论家马丁和中国美术学院著名画家洛齐主持，并得到了中国国家博物馆张志民先生和马来西亚画家许佩瑶女士的联合协助，《西园雅集·从长安到南洋》国际当代油画艺术展从5月25日至7月16日结束，展期中将举办艺术座谈交流等活动，展期结束后将再移师杭州中国美术学院象山校区国际艺术城继续巡展。

参加本次邀请展的艺术家们不仅有从江南古镇走出去的名家项仕中，张继东、管继詹、陈东、上海名家张晨初，江南大学名家唐满生、冉海泉、苏州大学戴家峰，中国美术学院当代著名油画家杨参军、井士剑、何立、宋红，来自西安美术学院项仕中、麻爱周、梁宏理、彭建忠、杨洋、董文通，北京解构主义代表艺术家徐微强、活跃于国际舞台的艺术家洛齐等学院派组成了中国艺术家格局，而东南亚艺术家包括前马来西亚国家美术馆馆长拿吉、马来理工大学美术馆馆长拉曼、著名画家张协成、南洋艺专前辈名家余荣兴、蔡静华夫妇、画家许佩瑶女士，泰国艺术家达克·简·帕、默马、唐西拉、萨达瓦、印尼艺术家艾丽莎、威廉等南洋艺术等作品共60余件。艺术作品风格虽然各不相同，但对社会、自然和心灵的人文关怀，这个核心主题是一致的。

尚坤•洛齐国际当代艺术馆
杭州三墩西园路10号尚坤生态创意园C区3F

11th Asian, African and Mediterranean International Exhibition

http://correspondences-martin.blogspot.my/2014/11/powerhouse-of-art-in-edge-business.html

Hangzhou Hanging Malaysian Artists

by Martin Bradley

A finely selected coterie of Malaysian creatives, including Nanyang trained ink brush master Dr Cheah Thien Soong, USM’s Associate Professor A Rahman Mohamed (from the School of Arts), printmaker Chong Hip Seng, and up-and-coming Malaysian artist Honey Khor, had been invited to show their works in a truly international art exhibition by Luo Qi, Associate Professor of the China Academy of Art, and also a renowned Chinese Modern Artist and art entrepreneur. The 11th Annual Asian, African and Mediterranean International Modern Art Exhibition, was held over five days in the South Eastern Chinese City of Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, famed for its historical connections to Kublai Khan, Marco Polo and Mao Zedong.

This year’s event, hosting artworks from 22 artists, was housed in the new Shang Kun Luo Qi International Museum of Modern Art, which had been purpose built and recently completed by the Shang Kun Construction Co. Ltd, to house displays and exhibitions for the artist/entrepreneur Luo Qi. That private gallery not only forms part of a growing interest in Chinese art investment, but is scheduled to introduce further international art interconnections to the region in the near future. In time, the whole first floor of the privately funded six-storey building, is to be dedicated to the promotion of arts

The prosperous and architecturally advanced city of Hangzhou, its entrepreneurs, the new gallery, and Annual China (Hangzhou) International Micro-Films Festival, had all been backed by some of the city's most illustrious businessmen, including Liu Bin, Board Chairman of Hongmao Holdings, Li Zheng We of Shang Kun Construction Co. Ltd and other significant Hangzhou businessmen, with a very supportive local government and, of course, entrepreneur Luo Qi himself. 

As part of a consciously ongoing art initiative, redeveloping the arts in China, the city of Hangzhou welcomed the "International Exhibition", which featured painting and sculpture from countries as diverse as Australia, Reunion Island (in the Indian Ocean), Italy, Mauritius, Thailand, Russia and our very own Malaysia. In a separate meeting within the aforementioned gallery, support was pledged for further annual exhibitions, an expansion of art initiatives, greater international exchanges of artworks within Hangzhou as well as art residencies, with the fortunate artist housed for a month in a freshly constructed six star hotel, due to be opened shortly.

Paintings by A Rahman Mohamed and prints by Chong Hip Seng, from previous international art exhibitions, accompanied those by Reunion Island artist Charly Lesquelin, Italian Marco Cascella and Hangzhou’s Luo Qi, to grace the walls of the N8 Club and continue to form part of a permanent collection within the city of Hangzhou. These excellent examples of modern international artworks were on display at Hangzhou's most exclusive, private, N8 Club where the city's elite revel, drink fine French wines and rest from the pressures of business and entrepreneurship. 

NB. The club (N8) is located at the former Nan Ping Club at the lakeside of the West Lake in Hangzhou, and was founded by the Octvillas consortium, hence N8. The club was originally an exclusive swimming club for China’s former premiere, Mao Zedong, but now is a leisure club for the well appointed and their guests. N8 Club is situated close to the scenic views of Leifeng Pagoda and Jingci Temple, while "Ten Views of the West Lake”, "Su Causeway in Spring Dawn", "Leifeng Pagoda in Evening Glow", and "Evening Bell Ringing at Nanping Hill" are close by.

There is little doubt that China, and in this instance Hangzhou in the province of Zhejiang, is heavily invested in arts, including fresh perspectives in modern architecture. China is on the move with art investment. An article in The Guardian, this year, reflected that at least seven world class art auction houses are presently in China, including Poly International, Guardian Auctions, Christies and Sotherby’s, though the two latter operate from Hong Kong as they are not permitted in mainland China. The interest in art, foreign and local, certainly at a fiscal level, is phenomenal in China with art profits reported as doubling annually. The reason; Chinese middle classes are becoming more affluent, with some of that good fortune filtering into the arts. Luo Qi’s university, the China Academy of Art, Hangzhou, will soon be housing a permanent collection of Bauhaus objects and drawings, bought for $72 million in Germany in 2013.

The China Academy of Art, the Shang Kun Luo Qi International Museum of Modern Art, the N8 Club and the continuing Annual Asian, African and Mediterranean International Modern Art Exhibition is good for Hangzhou, good for China, but equally good for Malaysia and its artists. Chinese interest in art from Asia can only serve to prosper Malaysian art within the region, with China rapidly becoming one of the most important players in a global art scene, equal to America and Europe.

(original text)

Episode 1 ~ Creating Colors of Cambodia

http://www.artmalaysia.com.my/arttalk/detail/10/episode-1-creating-colors-of-cambodia

t’s always a mad rush – managing family, business, being a painter and organising the exhibition Colors of Cambodia.Honey Khor handles these commitments with undoubting flair. She dashes about in her sparkling black SUV, dropping off children eager for tuition, professional photos, and treasured artworks. She loves to teach art at her Child Development Centre – daily, with little in the way of a sustained break. From the slightest crack of dawning in Selangor - to the rising of Puchong’s silver moon, she dashes hither and thither, trying desperately to fit 48 hours into 24 - and somehow succeeding. Honey is Superwoman, Wonder Woman and a latter day Nanny McPhee all rolled into one, as she performs her daily tasks with a patient smile.

This is your chance to follow Honey as she prepares for this year’s gala event – the exhibition Colors of Cambodia, in aid of the under-privileged children of Cambodia, held at Penang Village restaurant, Great Eastern Mall, Ampang, Kuala Lumpur. It’s your opportunity to share in Honey’s out-pouring of energy, observe her endless enthusiasm, her boundless, selfless love, and join Honey in her sheer joy de vivre in the preparations for that big day - October 14, 2012.

Episode 2 ~ Creating Colors of Cambodia

http://www.artmalaysiagroup.com/arttalk/detail/11/episode-2-creating-colors-of-cambodia

Honey is on the phone. She gathers a host of people to her. We are all to fly out to Cambodia in March, for a week. Photographers, Honey, two artists, and I are to descend upon Cambodia to squeeze it dry of images and information about the children’s project run by Colors of Cambodia, project leader Bill Gentry.

A book, to be sold at the Colors of Cambodia exhibition, is being prepared. Bill (Gentry) wants to meet up and talk about the book, see where it fits into the project, and how it will look. Honey and I have to journey down to Singapore to meet a tired Bill, who will just have arrived back from overseas. She is desperately trying to get some pages together to show Bill. Honey has to flush out some thoughts and make them flesh in readiness, as well as coordinate the rest of the show.

The big computer is switched on. In-design is a-buzzing with ideas, shapes, and sizes, will Honey meet her self-imposed deadline, can she impress Bill enough for him to sanction the project – she will have to wait and see. Singapore awaits, tension mounts and the Merlion flashes a fishy tail.
  

Episode 3 ～ Creating Colors of Cambodia

http://www.artmalaysiagroup.com/arttalk/detail/14/episode-3-creating-colors-of-cambodia

The SUV is in for service - in readiness for the Singapore trip. Photographers have been on the phone – do we need visas for Cambodia...what are the sleeping arrangements...can we have single rooms instead of sharing...how far from the project will we be...do we use dollars or local currency. Honey Khor continues to juggle arrangements, as we prepare to meet with Bill and, hopefully, gain his blessings for the latest Colors of Cambodia project (the book) – spearheaded by Honey.

I rifle my small collection of foreign currency, and discover that I have Sing $23 and ten cents, hardly enough for a three day trip. Honey has little more. It’s time to pay a visit to the bank then.

Meanwhile the computer is a-buzzin’ with ideas and illustrations for the book proposal. Will Bill go for it, can we bushwack him into giving his consent for the project. We momentarily hold our joint breaths. It is becoming a slightly tense time. All rests of Bill’s agreement for the book project. Without his agreement we are back to the computer drafting board and yet more proverbial head scratching. There are more black flashes as Honey’s SUV speeds faster than Superman’s speeding bullet.

 

Episode 4 ～ Creating Colors of Cambodia

http://www.artmalaysiagroup.com/arttalk/detail/18/episode-4-creating-colors-of-cambodia

And now read on...

It was fantasy time in a brightening KL. Our heroine Honey pitched on – ‘what if we had a book like this or that, full colour, hard covers/soft covers - 100 pages, and how much would it cost? Oh that much!’ Mental gnashing of teeth/tearing out of hair, ‘ok what if we changed it around, no note paper just all glossy art paper, how would that be. Ok, better, but it is for a charity lah! A slight reduction, how slight? Hmmm, we’re getting there.’

The Colors of Cambodia project was moving slowly forward. Honey was having a meeting with the printer to determine the cost of a book, rather than a catalogue for the exhibition. The printer was a nice guy, all smiles and a little twinkle in his eye as he looked at Honey. He gave us some vital samples to impress American Bill with at the weekend, it was all a little too good to be true, but hey who’s complaining.

It was another stage over. Honey, sample books and paper stuffed into her oversized bag, donned her sleek sunglasses and slipped elegantly back into her Honey-mobile and sped off to her next meet.

Episode 5 ～ Creating Colors of Cambodia

http://www.artmalaysiagroup.com/arttalk/detail/22/episode-5-creating-colors-of-cambodia-

Journeying to Singapore was largely uneventful. At the Forum (Orchard Road), American Bill had given his permission to go ahead with the book. It was a great relief. Shoulders relaxed, sighs were heaved, and inner smiles radiated.

It was a go. Honey Khor smiled her biggest smile ever. Such was Honey’s joy of the book’s approval that her eyes twinkled and she practically shone. Cool, calm, inquisitive Bill was entirely professional.  He brought the best out of us. He made us explain what we were doing and where we were going with the Colors of Cambodia book and exhibition project.

Singapore rained. It was a welcome rain, a cooling rain which brought forth the right kind of intimacy needed for an interview about Bill’s involvement with Colors of Cambodia. By the time frothy, milky, teas and American styled cappuccinos were taken, the rain had stopped, and much relief was felt. Honey, not having access to her black SUV, dashed lady-like in her black high heels, towards the local MRT (LRT), swinging her oversized back containing those paper and book samples which had so wowed Bill. On the bus back to JB, Honey gazed meditatively out the window, relieved, but tired.

Episode 6 ～ Creating Colors of Cambodia

http://www.artmalaysiagroup.com/arttalk/detail/27/episode-6-creating-colors-of-cambodia

Well, we had to be different, didn’t we?

No sooner were we out of Siem Reap airport – Cambodia, than I proposed. I knew Cambodia to be Honey’s most favourite place on earth – she had been going back and forth for Colors of Cambodia since 2007, so that is where I proposed and – she said yes.

Now proposing and getting married are two very different things. So I added – here, in Cambodia and wouldn’t it be nice if we were to do it this trip – in the Colors of Cambodia gallery, again Honey said yes.

We asked American Bill to be the best man. He agreed - we had but one day to sort it all out. This was Sunday, Bill was leaving on the Tuesday, ooops. With a tremendous effort by all concerned, by 6.30 we were sitting in front of a Buddhist priest and getting married. Honey had laid her hand phone down, slipped out of her business mode and consented to be my wife in the Colors of Cambodia gallery, surrounded by bemused staff, students and a bank of photographers brought over to assist with the book. It was all very romantic.

Episode 7 ～ Creating Colors of Cambodia

http://www.artmalaysiagroup.com/arttalk/detail/25/episode-7-creating-colors-of-cambodia

Honey Khor’s journey continues.

In Cambodia Honey has no black SUV. She jets around using tuk tuks (motorcycle autorickshaws) – racing back and forth gathering vital information for the book Colors of Cambodia. One moment we are interviewing past students of the Colors of Cambodia art classes, the very next we are speeding across Siem Reap, barely hanging on to the rickety tuk tuk for our dear lives - all in the name of charity.

We reach one of the many schools that Colors of Cambodia, and Honey, helps to support via art classes and the giving of free art materials.  Hordes of eager young children flock around Honey - she really is Queen B. She steps into the classroom and all smiling eyes are on her. She blossoms. Her smile is as radiant as the children’s. Honey comes alive. The interaction is practically spiritual.

It’s but a respite. Honey has photographers to organise, trips to Angkor Watt to oversee. So far Honey has not let up the pace; she has switched from superwoman to Angelia Jolie’s Laura Croft in the blink of an eye as she prances through temples, ruins and into our hearts. More meetings await her busy schedule.

Episode 8 ～ Creating Colors of Cambodia

http://www.artmalaysiagroup.com/arttalk/detail/40/episode-8-creating-colors-of-cambodia

It was another bright, dry, day - racing against all pressing time, in Siem Reap Cambodia. Honey Khor and I had mini-baguettes (containing something vaguely meaty) under our respective belts, and quickly hailed another battered Cambodian auto-rickshaw.

It was a long dusty road, made longer by the auto-rickshaw driver’s uncertainly of our destination – a school donated by a Japanese business man. Accompanying us on the journey was one large box and two middle sizes bags. The mysterious box and weighty baggage contained yellow school bags, clothes, colouring books, colouring pencils, pencil boxes, and stationary for forty schoolchildren to use. The yellow bags replaced tattered plastic bags, and the clothes replaced the over-washed yet still stained clothes, representing the children’s everyday wear.

The children’s smiles sparkled at Honey as she sparkled back. It was a radiance of sheer joy. Those forty children were the lucky ones - sponsored by the loving kindness of people and families back in Malaysia. Honey would soon have to start all over again – raising awareness and sponsorship, as those things can only last so long. With her enthusiastic wave Honey was off again in a cloud of dust. She headed back for yet another important meeting.

Episode 9 ～ Creating Colors of Cambodia

http://www.artmalaysiagroup.com/arttalk/detail/50/episode-9-creating-colors-of-cambodia

 Honey has little respite in her very busy schedule. Off she goes to teach at yet another school, accompanied by American Bill. Together with Kiri (a Cambodian artist/teacher), the three of them take two day classes of young children at two schools, and teach them art. In turns Honey and Bill draw on the blackboard, encouraging the children in their hand/eye coordination.
  

But it is not Bill Apsaras, nor Honey’s smiling people that the children want to draw – but Angry Birds. Yes, even in Cambodia, the Angry Birds phenomenon has invaded local culture. But never mind, at least the children use the materials given by Colors of Cambodia, American Bill, Kiri and Honey.

Honey still sketches as she goes. In between fraught business meetings, interviewing and teaching at two schools and the Colors of Cambodia art gallery, Honey finds time to wet her brush and, with a flourish or two, knock out some dazzling watercolours.

 

The more advanced students from the Colors of Cambodia gallery follow Honey to Angkor Wat. There they sketch all day, in the shade of those great standing stones - amusing and amazing tourists who had flown from around the world to see those Khmer temples.