Monday, February 23, 2009

Song Ruyi - Catalogue Introduction

In Celebration of Nv Art, series 4: women’s handiwork

As a Chinese woman, I am very delighted to see an art exhibition by women artists making its debut in Beijing on March 8, 2009, bringing with it five witty, intelligent and unique women artists from Australia, China and Japan, along with their works, in so sprightly a fashion.

On many occasions have records of cultural exchanges been made between Japan, Australia and China, attesting to the cultural tolerance of these countries and peoples. Today, five women artist have stepped over the boundary of nationality and geography and, with their perceptive eyes, indulgent bosoms and benevolent hearts, have created works of art that are overwhelmingly appealing and thought provoking. They have contributed to a world that is being increasingly depleted both in natural resources and in soul. Their deeds and works are to be recorded, heeded and advocated.

Born in the turbulent 1970s, I grew up in the thriving 1980s. In the past 20 *** (which I still can not accurately define) years, I had my feet firmly planted on the solid Chinese soil and I spared no pains in perceiving the world and in making friends. I am indebted to Denise for her sincere invitation to participate in the exhibition. This has given me an opportunity to take part in an event that unites numerous excellent women artists the world over. Please allow me to join you in initiating a “red” whirlwind that will cross both geography and history and come to households beyond count.

Text by Song Ruyi
Date: Feb. 20, 2009





贺:女艺术——系列4:女红

作为一个中国女性,我很欣幸地看到这样一个女性艺术家的系列展览,在2009年的3月8日,来到中国北京,伴随着春的脚步,带来了来自澳大利亚、中国和日本的五位敏锐、聪慧、独到的女性艺术家和她们的作品。
日本、澳大利亚、中国,三国在历史上就出现过多次文化交流的记录,也都彰显了各个国家和民族的文化包容力。今天,五位女艺术家,跨越了民族与地域的界限,以女性独特的、大地一样包容万物、生发万物的胸怀,透过女性体察细微的双眼和仁爱众生的心灵,创作出极具感染力的,耐人寻味的艺术作品,奉献于当今无论资源乃至心灵都越发瘠薄的世界,她们的作为与作品,都应该被记录、被关注、被弘扬。
我个人,出生于波涛初复的70年代,成长于欣欣向荣的80年代,作为于****(我尚无法用一个词汇准确定义)的近20年,我的脚一直踏在中国这坚实的大地上,我用心去感受世界、结识朋友,非常感谢德尼斯女士诚挚的邀请,让我有机会参与这一联结着世界各地无数优秀女艺术家的盛会,请让我与你们链接,刮起一道“红”的旋风,飞越千山万水,飞扬万古千秋,飞入万户千家!
宋如意
2009-2-20



Ruyi Song Resume

RuYi Song , female , birth in 1972 , census register Beijing
Mailbox: sryruyi@126.com
Mobile phone: 131 266 85718
Blog: http://blog.sina.com.cn/ruyisong


Education experience

At least five years Landscape architectural experience; Bachelor's degree of Chinese language study and education specialty , Graduate student degree in Landscape Architecture and Urban Design field.

Capital Normal University, Chinese department, Obtains the literature bachelor's degree.

Beijing Forestry University /Botanical garden institute、Graduate School,Urban planning and design specialty, Obtains the engineering course master's degree.


Once obtained the reward

in January, 2007 Obtains the Beijing Plan Committee third session of youths to plan the teacher architect oratorical contest second prize

in November, 2008 Obtains Beijing Science and technology Association to sponsor, eighth session of youth academic oratorical contest second prize


Publishes the paper

"Beijing's Old city Transformation Should Slowing down Step",Beijing Forestry University journal (society branch version) in March, 2004

"the poetic sentiment mind's East explains------Luis Barragan construction and botanical garden",

"designer note------Discusses designer's social function and the information transmission",The 13th session of capital urban planning architectural design report plan elects up to the Beijing third session of youths to plan the architect oratorical contest to discuss the literary selections (Tianjin University Publishing house) in January, 2008


Work Experience
2006-2007 Executive Director of Architecture Environment Design Institute Landscape &Garden Studio in Academy of Arts & Design,Tsinghua University

2008- Suppport Director of Honest Fame International Art Investment Consultant Co.,LTD


宋 如 意 简 历

个人资料
宋如意,女,1972年出生,户籍北京
移动:131 266 85718
邮箱:sryruyi@126.com
博客:http://blog.sina.com.cn/ruyisong

教育经历:
1990-1994 首都师范大学中文系 获文学学士学位
1998-2003 北京林业大学园林学院、北京林业大学研究生院 城市规划与设计专业 获工科硕士学位


曾获奖励
2007年1月 获得北京市规划委员会第三届青年规划师建筑师演讲比赛二等奖
2008年11月 获得北京市科技协会主办,第八届青年学术演讲比赛 二等奖


发表论文
《北京的旧城改造应放慢步伐》,北京林业大学学报(社科版)2004年3月

《诗意心灵的东方解读------Luis Barragan的建筑与园林》

《设计者笔记------谈设计者的社会职能与信息传达》,第十三届首都城市规划建筑设计汇报方案选暨北京第三届青年规划建筑师演讲比赛论文选(天津大学出版社)2008年1月

Flying:confessions of a free woman

On the occasion of “Nu Yishu – Series IV: Nu Red” Group Exhibition at Imagine Gallery from March 8th to May 12th, 2009 and in continuation of International Women Day (March 8th, 2009) celebration the six part film 'Flying:confessions of a free woman will be screened at venues in Beijing from March 12th - April 16th.

Proposed in Beijing by Ellen Pearlman, Denise Keele-bedford and Imagine Gallery, in collaboration with all the different screening venues. For information on dates and venues go to: http://flyingconfessionsofafreewoman.blogspot.com/

本片在北京的放映由艾伦 皮尔曼,德妮丝和想象画廊企划,并与共同合作的放映地点及www.flyingconfessions.com and http://www.zohefilms.com 协作而成。
这次活动在2009年3月8日至5月12日想象画廊举办的“女艺术 系列展览之四:女红”群展期间,也适逢3月8日国际妇女节的庆典之时。

http://flyingconfessionsofafreewoman.blogspot.com/
www.flyingconfessions.com
http://www.zohefilms.com



Jennifer Fox is Flying
by Ellen Pearlman
Pakistani women cover Jen properly with a scarf while they walk in public down a small street on their way to a grassroots meeting of rural Pakistani women. Photo provided by Zohe Films.
“I had to keep filming to figure out this modern crazy life,” Jennifer Fox says at the beginning of Flying: Confessions of a Free Woman. In 2002, she was at a crossroads and needed to make a different life for herself. The result is this eerily convoluted but totally engrossing six-hour epic. It starts with grainy childhood clips of Fox as a little girl in a two-seater airplane with her father. As she states in her adult voice, “I wanted to be like my father, I wanted to be free,” because that was where all the power lay. Power certainly did not reside with her mother, who may have ruled the roost along with the director’s maiden aunt and grandmother, but underneath she frothily seethed. Born into the first generation of women who could make not just money but also the rules, Fox explores over a period of almost four years and 1,600 hours of film her own relationship woes: exotic married lover vs. dependable boyfriend, motherhood vs. childlessness, and what it means to be a privileged white, middle-class, first-world female filmmaker who goes jetting off to 17 countries. She contrasts her position with the larger woes of the world, including cancer, female genital mutilation (FGM), male dominance through purdah and the big one, death.
Fox walks with us and her camera into the drugstore, buys a home pregnancy test, shows the instructions, reveals the results (pregnant!) and breaks down weeping. She is scared and elated and doesn’t know what to do. If you use a camera for four years to figure out your own and your girlfriends’ lives you must either touch something new and unique, or give in to platitudes. The true relevance of this film is that it shows there are no longer any real platitudes. What is true and unique is that Fox has to go it alone and learn what any real explorer knows: the way is deeply uncharted.
Fox takes us into areas I personally have never seen a filmmaker go, such as her own ob/gyn exam, where she films her doctor pointing to the sonogram of her non-viable, weakened fetus, soon to be D&C’ed and ripped from her body. Fox is so gutsy with her camera that if she hadn’t been anesthetized she probably would have filmed her doctor performing the ghastly procedure.
In Flying, Fox traverses through a large cast of characters, a veritable “we are the world” of women, while she figures out her own life. She speaks to and with the women by passing the camera back and forth. A Shoshone Indian endures a horrific custody battle, and a South African sexually abused divorcée wonders if she can ever manage a relationship again. There is a Soweto single mother who survives economically only by living inside a village matriarchy, an Egyptian journalist co-parenting within a happy marriage and a German cancer patient whose doctor unexpectedly falls deeply in love with her. We meet an East Indian grassroots organizer, a Russian adulteress, a Cambodian survivor of Pol Pot running a shelter for kidnapped sex workers, a Pakistani woman who refuses to marry and must face the consequences, a Somali exile who lives in London and fights the practice of female genital mutilation; and a Bosnian war refugee. Sound dizzying? It is, and all these confessions and revelations are as cloying as a lavender sachet, or as riveting as an unexpected secret eavesdropped conversation.
“Someday I will meet the one and get married and then my life will begin,” one of the women muses. This is the subtext of Fox’s film as it explores the sad truth that women muddle though life defining themselves by their relationships. The question raised again and again but not answered is: why don’t men feel this way? Never before have women had so many options, or been so free, but as one woman puts it, “The older we get, the more confusing it gets.”
CPU Meeting: Sichan, left, an advocate at the Cambodian Prostitutes Union meets with a prostitute who is trying to get advice and protection from a violent gang of men who target her at the brothel where she works. The police think she is crazy. Sichan warns her about going to the police because they are swayed by bribery. Photo provided by Zohe Films.
Having previously been warned by one of her friends, “Do you think no one would get hurt?” Fox breaks up with her married lover when his wife finds out about their affair and immediately turns the camera on herself miserably wallowing in a steaming bubble bath, weeping. When her grandmother is dying, her every breath a death rattle, Fox films it. When she tries to get pregnant using fertility treatments, she films the injections going right through the center of her belly. She films her lovers in bed; she films them as they wake up and get dressed. She films herself while she inevitably boards yet another airplane to fly halfway around the world to ask Indian women if they know how to masturbate. Giggling hysterically, they ask if she knows how it’s really done.
What saves this work from becoming a mere reality TV show is the powerful humanity behind each woman’s (and by inference, each man’s) plight, and the skillful editorial decisions of how to present that plight. No one emerges unscathed from the battle of the sexes. Fox also turns the camera on her own family, backing down at each critical impasse until her mother reveals something Jennifer never knew: the woman is deaf in one ear. How could Fox know so much about women globally, and so little about what went on in her own backyard?
Flying is post feminist, in that the freedom that women fought so valiantly to achieve was granted, and then, like a Pandora’s Box, whipped up a whole new set of woes. Now that at least some Western women can choose how to live their lives, where does this put them in relation to women who are not so uniquely blessed? Or in relation to their own aging and mortality? This is where the film moves from indulgence to profundity. Most of the world’s women can’t even imagine the choices Jennifer has, and they go out of the way to let her know it, providing a sobering and convincing reality check. The film delves into those 17 lives by examining abuse, abortion, activism, adoption, AIDS, aging, career, creativity, death, divorce, disabilities, family, feminism, freedom, FGM, homosexuality, illness, identity, love, marriage, motherhood, pregnancy, sexuality, spirituality and war. That’s a huge undertaking for anyone, much less one lone woman with a hand-held camera.


介绍:
珍尼佛 福克斯是一个享誉国际的获奖导演、制作人、女摄像师、教育家。在过去的25年中她参与了不计其数的纪录片的拍摄。她的第一部影片《贝鲁特 — 最后的家庭电影》曾在9个城市的影院上映,在20个国家的荧幕上播放。并拿到了7项国际奖,包括1988年Cinema Du Reel电影节的最佳纪录片及最佳电影摄像奖。由她导演的十小时电视系列片《一个美国人的爱情故事》在PBS/BBC/ARTE频道的播出,开拓了电视产业的新视点,在当年风度入席由纽约时报及另五家美国主流报纸提名的“1999年十大电视系列片之一”,被评为当年最好的电视系列片。她近期的作品,受好评的,尖锐的,6部分影片《飞行 — 一个自由女人的自白》由丹麦电影学院发起,与一个独立的“丹麦、美国”影业制作公司合作完成。在丹麦TV2、美国公共广播公司、艺术频道、ARTE, YLE-1, SBS, SVT, ICON和荷兰人文频道的播出,并获得了威望创新资本基金会的金费资助。“飞行”的首映是在2006年阿姆斯特丹的国际纪录片节和圣丹斯电影节2007年的特别活动及其它的活动,并于最近完成了北美20个城市的影院巡回播放,之后美国的公共频道、TV-2、SVT、YLE在2008的夏天相继播出了本片。Fox目前正准备剪辑一部新的专题纪录片,拍摄20多年,名为《学习游泳》,与荷兰佛教徒电视网络共同制作并获得了哈特利电影基金会赠款,Fox制作的多部影片都曾获奖,《爱情与黛安娜》,《如履薄冰》,《双重曝光》,《项目十》,《一个自由的南非的真实故事》、《牧童》,《印第安人》,和《律师们》,及最近发布的《绝对安全》,她曾是多部纪录片的顾问,包括《南方的抚慰》和《石材读者》。Fox也曾作为参照人参与过主题纪录片《挫折感与好莱坞》和电影《真实瞬间的定义》。制作之余,她是世界各地的大学、电视台、政府文化部门电影专业讲师。


飞行:电影“一个自由女人的自白”介绍

“现代女性想要的是什么?当今世界哪里适合她?”
以前在我们人类集体里从未有这么多妇女有这样的自主权,建立与创造一个自己的生活。然而,艰难的“抉择”独立和允许自由后,依然不一定带来幸福。而且,守旧的女性特征,仍然困扰着世界各地的妇女。
“飞行:一个自由女人的自白”是一个由6部分组成的电影,一个根据实际考察、贴近21世界女性生活的电影。这部系列故事和视觉的混合,记录了制片人Jennifer Fox’s从42岁至45岁自己三年的生活与来自全球各地,不同生活的勇敢妇女。以既幽默又深刻的方式,通过电影搜索新模式中的女性,审查两性的角色变化,努力理解各地妇女的角色,从而确定她们自己在那个时期是怎样一个定义。在这个两性和经济自由的新时代,奋斗中的女人是怎样?性别关系是怎样?一个正统派的基督教徒、还是艾滋病者?哪些行程可以自我定义和自我表达吗?她们在自己的眼前是得或失?男人和女人之间的事情真的可以改变吗?我们现在可以开始确定一个新时代的女性吗?
“飞行”采用真实的叙事方式,创新的拍摄技术,表现了一个独特、互动的妇女。探索了一种新的表达方式,是在“通过摄像头”之间,与所谓导演和所谓拍摄主题之间的交谈。这种处理的方法使很多纪录片竞争力出现不平衡,著名的Susan Sontag对摄像的定义:“摄影就是为事宜的物体的照片拍照,它意味着,让自己与世界发生关系,感觉这些知识——因此,这就是力量。”通过摄像机,传统的采访形式已被抛弃。作为角色,在任何时候都有轮流镜像的关系,通过妇女彼此之间,她们独特的,循环的方式,可以分析出她们在生活中怎样共享和对话。
这部摄像机深入地促进了导演和主题的密切联系与交谈。而不是一个客观的、权力的工具,使纽带断裂。它让参与者成为主题的创造者。

Denise keele-bedford 德妮丝) (澳大利亚)




24/7 take a look

I look around and everywhere there is advertising in some form or another. Massive billboards advertising the latest in shoe fashion, cars, techno gadgets, everything for the consumer to spend their money.
In suburban Beijing a ubiquitous advertising board is made from printed vinyl stretched over a framework and illuminated from the inside. I see these along the many narrow streets attached to the sides of buildings and standing on footpaths, their bright red colours prominent during daylight hours and the advertising text lit at night.
They advertise the business, its attributes and products, promoting the positive aspects and inviting closer investigation.

I am intrigued with the 24/7 concept showing that the advertised is available 24 hours per day 7 days per week, is there no time for rest.
When I think of women we are much the same, 24/7 feminine, female with all the attributes of ‘the other’ human species participating on this earth.

These female advertising boards are not intended to separate you from your hard earned money or to shower you with the latest and best of design and technology. BUT
‘24/7 – take a look’ is celebrating women, advertising their attributes, promoting the positive aspects and inviting closer investigation 24hours per day 7 days per week.


24/7 看一看

我环顾四周,到处都是形式不拘一格的广告。巨大的广告牌上展示着最新潮的鞋、汽车、电子设备。各种商品无所不有,吸引消费者购买。

在北京郊区,以乙烯基为材料的广告牌无处不在:乙烯基绕着广告架展开,其内镶有彩灯。我在许多狭窄的巷子边看到这类的广告牌:或者固定在建筑物之上,或者站在人行道上。在白天,这些艳丽的红色牌子很显眼;在晚上,在灯光的衬托下,牌子上的文字异常醒目。这些广告牌在进行商业宣传,将商行与商品的特点展示出来,推销产品优点的一面,并邀请过路人对其特别留神。

我对这种24/7(全天候服务)的概念饶有兴趣。24/7指得是一天24小时,一周7天内,不管任何时候都营业,而没有休息时间。这令我想起妇女:她们也是全天候服务,与24/7无二。她们具备“另外”人类的全部特征,参与这个地球上的活动。

这些女性的广告牌并非想把来之不易的金钱从你手中夺走,也不是想把你置于最新和最好的设计和技术的枪林弹雨之中。然而,“24/7 – 看一看”颂扬女性、展示她们的特点、崇尚积极的方面并邀请人们每周二十四小时对其近距离的审视。

Evelyna Liang Kan 梁以瑚 (香港)





Evelyna has exhibited extensively around Hong Kong and Asia, in her own personal work she addresses mostly on women’s issues. Her interest has extended into the area of ‘Healing through Art’ using ordinary daily objects to raise concern on relationships between countries and between men.
Recently, her work has shifted back to her own cultural background, and questions the meaning of communication through words and the age old concept of Chinese Painting.

Concept and Statement:
For many years, this is what I believe: Art is Life and it should be for everybody to enjoy. Art should be for the Common people in Common Places. Art should be easily accessible and understood by all regardless of age, gender or race! I also believe in the good nature of mankind, and that all men and women are created equal.


女 x 工 Nu x Gong ( Woman x Work)
女「紅」原作女工,是傳統中國閨秀婦女所作各樣與絲線有關的工。女「工」,女性勝任的工作?只適合婦女作的工?女工人?
「x」是一個代号、是乘數、是末知之數、是love and kisses、是簡寫。如果以「x」代替了「糹」,「女x工」可以說是女性充滿熱誠的工,女性無限量的工作、女性末知之工作,是所有女性或與女性有關工作之縮寫?
在這三八婦女藝術展中,我與两批不同社群的婦女及藝術家們一同為這一個展覽作工。河南周山村的大姐們及深圳大芬村的畫家



河南的大姐們、在當今一方面強謫婦女能撑半邊天的口號下、仍備受輕看。她們的巧手卻把自己幻化成漂亮撲實的仙女,把糹宅紅富貴的牡丹、豐盈綻金的魚、被彩虹飄帶環繞保護着、蓋頭布乘載着她們的愿望、她們手作的產品越過高山走出農村。女紅、為人作嫁衣服時也為自己媒幸福、手工藝產品為人欣賞及肯定,補貼家用之餘也賺來友情、兒女能快樂無憂上學去,她們無畏地站起來、同雙手創建末來!
在當代藝術,當個人被推祟至高位時,我們又会否重新察視在身邊支援着各種藝術情境的人及事、工人、工匠式的手藝我們又是如何看待?
我們生活在一個充滿茅盾的新社會主義市場經濟論下的政治社會文明中,在過多複雜的觀念下,如何能從中抽取一個真正的藝術圖像而不被沉溺淹沒。
工、無數的工、流水作業的工、在一体化集權主義下、個體又能否出現?
在婦女們的繡作中我們看到「紅」「婦女」「牡丹花」等共同体的出現、那樣在大芬村中我們了解的又是那一類的認同?同樣的圖型、不同的手作。
請來三十多位在大芬村為別人作臨摹畫的畫家們、共同塗繪同一張以女性為主題的電腦拼貼畫。臨摹畫家並不是在抄襲、每一張都有着自有的顏色、筆觸及感覺,她/他們在當代市場經濟推動下成就了這一個行業、同樣為自己、家人及社群媒幸福、她/他們的手藝也同樣被肯定。
女x工
女‧藝術‧工

Lucille Yuk Yin Lo 卢玉燕) (中国, 香港)



Contemporary ‘Nu Yishu’

In the past, the term ‘Nu Yishu’ in China was interpreted as women’s needle work - embroideries or sewing – proper activities for ladies during leisure in their secluded homes. Nowadays in the contemporary world, women’s occupations have extended far beyond their predecessors’ domestic engagements to participate in the competitive arenas of the financial market. Thus Lucille’s work on ‘Nu Yishu’ attempts to manifest modern-day women’s participation in the sophisticated number games in the financial world of today. Reflective of the Taoist principles, the strategy of ‘burnt and loss’ aims to bring out the philosophical implication of nothingness and impermanence in this secular world.


當今女藝術

在往日的中國,針織-如刺繡或縫紉等的製成品,常被視為女性藝術。因此,針織是當日婦女在家中閒餘時侯合適的工作或消遺。但在現今的世界裡,女性的職業己跨越出她們前人在家中的活動範圍,從而在高度勁爭力強的股票買賣市場與男性較一高下。因此,在這次〔女藝術〕的展覽中,我的作品嘗試表達出當今女性在複雜的金融市場內參與的數字遊戲。製作過程運用〔燒〕與〔失〕的理念,希望能讓這過程帶引出道家思想內虛無及短暫的信息。

Lucille Yuk Yin Lo began her art career in contemporary Chinese painting in the 1980’s. Eventually she received her MFA from the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology University in 2004. Her current work focuses on social consciousness and phenomena in contemporary Hong Kong, attempting to depict the city’s subtle shift in social outlook as well as to reflect the conscientious search and the gradual reconstruction of identity in post 1997 era. Lucille’s visual expressions are presented both in 2-dimensional and 3-dimensional formats. Over the years, Lo has won several awards, completed commissioned works for hotels and has exhibited in museums and galleries both internationally and locally. Her work is collected by the Hong Kong Museum of Art, The University Museum and Art Gallery in Hong Kong, Hyatt Hotel Hangzhou , Crown Plaza Hotel Macau, Forsberg A.G., Switzerland, Debevoise & Plimpton, Shanghai Office, Pacific Club, Bangkok, Norman Ko Art Collections, other big corporations as well as local and overseas private individuals. She is recently awarded the Doctorate in Fine Art from the RMIT University.


簡歷 - 盧玉燕

盧玉燕的繪畫早期專注於中國藝術。在2004年獲澳洲皇家墨爾本理工大學碩士,並於2008年獲博士學位。她的作品包容中西藝術形色及概念,近年的畫作主題環繞社會形態及文化意識,嘗試從不同的角度反映香港九七後社會日漸轉變的動態與價值觀、文化及身份的重組。盧玉燕曾在多國及本地藝術館與畫廊展出,獲多次獎項,作品被香港藝術館、香港大學博物館、杭洲君悅酒店、澳門皇冠酒店、曼谷太平洋會所、瑞士Forsberg A.G. 、上海Debeboise & Plimpton律師行、溫哥華卑詩大學、海內外各大機構及私人收藏。

Megumi Shimizu (清水惠美)(日本)














Megumi Shimizu

Born 1971
Imagine Gallery represented artist

Conception of the works:
Two or three years ago, I’ve visited the exhibition of Yves Klein in France. I’d seen his works exhibited in Japan a couple of times. But that was the first time in France. I’ve got a totally different feeling by viewing his works in Japan and in France. I’d studied Japanese drawings, also Chinese painting’s theory in Japan. I’d also been to a lot of exhibitions of Asian art in the west. I had viewed many art works from the west. But I discovered there are some feelings that turn out from western art, these feelings does not exist in our life at all. In fact, the west art history has been treaded as the biggest part while we study the world art history. But there are many other kinds of culture that exist in this world, aren’t there? The concept of contemporary art was found and based on the western art. So my topic is the contradiction and assimilation between the local cultures and the contemporary art concepts which are developing and processing by the art and culture community whom also exist beside the western art.

The Motivation of the works:
Why we also talk about the “Nu yishu”- “Female Art” in China but never talk about the “Nan yishu” – “Male art”?
Why in the signs of restrooms, we’re always using the blue color to describe the Man? And to describe Woman is always by using Red?
Why the most common model for sketch works has always been a woman?
Although guess there are tons of answers, there is still not a good one for it. So, I decided to use performance to express these feelings, using the model of Yves Klein to perform. But the color and the model are different. The performance is different either. Then we could bring up different culture, other kinds of culture.

(清水惠美)(日本)

作品理念:
两,三年以前在法国看到了Yves Klein的展览。我曾在日本看过他的作品好几次,但在法国看他的作品是第一次。当时看他作品的感觉是和以前在日本看他作品的时候是完全不一样的。我学过日本画,也读过中国画的画论(日语翻译的),在西方时也去看了很多亚洲美术。我开始学习当代艺术的时候,看过很多西方的东西。但发现有些西方作品当中的感觉,在我们生活里是没有的。确实,我们学习世界美术史的过程中,占最大比例的是欧洲美术史,但世界上还有很多其它的文化,不是吗?当代艺术的概念本来就是在欧洲美术的基础上做出来的概念。所以我的话题是,在西方以外的文化圈的艺术家的发展过程中,本地文化和当代艺术概念的矛盾和消化。

动机:
为什么在中国说“女性艺术”? 没有说“男性艺术”?
为什么洗手间的表示,男的是蓝色女的是红色?
为什么我学习素描时,最多时间是画画女模特们?
虽然我们猜到很多回答,但没有一个很对的回答。所以,我决定做行为来表达这些感觉。
用Yve krein的方式来做行为。但颜色和模特是不一样的。行为者也是不一样的。所以,会表达出来别的文化。

TAO AIMIN 陶艾民 (中国)



TAO AI MIN

Nu shu - Women's Script
The Idea of this work based on the “Nu shu”
A syllabic script created and used exclusively by women in Jiangyong, Hunan Province, China. The women were forbidden formal education for many centuries and developed the Nushu script in order to communicate with one another. They embroidered the script into cloth and wrote it in books and on paper fans. Nushu is one of the most interesting and least known writing systems. The words nu shu literally means "Woman's Writing" in Chinese. As the name implies, Nushu is a writing system created and used exclusively by women in a remote part of China. Traditional Chinese culture is male-centered and forbids girls from any kind of formal education, so Nushu was developed in secrecy over hundred of years in the Jiangyong county of Hunan province. Tao Aimin uses used washboards and set them together as Zhu jian – the bamboo rubbings. Then she prints the natural used surface graphics that exist on the wash boards on Rice Papers and makes them in traditional thread binding. She displays the books with the notes that are written in “Nushu” and sets the series of works to the eight square position which is related to the Eight Diagrams. It also looks like a flower which is a symbolic sign of the woman, and is related to the topic of the “Nu – Red”.

《女书》作品说明:
《女书》八角的摆放形式来源于江永女书的一种书写样式,一篇文字中心部位常常手绘一个八角形花卉图案,这种形式在文字史上是唯一的。“八角花”图案来源于八卦图案。它体现了吉祥、地域、女红的文化色彩。而花本身也隐喻和象征着女性!
在女书的内容中,运用中国女人用来洗衣服的搓衣板制作的拓片,它吸取了中国水墨的语言,呈现了人类手工留下的不同印记,女书拓片采用的方法是用传统拓碑的方式制作的,每一页拓片所呈现的斑驳的痕迹,与远古时代的书法石刻所显示的在时间的磨砺下历史沧桑变化的视觉语言不径相同。它把日常生活用品——搓衣板,印在每一张书页上。它所呈现的是一种岁月流逝过程中遗留下的印迹,如书写般反复的搓洗形成了各种抽象而丰富的“文字”。它不同于一般的文字,这是一种关于生命的语言,需要我们用心灵去阅读。
批注部分的书写,采用世界上现存的唯一的女性文字——江永女书。它起源于湖南江永,是女性之间传承的一种神秘符号,字体呈菱形,刚硬倾斜,暗藏锐气,灵感来源于日常生活符号体系的启示。她们把文字作为抗争命运的工具,通过同性间的交流,倾诉,表达,得到心灵的解脱,书写出自由的灵魂,创造了一个独特而隐秘的女性世界。体现了女性独立的生命精神和顽强的生存意识。
《女书》作品以一种独特的方式叙述女人的历史,象征了东方女性的特质。当这样的文字在逐渐消逝或被现代文明替代之前,它们不会就此终结。女性的精神力量和人性之美,将不断照耀人类的历史。

展览介绍:

展览介绍:
“女艺术”系列展览以澳大利亚和中国的文化为基础,同时和世界各地的女性艺术家连接。
2009年3月8日星期日是国际三八妇女节,将举行“女艺术”系列四:“女红”的展览开幕式。
想象画廊也再次通过策展人高丹和德尼斯组织举办第四次展览。
应邀参加此次展览的分别有来自中国、日本、澳大利亚的女性装置艺术家和行为表演艺术家。
该活动将真正成为有中国、澳大利亚、日本和法国的连接。
艺术家们将把装置的主题,行为表演的内容建立在响应“红”这个主题的基础上。

红色:
一个可以用很多词,通过视觉、情感和理论来定义的颜色。
想想它、感觉它、品味它,听、看,它表现温暖、火焰、强烈的力量和激情。
“对很多文化来说,红色表现了生与死 —— 一个美丽而又可怕的矛盾。芬利,维多利亚:用我们现代的语言比喻,红色象征愤怒,它象是一场火,它象是内心一场暴风雨的感觉,它就是爱,一场上帝的作战,一种激励。”颜色:旅途贯穿的绘具箱。伦敦,霍德和斯托顿,2002年第157页。

艺术家介绍:
参展的艺术家具有严谨的专业艺术实践资格,包括艺术系学士、艺术系硕士和艺术系博士。
尽管每位艺术家的概念不同,表现出了个性,共同性,通过色彩,色彩的质量和敏锐度和出色的专业主题连载一起,激发出优秀的展览作品,宣扬了2009年国际三八妇女节的全球活动。
Denise Keele-bedford (德妮丝) (澳大利亚) (目前生活在澳大利亚和中国)
Evelyna Liang Kan (简 梁以胡) (中国, 香港)
Lucille Yuk Yin Lo (卢玉燕) (中国, 香港)
Megumi Shimizu (清水惠美) (日本) (目前生活在北京)
陶艾民 (中国)

2009 International Women's Day

International Women’s Day on Sunday 8th March 2009 will be celebrated with the Opening of ‘Nu Yishu Series IV: Nu Red’.
Imagine Gallery will again host the fourth exhibition organized through curators Laetitia Gauden and Denise Keele-bedford.

www.imagine-gallery.com

Invited to participate are Chinese, Japanese and Australian female installation and performance artists. The event will truly be international having French, Japanese, Australian, Hong-Kong and Chinese connections.
The theme of the installation, performance exhibition is based on the artists’ response to red (hong).

RED
There are many words to describe visual, emotional and theoretical responses to red.
Think it, feel it, taste, hear it, see it. It is the color of warmth, fire, the color of energy, flames, the color of passion, burning.

“For many cultures red is both death and life – a beautiful and terrible paradox. In our modern language of metaphors, red is anger, it is fire, it is the stormy feelings of the heart, it is love, it is the god of war, and it is power.” Finlay, Victoria. Color: Travels Through the Paintbox, London, Hodder & Stoughton, 2002,p. 157

Artists
Participating artists are professional in their art practice with qualifications including Bachelor of Arts, Master of Arts and Doctor of Fine Art.
Although each artist’s concept is diverse, demonstrating individuality, a commonality through color, exceptional quality, sensitivity to theme and exemplary professionalism, links them to produce an exhibition of outstanding significance, enhancing the 2009 International Women’s Day global events.
Denise Keele-bedford (Australia, currently living between China and Australia)
Evelyna Liang Kan (China, H-K)
Lucille Yuk Yin Lo (China, H-K)
Megumi Shimizu (Japan, currently living in Beijing)
Tao Ai Min (China)



Sunday, February 22, 2009

INTRODUCTION

In 2005 Imagine Gallery in Beijing hosted the first of the series with installations of mixed media paintings and bronze work.
The second and third exhibitions were held in China and Australian capital Canberra.

The ‘Nu Yishu’ series based in Australia and China has the ability to enhance both cultures whilst broadening connections with female artists across the world.


想象画廊在2005年主办了“女艺术”系列的第一次展览,作品涉及装置、混合媒介、绘画和铜雕。第二次和第三次展览是在中国和澳大利亚首都堪培拉举办。
“女艺术”系列展览以澳大利亚和中国的文化为基础,同时和世界各地的女性艺术家连接。