Wonderful Dough Modeling

howcase in North Park Shopping Center

Night View of Times Square in New York photo by Luo Yang

Superb Egg-shell Carving that excels nature, interesting Dough Modeling, attractive Inner Painting and exquisite Paper Cut, with the magic presentation of Chinese folk art masters, amazed American audiences. Chinese kite artist flew his small works on the spot while introducing the history; Chinese Clay Sculptors made a live creation for some audiences which drew quantities of people around; Chinese Knot artists taught American audiences to make Chinese knots and hand-chains for the very first time in their life. During the course of “Chinese Folk Culture Week” in Dallas USA, Chinese folk craftsmanship aroused American public passion for Chinese culture. As far as Ms. Huang Wenjuan, director general of International Liaison Department of CFLAC, is concerned, folk arts, like other disciplines of arts, shoulder the same mission, that is, to showcase the cultural attraction of Chinese culture from multiple levels, angles and aspects.

Reporter: Please brief us on this “Spot on China” event in Dallas. 

Huang: At the invitation of World Fest Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth in North Kansas State of USA, CFLAC sponsored Chinese Folk Art Ensemble to participate in “World Fest 2012—Spot on China” in Dallas. Consisting of folk artists from Hebei and Beijing, the Chinese Folk Art Ensemble mainly conducted live exhibition and performance in Crow Collection of Asian Arts and Addison Artisan Center. 

Initiated in 2008, the World Fest in North Kansas State has become an annual international cultural gala. Starting from the year 2013, a country will be chosen as the theme country in each session. In the light of China’s contemporary cultural influence, they chose China as the first theme country. Launched as early as in the middle of March, this World Fest has involved many cultural exchange events, among which our Chinese Folk Culture Week was designed as key event and official opening. 

Reporter: According to your experience, in the art exchange, what is the difference in exchange ways and effects between exhibition based on performing arts and visual arts and showcase of folk arts? 

Huang: The ways of art exchange are varied, so we must choose different contents and forms of arts in accordance with different countries, cultures and exchange objectives. 

As to China Today Arts Week that mainly deals with performance and exhibition, both the venues and cooperation partners are very important. Usually we must keep close cooperation with local cultural agencies and solicit opinions from our embassy in the related country because they, with best knowledge of local situation, will put forward good suggestion for our consideration. Good exchange of stage arts and visual arts will deeply touch the foreign hearts and souls. 

Folk Arts are mainly showcased in both ways of exhibition as craft and show as gadget. The live production will enable audiences to learn the whole process of creation as well as provide opportunity for interaction. For example, kids are interested in paper cut because they wonder why artists can cut a vivid figure in a short time. They will keep observing the artist or have a try with their hands so that their interests are fully developed. Or in watching Shadow Play, they can understand a story in the front and they will find interesting jobs those folk artists are swiftly doing behind the screen. Such a close exchange will result in a more direct feelings. 

In the art exchange field, we are supposed to try out various forms because they will produce many unexpected effects in exchange. As the organizer of art exchange events, we ought to broaden our vision and explore more channels and platforms to showcase varied patterns of Chinese culture and then enable people from different countries to understand each other mutually in national customs, expressions and cultural connotations. 

Reporter: As a brand in the international exchange sponsored by CFLAC, China Today Arts Week, which has been staged for almost a decade, will be launched in the latter half of this year. Can you brief us on the plan of this event? 

Huang: Held in one or two specific countries in the global context, China Today Arts Week aims to showcase the latest achievement in China’s literary and art development to the international community. So far, we have promoted various performing arts, photography, visual arts exhibition, fashion show, animation and film in the Arts Week. We will continue to make good use of all the resources owned by CFLAC to make this brand event better. 

This year, China Today Arts Week will be sponsored in Cambodia and Thailand. China and Thailand are as close as one family, and those two neighboring countries, thanks to geographic connections, share a lot in culture. Thus it is much easier to achieve mutual understanding and cultural appreciation. As this year marks the 55th anniversary of diplomatic relation establishment between China and Cambodia, both parties will sponsor some celebration events to further enhance mutual understanding and traditional friendship between people of the two countries. 

As to the Arts Week in Cambodia, besides variety performances, we will stage Chinese Film Week where the latest excellent films will be shown to Cambodian audiences. In Thailand, we will add Qinghai Arts Exhibition undertaken by Qinghai Federation of Literary and Art Circles so that some distinct local arts such as Thang-ga and Tibetan Embroidery can be introduced to overseas friends. 

Reporter: What other plans and projects will CFLAC initiate in the following time? 

Huang: This year, CFLAC initiates the project titled “Arts as Bridge of Hearts” with the objective of integrating resources of varied arts under CFLAC and introducing Chinese art projects to the world at designated steps. Furthermore, we hope to involve excellent artists and artworks from provincial federations of literary and art circles into this project so as to jointly foster this new brand of China’s literary and art exchange. As a matter of fact, whether in “Arts as Bridge of Hearts” or in China Today Arts Week, we expect nothing but foreign friends’ understanding of China, CFLAC and Chinese culture and arts.