D’treasures unchained

By Liao Danlin Source:Global Times Published: 2013-1-21 19:38:02



Portrait of Liu Suwei by Li Tiefu (Guangdong Art Museum)
Portrait of Liu Suwei by Li Tiefu (Guangdong Art Museum)
Chao by Zhang Jianjun (NAMC) Photos: Courtesy of NAMC
Chao by Zhang Jianjun (NAMC) Photos: Courtesy of NAMC
Flowers and Fruits by Pan Yuliang (China Art Museum, Shanghai)
Flowers and Fruits by Pan Yuliang (China Art Museum, Shanghai)



Public museums reveal what's inside their enormous buildings

 

Public art museums have been an important part of the massive urban development in China over the past decade. For proof, just look at those large and occasionally strange art museums in every big city. Many have established themselves as popular tourist attractions because of their odd exterior. But for local residents not so interested in art or too busy to pay attention to an ever-changing skyline, these public art museums are just one more giant structure that suddenly pops up on the landscape. Even tourists often take photos outside but care little about what lies within.

The general impression of these regional mega-museums is that an expensive ticket only allows a person to view a handful of valuable artworks. But is that truly the case? Those in the industry would disagree, and to prove it, several museums have joined forces.

To help celebrate the National Art Museum of China (NAMC)'s 50th anniversary, 10 of the most representative public museums in China have put together an enormous exhibition from their best collections.

Over 500 paintings are now on display at the NAMC through February 26. It's a chance for the public to see how different regional histories and cultures influence artists and become reflected in their art. It also corrects people's misconceptions about what public museums have done in the past.

The one and only

Gao Yun, former director of Jiangsu Provincial Art Museum, said to Xinhua Daily that art museums should be an icon of a city, known to both local residents as well as visitors from around the world. The Louvre in Paris has the Mona Lisa and Milan's Santa Maria delle Grazie has The Last Supper. The world's most famous museums are known for their one-and-only collections.

However, it is still common that many art museums in China keep a large number of artworks in the storeroom.

Wang Huangsheng, director of the Central Academy of Fine Art Museum (CAFAM) once told the Global Times that some art museums see their collections as their own treasures and are not so willing to share with others. Even for some bigger art museums, it was not until recent years that managers learned to regularly exhibit their collections, not to mention engaging with the public or designing stylish exhibitions.

"To change the situation, NAMC must be the bellwether to stop allowing classics to lie in the stockroom," Lu Yanguang, director of Guangzhou Museum of Art said to xkb.com.cn.

This time, NAMC is playing the role of bellwether, offering the public an opportunity to learn the characteristics of each art museum and their one-and-only treasures. For instance, China Art Museum Shanghai presents a historical Shanghai in the context of globalization and modernization. Examples include ink paintings by Lin Fengmian, Wu Guanzhong and works by Zhao Wuji.

The Jiangsu Provincial Art Museum was one of the earliest public museums in China. Founded in 1936, its collection focuses on traditional Chinese paintings. For the Beijing exhibition, they brought works from 17 masters such as Xu Beihong, Li Keran and Fu Baoshi, all of whom were born or lived in Jiangsu.

CAFAM is a bit different. As a university based art museum, one of its most important collections includes works from alumni who went on to become world-renowned artists. The list contains names like Fang Lijun, Chen Danqing, Liu Xiaodong and many others from different eras.

Resource sharing

Last year, the Ministry of Culture encouraged art museums all over China to produce a season of exhibitions featuring their best collections. Heading that call, executive director of China Art Museum, Shanghai, Li Lei said, "We are happy to be supportive if any of the museums need our collections for exhibitions or academic studies."

During the exhibition's press conference held last Friday, Fan Di'an, director of NAMC, said that a public museum stands because of its collection, but more importantly, it carries the responsibility of making the most effective use of that collection.

An exhibition like this is a way for people to get to know each museum and their most recognizable items that might be in long-term exhibitions. Fan also emphasized that accumulative collecting and academic arrangements should accompany each other. He advised that exhibitions be organized in an academic manner, offering an introduction into China's art history.

Linking art to society

In the NAMC exhibition, Shaanxi Province Art Museum's collection presents not only historical works but also paintings from young artists of today. According to the museum's director, the intention was to encourage artists to build a positive relationship with art museums.

Artist Chen Danqing wrote in an article published in Science Times that China "does not have a real art museum," meaning there is an absence of a museum culture. He said many people say they can't understand modern art and added that the question is not whether they can understand or not but whether there is a place for them to learn to understand. What Chen was saying refers to a missing relationship between art museums and the public.

During an interview with China Cultural Daily, Fan summarized two general weaknesses that art museums in China suffer from: the lack of an independent and active culture; and a simplified design in exhibition planning. To help change the situation Fan suggested increasing the number of well-planned exhibitions and changing the purpose of exhibitions from promoting artists to serving the public. That way, we can "build a relationship between art and the society," said Fan.



Posted in: ARTS

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