China Youth Daily and China Youth Network Xi reporter Jia Jiye reporter Guo Shaoming.
During the preparation of the Liangzhu Forum and the Silk Road, Zhang Yu (first from the right) took a group photo with the participating artists. Photo courtesy of the interviewee.
The cultural exchanges between China and foreign countries at the Liangzhu Forum are not only for experts and artists, but also for ordinary people.
On December 3, the first "Liangzhu Forum" opened in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, and the "Art Silk Road" collection exhibition was also carried out simultaneously in Liangzhu Mengqi Town. In the first four or five days, in addition to the artist, Zhang Yu from the State Grid Hangzhou Yuhang District Power Supply Company became the "busiest person" in Mengqi Town.
In order to prepare for this exhibition, 84 artists from 83 countries and regions came to Zhejiang in advance to collect style, and came to the town a week ago to start their intensive creation.
At about 9 o'clock in the morning on November 27, a bus carrying artists from all over the world came to the town, and Zhang Yu was arranged to visit with them. "The language volunteers on site were one-to-many, and there were a lot of visitors, so everyone ended up scattering. Seeing this, Zhang Yu guided in his broken English: "If you want to create the work, please follow me." Some of the artists followed him to the Intensive Creation Zone.
Originally, the job of Zhang Yu and his colleagues was to eliminate hidden dangers and faults in the power system in a timely manner to ensure the safety and stable power supply of the exhibition hall. This sentence in English gave Zhang Yu an additional identity - on-site coordinator. "Everyone thinks I'm the person in charge of the site, the artists come to me when they have questions, and the volunteers give me feedback when they have questions. "At the beginning, Zhang Yu was always surrounded by circles of people. There is a lack of rags for painting, a large paint bucket, a larger canvas ......Faced with more and more diverse needs, he felt the expectation and pressure, and tried his best to coordinate and meet everyone.
Jennifer Díaz (Shetukiltra) from Chile is a wall painting artist who uses a professional painting board brush to create his paintings, so Zhang Yu asked someone to buy it near the China Academy of Art (Nanshan Campus), dozens of kilometers away. There was not enough space in the centralized creation area, so Zhang Yu guided several artists to paint in an empty room next to his office.
Because he has to help coordinate various situations, Zhang Yu often deals directly with artists. In the process of communication, he learned about the stories behind many of his works, and also experienced the charm of artistic creation and cultural exchange.
The work of Jordanian artist Ali Hasan Amr (Chinese: Ali). Photo courtesy of the interviewee.
At the exhibition is a painting by Jordanian artist Ali Hasan Amr (Chinese: Ali). The background color of this work is colorful, and you can see two concentric circles in the painting, and the sandwich between the two circles is filled with ancient Chinese poems and the names of artists from various countriesTwo Arab merchants on camels are drawing a **, slowly walking forward, and the foot of the camel is a pattern shaped like a river. "It's not a river, it's silk, it's a desert, it's a colorful world. Zhang Yu told a reporter from China Youth Daily and China Youth Network.
On the base map, you can also see a pattern that resembles a wheel. Zhang Yu told reporters that it was a special symbol of the Jordanian Royal Palace, "Ali wants to use these elements to symbolize his country." Because of frequent exchanges with Alibaba, Zhang Yu has also gained a lot of cultural knowledge that is not known to ordinary people. And through this painting, Zhang Yu sees an expectation of communication. "The 'Silk Road' is the story of the past, and the holding of the 'Liangzhu Forum' is the story of the new era. In his view, cultural exchanges based on the forum are becoming the new "Silk Road".
Swedish artist Maria Nords Lundberg's "Mother Totem Who Is Not Lonely". Photo by Jia Jiye, a Xi reporter of China Youth Daily and China Youth Network.
Panamanian artist Gabriel Wong's work "Rock 'n' Roll Spring". Photo by Jia Jiye, a Xi reporter of China Youth Daily and China Youth Network.
Not only Alibaba, but many artists will chat with Zhang Yu when creating and share their creative ideas, and Zhang Yu is also willing to introduce Chinese culture to them. From the rich ink and color in "Rock and Roll Fuchun" to the background color of the ink painting in "Tomb No. 12", Zhang Yu feels the warm exchange and collision of Chinese and foreign cultures in each of his unique works. A story about love and family that he unintentionally compiled even became the inspiration for Swedish artist Maria Nords Lundberg's "Totem of the Mother Who Is Not Lonely". This is the embodiment of the exchange of ideas and cultures. Zhang Yu said.
In order to thank the artist for his hard work, Zhang Yu sent a poem he wrote before to everyone present: "Words are like a spring breeze, and they are not surprised by each other." The moon resides in the deep well, and the sound of insects and birds is quiet!Ask the gentleman geometry, throw a stone to listen, ask how high the gentleman is, raise your hand seems to be a power!Everyone in the world speaks of themselves, and talents are like ice. The gentleman brushes his face lightly, hiding his merit and fame. Wei Yue didn't speak, and bowed her head to figure out the shadow. Encounter fifteen nights, the sky is clear and the moon is brighter!”
The name of the poem is "The Fu of the Gentleman". Zhang Yu explained: "I see the character of a gentleman in this group of artists. ”
In Zhang Yu's concept, the gentleman is the ideal personality of the Chinese. "The artists participating in the exhibition all represent their own countries, which is diplomacy between countries. But I don't see a bit of a frame in them, and they get along very easily. Whenever he sent poems to foreign artists, Zhang Yu would say to them: "If you understand a gentleman, then you know China better." ”
In order to let the artists experience Chinese culture more directly, Zhang Yu also specially asked a friend to buy a paper fan and wrote the poem inscription on the back of the fan to give to the artist. "When the fan was delivered, I added WeChat, then translated the poem into English and sent it to them. Zhang Yu said.
Today, Zhang Yu's poems have spread among the artist circles of the "Liangzhu Forum". As an ordinary power support worker, he considers himself lucky to be able to spread Chinese culture in such an important international forum. Combined with the content of the exhibition and his own feelings, Zhang Yu set up a new title for the exhibition of the works of "Liangzhu Forum - Art Convergence Silk Road": Please leave your paintings, please take my poems away.
Being able to communicate with foreign artists so closely and feel the charm of artistic creation made me feel the greatness of my motherland. Zhang Yu said.
Most of the artists have returned to China, but the exhibition will continue, and the cultural exchanges between China and foreign countries will continue to burst out new sparks in Liangzhu, a land full of cultural vitality. In the exhibition hall of Mengqi Town, Zhang Yu is engaged in power security work and works as a "part-time docent" at the same time. "I want more people to know the stories behind these works. Zhang Yu said.
Outside of the exhibition, Zhang Yu keeps in touch with the participating artists. The German artist Tanja Hehmann (Chinese: Hehmann) translated the poem that Zhang Yu sent her into German and sent it back. The two of them agreed to go to the West Lake to chat about Liangzhu totems and Chinese poetry, and Heiman looked forward to learning more about China.
*: China Youth Daily client).