The picture shows Chen Chen inspecting the creative masks produced. Kan Li photography
Zhongxin Network Henan Xinxiang April 2 Title: Culture and nostalgia on small masks
Written by Kan Li and Li Chaoqing
"Nostalgia is a shallow strait, I am here, the mainland is at that end..." Chen Chen, president of itch China-Italy Cultural and Art Exchange Association, recently completed the creative mask carrying "cross-strait nostalgia", and then began to invest in the creation of masks with other cultural elements.
The picture shows the creative mask production line. Kan Li photography
After graduating from a famous Italian art school in 2014, Chen Chen, a "post-85 generation", stayed in the local area to engage in cultural exhibitions and academic exchanges, and obtained the Italian "EU permanent residence" permit in 2016.
"In Italy, Chinese students dressed in traditional costumes perform Chinese kung fu such as tai chi and Shaolin at the 'Italian Chinese Culture Week', attracting many foreigners to imitate and learn." Long-term work experience overseas has made Chen Chen more firmly believe that traditional Chinese culture is very attractive and infectious.
The picture shows Chen Chen looking at the materials used in creative masks. Kan Li photography
Chen Chen, who believes that "there are many possibilities for cultural exchanges between China and the West", initiated the establishment of the ITCH China-Italy Cultural and Art Exchange Association in Italy in 2018, taking Italy as the window for Europe to promote traditional Chinese culture and build a bridge for Chinese and Italian folk cultural exchanges.
Held the "First 'Belt and Road' Cultural and Artistic Research Activities between China and Italy", established the "Italian Chinese Culture and Art Exchange Base", and invited Chinese and Italian new media and artists to communicate online and offline... Since then, Chen Chen has actively participated in the Sino-Italian folk culture and art exchanges and enjoyed it tirelessly.
The picture shows Chen Chen showing all kinds of creative masks. Kan Li photography
Chen Chen's hometown of Changyuan City, Henan Province, is a well-known "hometown of eisai" in China, and his family has been running a hygiene business for nearly 30 years. Two years ago, due to the impact of the new crown pneumonia epidemic, Italy's cultural exchange project was shelved, and he and his wife returned home to make a "nostalgia version" mask, which attracted much attention.
Among them, the "cross-strait nostalgia" creative mask originated from Taiwan's "Rainbow Village", this creation, but also pinned on Chen Chen's emotions, living overseas for many years, often flashing loneliness and helplessness, so that his understanding of nostalgia has become more and more profound.
The picture shows Chen Chen in creation. Kan Li photography
The reporter saw at the scene that this "cross-strait nostalgia" mask collected the elements of family and village culture and nostalgia on both sides of the strait, and a graffiti village was printed on the mask, which was particularly conspicuous. Chen Chen said that this is a Taiwanese village, and the graffiti for the village is an old man who went to Taiwan from the mainland when he was young. Many years ago, the old man who missed his homeland painted the memories of his childhood hometown throughout the village, which was later called "Rainbow Village".
The picture shows the hometown Henan series of creative masks. Kan Li photography
Art and nostalgia are the resonance of Chen Chen and the old man. Chen Chen said, "The old man's works can interpret nostalgia most realistically, and do not require too much artistic processing." ”
From "Hometown Henan" to "Intangible Cultural Heritage Women's Book", from "Gentleman Culture" to "Cross-Strait Nostalgia" and cultural elements such as ancient characters, urban humanities, Yu opera characters, and intangible cultural heritage, Chen Chen devoted himself to what he had learned, using various creativity to intertwine the above traditional culture and Western art on a small mask, moisturizing and silently "white painting" culture and nostalgia.
Not long ago, Chen Chen donated the "Hometown Henan" series of masks created to Uruguay, Cambodia and other countries and regions, and the praise was overwhelming. The design of these masks is a combination of "Zhaozi China" and "Oracle" text graphics.
"This idea comes from the inscription on the Western Zhou Dynasty National Treasure Grade Bronze He Zun." Chen Chen explained that the inscription "Zhaozi China" is the first word "China" to appear in the literature, and this design element is intended to show the origin of chinese written records.
Talking about why he created culture and nostalgia masks, Chen Chen introduced that masks in the post-epidemic era are not only protective tools, but also a good communication medium.
"Tell the Chinese story well with cultural self-confidence." This is a sentence that Chen Chen often said, "If overseas Chinese and Overseas Chinese wear this 'cultural business card' for social interaction, they will be able to obtain more cultural identity." ”
At present, Chen Chen has invested hundreds of thousands of yuan in cultural and creative masks. A large number of cultural and creative masks produced are only donated to cultural exchange activities such as China and foreign countries and cross-straits. Chen Chen said that in the future, we will also develop Chinese medicine culture masks, so that Chinese medicine culture can penetrate into the lives of overseas people through this carrier. (End)