"When the explanatory texts were displayed in front of me one by one, I couldn't help but cry like rain..."
On November 1, on the first anniversary of Zhang Yi's death, Yang Huishan, another founder of Liuli Workshop, held "WHY GLASS? Moving Forward with Perfection - Zhang Yi's Creation Retrospective Exhibition".
■ The audience is visiting Zhang Yi's manuscript
At the exhibition site, standing in front of the manuscript wall composed of more than 3,000 explanatory cards of Zhang Yi, Yang Huishan's eyes were moist.
For thirty-three years, for more than 10,000 days, Zhang Yi never stopped writing down the thoughts and emotions of each work word by word, and even when his hands were swollen and weak, he still raised a pen like a thousand gold, and wrote the explanatory text of the new work in one stroke. That is how strong a conviction it takes to have such a strong and wonderful accumulation. ”
<h2>He is the pioneer and founder of Chinese glass art</h2>
Zhang Yi, the founder of Liuli Workshop, is recognized as the pioneer and founder of Chinese liuli art, and is also a legendary figure who has put traditional Chinese culture and philosophy into a lifetime of creation in the field of culture and creativity.
■ Zhang Yi
This exhibition not only exhibits Zhang Yi's Liuli works, but also the essence of Zhang Yi's lifelong creation from literature, film to Liuli art, including work objects, manuscripts, documents, etc., so that the audience can get a close understanding of Zhang Yi's lifelong creation and contribution.
Zhang Yi, who published a novel at the age of 19, was hailed as "a rare Style of Chinese characters after Zhang Ailing and Bai Xianyong." ”
■ Yang Huishan introduced Zhang Yi's film period creation
In the 1980s, he was well known for his asian film industry. After winning the Golden Horse Award and the Best Director at the Asia Pacific Film Festival, Zhang Yi suddenly disappeared.
In 1987, Zhang Yi and Yang Huishan joined hands in the creation of modern glass art and founded Liuli Workshop.
■ Zhang Yi's work "Freedom - Freedom with Fate"
Liuli carries their self-definition and expectations for history and culture, and also carries a sense of mission for the long-distance national culture.
Zhang Yi and Yang Huishan studied the revived and lost Han Dynasty glass firing techniques, and through international glass art exhibitions, the establishment of art research rooms in universities, and the establishment of museums, etc., created a modern glass art industry in the Chinese world today. The New York Times commented on Zhang Yi as "the father of the Asian studio glass movement".
<h2>There is still a touch of red in my heart</h2>
Zhang Yiliu's creations in this exhibition include four series, including "Taihu Stone", which pays tribute to the beauty of nature, "Freedom" of life after overcoming setbacks, "Fireworks Zen Heart" that amazes the French Century-old Museum, and "A Touch of Red", a new milestone in oriental ink painting.
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■ Zhang Yi and "Fireworks Zen Heart" works
Zhang Yi emphasizes that art grows in the soil of culture, and is well versed in the narrative language of the nation, literature and oriental Zen, which is his distinct creative personality.
His works have been collected by the China Pavilion at the Shanghai World Expo, the National Art Museum of China, and the Museum of Decorative Arts in Paris, France.
■ Zhang Yi's "Fireworks Zen Heart - Poppy"
Life is like a dream bubble, but Zhang Yi still has a touch of red in his heart.
In his view, art must have a relationship with the times, with the road traveled by the artist, and with the creator's life emotions and national feelings, so that it is not a nothingness.
■ Zhang Yi and "A Touch of Red" works
Zhang Yi returned to his own culture, returned to his own language, used Chinese his own colors, and condensed philosophy, poetry and lifelong encounters into the most chaotic and purest "a touch of red".
<h2>Create beneficial works forever</h2>
At the beginning of the establishment of Liuli Workshop, Zhang Yi set the core of creation as "forever creating beneficial works".
Therefore, for each work of Liuli Workshop, Zhang Yi insisted that he must attach the explanatory text card he wrote in his own handwriting, and narrate the story of each work with beneficial and poetic words.
This model, pioneered by Zhang Yi, is now used by many studios on both sides of the Taiwan Straits.
■ Zhang Yi's work "A Touch of Red - Deep Clouds"
For more than thirty years, in more than 10,000 days, he wrote explanatory texts word by word, writing more than 10,000 explanatory notes in total. At this exhibition site, 3,000 red cards of explanatory texts were displayed.
Yang Huishan, who has been with Zhang Yi for 33 years, has witnessed the birth process of these words.
She recalled, "Every time in order to complete these short articles filled with different emotions and stories, I saw him either frowning or habitually biting his ring finger and thinking bitterly... Be sure to find the perfect interpretation. ”
■ Yang Huishan introduced Zhang Yi's manuscript and explanatory text red card
In her opinion, under that seemingly strong appearance, what a tender and delicate, considerate and romantic heart is actually hidden! I think that the more than 10,000 explanatory texts he personally wrote, as well as countless manuscripts of articles, should also best show the remarkable cultural contributions of his life!
Yang Huishan said, "Because of Zhang Yi's writing power, Liuli art creation, with culture and dignity, is also the history and culture of our generation in the future." ”
Yang Zhigang, President of the Shanghai Museum Association, said that in 2006, Mr. Zhang Yi and Ms. Yang Huishan founded the Shanghai Glass Art Museum, which is related to the city of Shanghai. As the first museum in China to focus on the collection, education, research and appreciation of glass art, it not only opens a new world in the field of glass art, but also builds a bridge and bond for cultural exchanges between the East and the West. Their efforts have also added color to the prosperity and development of Shanghai culture.
Yang Zhigang said that throughout Mr. Zhang Yi's life, the most memorable thing is that he is carrying the self-examination of Chinese cultural inheritance, and at the time when the liuli technique was lost, although tens of millions of people were looking forward to it, they rose to the challenge and bravely raised the banner of advancing forward.
He said, "Let us stop here quietly and once again appreciate and feel the beautiful legend composed by these two wise men." ”
■ Zhang Yi and "free" works
Literature, film, glass art, a variety of roles Zhang Yi has a lifelong creation in different fields. What remains unchanged, however, is his cultural mission.
"If you believe it, you can see it." This is Zhang Yi's belief.
Yang Huishan said, "Because of the belief, we have seen those beautiful and strong. ”
It is reported that the exhibition will last until Next March.
《WHY GLASS？ Moving Forward with Perfection - Zhang Yi's Creation Retrospective Exhibition
Exhibition period: November 1, 2021 to March 2022
Venue: Shanghai Liuli Art Museum (No. 25 Taikang Road, Shanghai)
Source: Thoughtful