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Great Aspirations - Qi Baishi's Artistic World Exhibition

  • show time：2022-10-28 to 2022-11-26
  • Organizer：Bauhinia Culture (Hong Kong) Holdings Limited, Beijing Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism, and Milan Municipal Bureau of Culture
  • venue：Fabbrica del Vapore Cultural Center
　　Qi Baishi was a culmination of the 20th-century Chinese art. He once said, "I don't like mediocrity," and his works exhibit unconventional compositions and unique artistic expressions. On the occasion of the "China-Italy Year of Culture and Tourism" in 2022, the Great Aspirations - Qi Baishi's Artistic World exhibition was organized by the Bauhinia Culture (Hong Kong) Holdings Limited, Beijing Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism, and Milan Municipal Bureau of Culture, and operated by the China Arts and Entertainment Group Ltd. (CAEG), Beijing Fine Art Academy, and the Fabbrica del Vapore Cultural Center, under the auspices of the Milan Municipal Government. The exhibition met Italian audiences at the Fabbrica del Vapore Cultural Center in Milan on October 28. The exhibition was executed by the China International Exhibition Agency and Zhong Art International S.r.l., with the honorable support of the Consulate-General of the People's Republic of China in Milano. The exhibition displayed 54 copies of Qi Baishi's artworks and related auxiliary exhibits, revealing the diversity of Chinese painting styles such as album leaves, handscrolls, and hanging scrolls. It also used augmented reality (AR) technology and interactive devices to make the visitors more involved and entertained. The exhibition aimed to present the authentic ways of appreciating Chinese calligraphy and paintings and create an aesthetic space reminiscent of Chinese gardens. Visitors could experience and appreciate the joy of Chinese literati handling books, the artistic realm of poetry composition, and the natural charm embodied in Qi Baishi's art. 
 
　　Since ancient times, Chinese people have enjoyed paintings alone or with a small group of friends. They would brew tea, burn incense, unroll scrolls, and recite poetry, engaging in refined and elegant activities. This kind of appreciation was more intimate, and not all artworks were shown at once. They would move on to another scroll after finishing one, letting time deepen their immersion in the rich artistic expression and vast atmosphere of the works. This exhibition departed from the usual display methods of art museums and went back to the ancient Chinese art appreciation customs. It combined the traditional Chinese way of enjoying paintings with the garden aesthetics. With the help of multimedia, it provided a novel experience, opening up a new world with every step. The exhibition also featured Chinese-style study rooms, where visitors could use interactive technology to experience the freedom and expressiveness of wielding a brush, immersing themselves in the ambiance of ancient Chinese art appreciation and the pleasures of literati gatherings. 
 
　　It shows a man gently unrolling the scroll with his hands, enjoying the painting's artistic beauty by himself. 
 
　　It portrays a small group of people exchanging and admiring art, which is a truly delightful experience. 
 
　　Compared with hanging scrolls, album leaves have smaller dimensions, but the brushwork is more refined and exquisite. By viewing each leaf of an album, one can truly appreciate the vibrant and magnificent world that the artist has created within such a small space. 
 
　　Handscrolls were a labor of love for calligraphers and painters, requiring both precision and patience to create. These cherished artworks were often kept private and shared only among kindred spirits who appreciated their beauty. Occasionally, they were displayed on a table or held in hand, unrolled alongside other handscrolls for all to enjoy and marvel at their exquisite details. 
 
　　Experiencing the Natural Charm in Qi Baishi's Art 
 
　　Qi Baishi was not only a legendary artist from the 19th to 20th century, but also the culmination of over 1,000 years of Chinese ink paintings. His life could be described as a mix of misfortune and good luck. Born in 1864 to a peasant family in Xiangtan County, Hunan Province, Qi Baishi was too weak to do farm work and thus became a carpenter. It wasn't until he reached his thirties that he started to learn painting and poetry, and in his forties, he traveled half of China. During a turbulent period, he left his hometown at 60 years old and sought refuge in Beijing. After ten years of innovation, he finally became famous. In the 1920s, Qi Baishi's works were highly sought after in Japan, and in the 1930s, his reputation spread throughout Europe. In the 1950s, his paintings were often given as national gifts to heads of state. Throughout his life, Qi Baishi served as the chairperson of the China Artists Association, won the "International Peace Prize", and was awarded the title of "People's Artist". He was and still is a well-known and respected art master in China. 
 
　　Qi Baishi's art is free, natural, and unrestrained, cycling between observation and expression, moving with ease between the vulgar and the refined, and encompassing the minutest details as well as the vast expanse of nature. It deeply embodies the essence of the oriental art, which sees a world in a flower. He disliked mediocrity, and his paintings are ingeniously conceived and composed with remarkable skills. With just a few strokes, he could transform the essence of nature into a piece of observable and contemplative work of art. Qi Baishi often captured the unique charm of the natural world. He infused many of his works with his reflections on life and his longing for a beautiful world. He had a deep love for everything on earth, whether it was majestic as mountains and rivers or delicate as flowers, trees, plants, and insects, all of which sang harmoniously through his brushstrokes. 
 
　　From 1902 to 1909, Qi Baishi traveled five times, traversing much of China. During his travels, he realized the essence of "learning from nature" and expressed his boldness in proclaiming that "the most remarkable scenery in the world is the mountains and rivers in my mind." Borrow Mountains from the Nature is an album that Qi Baishi drew based on his memory and sketches after his travels. This album has a profound artistic expression and an unconventional composition. It differs greatly from the traditional landscape styles of previous artists. 
 
　　Xiangtan in Hunan Province, which is Qi Baishi's hometown, is known as the "Lotus City." In the summer, the lotus leaves in front of Qi's house swayed with grace, and the fragrance of the flowers was refreshing, leaving an indelible impression in his mind. He picked up his brush and depicted the lotus ponds of his hometown over and over again. In midsummer, the lotus flowers are bright red, and the lotus leaves are emerald green; in deep autumn, the lotus leaves wither, and the pond is desolate. With his brush, Qi Baishi captured the scenery of the four seasons, fixed time, and left behind the beauty of nature.
 
　　Qi Baishi's shrimp paintings are well-known in China. He was able to vividly depict the structure, dynamics, and transparent texture of shrimp. Although there are no water waves or water plants in the painting, it fully portrays the coolness of the river, as if we saw the shrimp move their antennae and claws freely in the water with our own eyes. He once said, "The key is the balance between similarity and dissimilarity." In order to achieve this balance, even in his old age, he persisted in innovation, always striving for the ultimate artistic realm. 
 
　　Embarking on a Poetic and Artistic Journey into the Realm of the East 
 
　　The ancient Roman poet Horace said, "As is painting, so is poetry." The Chinese literary giant Su Shi of the Song dynasty (960-1279) once said, "Painting can be poetic, and poetry painterly." The concept of "the unity of poetry and painting" was greatly promoted from this point on. In China, artists strive to master the "Four Arts," namely poetry, calligraphy, painting, and seal carving, to reflect their comprehensive cultivation, interests, and artistic realm. Qi Baishi excelled in all these four areas. His poetry is simple yet thought-provoking; his calligraphy is neat and masterful; his paintings show his unique imagination and suit both refined and popular tastes; and his seals, influenced by the seal script, are powerful and unrestrained. He placed poetry above all else, often writing about everything he had seen and thought in his poems. "The chick pecks by the stream, how will they get the fish to chew?" This portrays the adorable helplessness of a baby chick wanting to catch fish but unable to do so. "A poet sleeps in his spare time, a painter works in his spare time, and a person cherishes life in his spare time." He expressed the painter's cherishing of time and a peaceful attitude towards life. Upon careful reading, one can discover that the poetry becomes vivid and the painting profound, finding the true meaning of art between poetry and painting. 
 
　　The exhibition ran until November 26, 2022, with the hope of bringing an aesthetic feast originating from China to art-loving Milan audiences during the "China-Italy Year of Culture and Tourism". It offered a multi-sensory experience that combined tradition with technology, art appreciation, and garden exploration. 
 
　　The hosting of the "China-Italy Year of Culture and Tourism" was an important consensus reached between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Italian President Mattarella during President Xi's state visit to Italy in 2019. In January 2020, the "China-Italy Year of Culture and Tourism" was inaugurated in Rome. Due to the impact of the pandemic, both China and Italy agreed to postpone the events of the "China-Italy Year of Culture and Tourism" from 2020 to 2022. The "China-Italy Year of Culture and Tourism" in 2022, jointly organized by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the People's Republic of China and the Italian Ministry of Culture, launched nearly 20 events in fields such as cultural heritage, performing arts, visual arts, creative design, and tourism. It has provided and will continue to provide momentum and vitality for the development of cultural and tourism relations between China and Italy. It serves as a bridge to promote people-to-people exchanges, and has made new and greater contributions to enhancing cultural exchange and the common values for all humanity. 
 
　　[Exhibition information] 
 
　　Exhibition: Great Aspirations - Qi Baishi's Artistic World 
 
　　Organized by: Bauhinia Culture (Hong Kong) Holdings Limited, Beijing Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism, and Milan Municipal Bureau of Culture 
 
　　Operated by: China Arts and Entertainment Group Ltd. (CAEG), Beijing Fine Art Academy, and Fabbrica del Vapore Cultural Center 
 
　　Executed by: China International Exhibition Agency and Zhong Art International S.r.l. 
 
　　Supported by: Consulate-General of the People's Republic of China in Milano 
 
　　Exhibition date: October 28, 2022, to November 26, 2022 
 
　　Venue: Fabbrica del Vapore Cultural Center 

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