Bringing the world to Tianjin - Dong Ruqiang's Art Complex, Tianjin
In my second of three articles on Mr Dong's Art Complex in Xiqing, I shift my focus to two of the exhibition rooms currently hosting some Authorised prints of some of the most famous paintings from the Western Art world. What excites me most about these is how Mr Dong has managed to bring the world of art to the people of Tianjin. The truth is that some people may never leave Tianjin or its surrounds. They will never have the chance to see Degas' ballet series or Cezanne's magnificent still lifes and landscape pieces, or have the inclination perhaps to go and seek out Picasso's original works and check it on their bucket list. That is the nature of life. This makes what Mr Dong is offering us here so beautiful.
He has used two of his rooms for two complementary exhibits. The first of the two rooms I want to talk about is an exhibition of Pablo Picasso prints which belong to a friend of Mr Dong. Picasso is most well known for being the co-founder of the Cubism, an avant-garde art movement that he and Georges Braque pioneered. Picasso was a prolific artist who compiled over 145 000 pieces of art, covering paintings, engravings, sculptures and prints. Expect to find some of the classic Picasso works on display, including Guernica, probably the most powerful anti-war painting, and while the dimensions are now where near the original to be found in the Museo Reina Sofia in Madrid, it is a welcome part of the whole exhibition. In addition to the prints, there are also some very candid, original photos and also some photographic prints of Picasso in his daily life. Picasso's legacy is undeniable, whom I regard as one of the top 5 artists in history, and Mr Dong's exhibition allows everyone an opportunity to get a glimpse of his work. Just a glimpse.
On the other hand, if you already have your favourites and if you love the Impressionists, you are in for a treat with several Renoir, Monet and Degas pieces on display. From memory, I think I saw a Manet too! I was beside myself when I saw a Cezanne, my favourite Impressionist painter, who to be fair laid the foundation for the radical movement in art that would take place in the 20th century. The room took me back to my 20s when I fell in love with so many of the works on display here - I was a late bloomer! But here you will also be able to enjoy Van Gogh, Matisse, Chagall, Dali and some more Picassos, to mention but a few.
The room itself is a work in progress and I envision fewer prints on display at any one time because it is a bit overwhelming, packed with memories! This room highlights a pint I made earlier regarding the likelihood of someone travelling to all the museums housing the original works on display - Mr Dong and his kind collectors have made it possible to travel the art galleries and museums of the world right here in Xiqing.
As an educator at heart, I am a firm believer in developing the artistic brain children. This is really a wonderful place to feed their hungry minds with something other than a video game or mobile app. Children are so unfortunate in many ways to be growing up in this tech dominated world which makes venues like this so vital in Tianjin. These places restore much needed balance in the lives of the young.
In closing, the final thing that thrills me about what Mr Dong is doing through these displays, is that he is breaking down the arrogance that often exists in the art community because they 'get art' and the lowly masses are not worthy. I am one of the masses. I struggle to understand art sometimes. I have written several times in previous articles in which I commented on the wonderful work Vivian Zhang is doing in Tianjin by making art more inclusive and not exclusive. Mr Dong is doing the same. Jack Nobody may not be able to explain the complex and baffling nature of Chagall's work, but it does not mean he can't say, "Oh, I love that!" Illustrating this by borrowing from Portuguese poet Fernando Pessoa's analogy, beauty does not always need to be analysed. A rose is not always there to remind us of the the two-sided nature of love or memories of love lost or won. Sometimes a rose is just a rose. So, for people like me and many others, being able to visit Mr Dong's Art Complex and appreciate these prints in a relaxed setting is just fabulous.
When will you come?
DIN21
Mobile: +86 131 0219 6887, Rm. 101, Gate 4, Building No. 5, Fubao Industry Park，Zhangjiawo, Xiqing District, Tianjin.
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