邮编： 101118 手机：13522070220 13671054751
E-mail chaoziyi@163.comchaoziwei@163.com
网址：www.chaobrother.com
地址：北京市通州区宋庄艺术区宋庄小学对面
The CHAO BROTHERS (Chao Ziyi, Undergraduate, Bachelor's degree, Chao Ziwei, Master's Degree of Tsinghua University)
Hometown: Nanyang, Henan Province, members of Chinese Artists Association, Chinese Sculpture Association, Sculpture Special Interest Committee of Chinese Industrial Arts Association.
Graduated from Arts Department of Nanyang Institute of Technology and studied in China Central Academy of Fine Arts.
Working and living in Beijing now
Exhibitions
2011
“Ready • Momentum”, Beijing Daweilai Linshe Gallery
“Facing Art”, Youth Oil-painting and Sculpture Exhibition-2010, Beijing Meilidao Arts Center
“Art on the road”, COFCO Chaoyang Dayuecheng Modern Art Exhibition, Beijing Chaoyang Dayuecheng Art Space
“2011 China Sculpture Annual Exhibition”, Beijing Quintessence Cultural and Creative Base
2010
“Memory of Industry”---Shanghai International Sculpture Guest Exhibition, Shanghai Expo
Sculpture Magazine, Annual Nomination Exhibition, Beijing
Sculpture Magazine, the 15th Anniversary Special Invited Artist Exhibition, Beijing
“Image • Particularity”, the 3ed Beihang Art Gallery, Modern Art Guest Exhibition
2010 Shanghai Modern Ceramics Exhibition, Shanghai Expo
The opening of Chinese ART Annual Exhibition, exhibition of three themes, Shangshang Art Gallery and Culture Art Exhibition, 798 Gallery
2009
The 11th National Art Exhibition, Changchun (Sculpture), Shenzhen (Art design), Xiamen/ the Chinese Art Gallery (Ceramics), the Yesterday wins “Silver Award”
The 5th Korean International Ceramics Biennale Guest Exhibition, Icheon Ceramics House, Korea
The Group Exhibition of Chinese Sculpture Hundred Works, such as Beijing, Shanghai, etc.
“Praise of Life”——5.12 Fighting Natural Calamities Sculpture Subject Exhibition
“Wensi • Wuyu”——Mainland Modern Ceramics Exhibition, Taiwan
China Sculpture Annual Exhibition, Beijing International Sculpture Art Area Exhibition Hall
“60-70-80” ——Tour China Modern Art Exhibition, Tour Castle Art Gallery, France
“40 Chairs”, International Designers’ Works Guest Exhibition, Sanlitun, China Central Academy of Fine Arts
SOGO Environment Sculpture Art Exhibition, Beijing
“I Believe” ——Quest Exhibition of Chinese Modern Artists, Fanxing Art Gallery, Beijing
2008
Asia Contemporary Art Central China Invitation Exhibition，Zhengzhou, China Contemporary Ceramic Exhibition，Xi'an,
The 4th Beijing International Art Biennale, Beijing, China
Inward, PIFO New Art Studios, Beijing, China
New Year The 2nd China Art Biennale Exhibition, Art 8 Gallery, Beijing, China.
Dance with the Dragon Chinese Contemporary Art Exhibition, North Carolina, America.
Discovery and Creation——Chinese Young Sculptors Invitational Exhibition, Zhengzhou, China.
Contemporary Art and Documentary Exhibition of China, Wall Museum, Beijing, Chima.
China－Invitational Tournament of Sculpture Design Proposal in Dongmeng International Business District, the Shuoguo wins “Silver Award”, Nanning
“Asia” ——Modern Art Central Guest Exhibition, Henan Art Gallery, Zhengzhou
The 2ed Chinese Sculpture Grand Prix, Huian
2007
The 4th South Korea International Ceramics Biennale Exhibition, Museum, Icheon, Korea
A Land of Illusion——The Art of China's New Generation, Shanghai, China.
Grand Exhibition in Celebration of the 10th Anniversary of Hong Kong’ Return to Mainland, Hong Kong, China.
Art Exhibition of 35th Cervantes International Art Festival, Mexico
Young Artists Contemporary Art Exhibition, Shanghai Duolun Museum of Modern Art, Shanghai, China.
First National Collective Exhibition for the Professional Sculpture Artist, Chengdu, China.
2006
Urban Nostalgia——Art Pottery Exhibition of Chao ziwei and Chao ziyi, Pata Gallery, Beijing, China.
The Olympic Park City Sculpture of urban exhibition, China/America/Great Britain.
Ceramics Art Exhibition of National Art Museum of China, National Art Museum of China, Beijing, China.
Traditional and Modern Sculpture Exhibition, Beijing Urban Planning Hall, Beijing, China.
The 2nd Chinese Modern Art and Design Works Exhibition, China Century Monument, Beijing, China,
Exhibited at the China Olympic Park City Sculpture Design Compitition, Beijing Urban Planning Hall, Beijing, China.
An International City of Sculptuer and Cultural Year of Zhengzhou,China
2005
Exposicion Internacional de Ceramicay Porcelana, Italy
The 7th Asia Arts Fstival Subject Sculpture Exhibition, Government of Foshan, Foshan, China.
Peace and Prosperity sculpture circuit show, Beijing/Nanjing, China.
Huang Tian Hou Tu and celebrating the Sculpture invitation exhibition, China Century Monument, Beijing, China,
The 2nd Beijing International Art Biennale, Beijing, China.
Recalling the Gatehouse of the Storm Vicissitudes——Art Pottery Exhibition of Chao ziwei and Chao ziyi, Beijing, China.
2004
The 4th China Youth Potters Biennial Invitation, China Academy of Art, Hangzhou, China.
Gold Coast Ceramics Exhibition, Sydney, Australia
Eight Mud Hands Ceramics Exhibition, Pickled Art Centre, Beijing, China.
2003
The 2nd South Korea International Biennale Ceramics Exhibition, Museum, Icheon, Korea
The 2nd Ceramics Exhibition of Chinese Artists Association, Government of Tangshan, Tangshan, China.
2002
China's Second——Carving Competitions, Westlands
The 7th National Ceramics Exhibition, Longquan, China.
2001
The Art Exhibition of the 70th Foundation of CPC, Henan province, Henan Art Gallery, Zhengzhou
2000
Nine People Sculpture Exhibition, Central Academy of Fine Arts, Beijing, China.
1999
The 55th Anniversary of the War of Resistance against Japan Art exhibition, Beijing, China.
Air-cure Sculpture Exhibition, China Central Academy of Fine Arts, Beijing, China.
1998
Dalian “Huaihua Cup” Environment Art Grand Prix, Dalian
1997
Win “Outstanding Award” in the 4th Sports Art Exhibition
1996
Win “the First, Second and Third Prize” in the 5th University Science & Culture Art Festival of Sculpture and Painting in Henan province
Awards:
“Eastern Red” – Recipient of Special Award from the Fourth Annual South Korean International Juror’s Choice.
“Zhi Qian” – Third Prize Winner at the Sculpture Exhibition Commemorating the 55th Anniversary of the War Against Japanese Aggression.
“Disappearing Home Garden” – Gold Prize Winner at the Seventh China National Ceramic and China Arts Exposition.
“Gate” – Bronze Prize Winner of the Second South Korean International Ceramic Art Exposition.
“Light of the Southern Land” – Third Prize Winner in Sculptures at the Seventh Asia Arts Festival.
“Chinese Doll” – Recipient of the Memorial Award at the Huang Tianhou Clay Sculpture Exhibition.
Collection are available at:
China’s Museum of Arts, Lichuan Museum of Ceramics and China, and various other museums in China (including Taiwan), Sweden, and New York. Some works are collected by art galleries and private individuals.
Many other works are collected by art galleries and personal collections .
P.C: 100118 Tel: 86-10-69599133 MP : 13522070220 13671054751
E-mail:chaoziyi@163.com chaoziwei@163.com
http:// www.chaobrother.com WWW. 钞氏兄弟. Com
Add:The Beijing tongzhou district songzhuang small fort XiaoPu street YiFuyuan hotel west 50 metres (itc take 808 or 809 small fort north street that is) chao's brothers studio 作者: 闻正 时间: 2013-11-25 12:02
It is 13 years since the CHAO BROTHERS came to Beijing, they came here with full enthusiasm to seek dream, and until now they owned their own piece of the sky. Look back on the art experience, just like the thousands of “north-striving group” artists, and they experienced numerous ups and downs, pleasures or dejections. Although the way was filled with twists and difficulties, there were much hope and surprise, and we were never bored with this art road.
This world is full of multi-culture and openness, the conflicts and amalgamation simultaneously exist between traditional and modern arts. There are many kinds of arts, such as easel art, modern art, visual art, conceptual art as well as action art, etc. They not only broke through intrinsic esthetic experience, but also shocked people’s vision and psychological endurance, and many people suspired: “It is getting harder and harder to understand the modern art……”
Most of our works are based on the forms of past and present “objects”, to “imply people by objects” and “show mind through objects”, in which way expresses the humanistic spirit and social reality. No matter the gallant heroes of “all-powerful” or ordinary people of “mediocrity”, years later, those “objects” that are left at past or present will become the tomorrow’s yesterday. We choose “soil and fire” as the major medium because they rightly meet the subject. Soil is the oldest creation element since there was human being on the earth. The experience in “blazing fire” is just like the process of nucleus’s fission with tremendous power. The change and leap of its essence is likes the rebirth process of “phoenix nirvana”.
Artist should set up strong historical mission and social responsibility based on strict creation basis, and one should not satisfy with excellence, but advocate creation and pursue outstand. This is our creation tenet over these years. At the same time, we tried to discover and create, we inherit but we are not conservative, and we don’t hurt novelty, seek for strangeness, opportunism or perform ostentatiously. We are realistic, we compromise Chinese and foreign arts as well as integrate ancient and present based on the artistic language. We need to insist on our own creative way by catching the essence in theme and skill aspects. It is often said: “If it is national, it is international”, but it doesn’t mean one or two so-called culture symbols or marks can form national or international, which is caused by the falsehood and superficiality in my opinion. “Art can be international, but it is not assimilated by internationalization”. How can you create exciting and thought-provoking works or the ones that can awaken the deaf without deep cognition and understanding? Our works concentrate on excavation and exploration, based on ceramic, drawing, metal, sculpture, stone material and digital media artistic language, we seek for maximum space during the art creation by means of combing Chinese traditional and current social status. “Doing art likes digging a well, if there is no water after dug many wells, it is not deep enough, as long as you dig a well all the while, and water will turn up finally.” Therefore, the spirit of “carrying a task right down to the grass-roots level and never consider success or failure” is necessary.
These years, we always adhered to a strict way of creation by starting with Chinese traditional sculpture, historical interest, etc. From ancient city, Temple of Heaven, Residence gate tower, ancient tower, wrecked ship, various old objects, worn-out army boot to vintage car, steam engine, Dongfanghong tractor, the remains of aircraft, Porsche, Ferrari, all of which had been given new reading and annotation, and the better clarification as well as embodiment of Chinese classic sculpture were emphasized. From the left “objects” to modern “objects”, the historical track was manifested by using the future tense. The early individual object and current social reality, criticism, attention and thinking of important events formed a central thread. Tremendous contrast of visual tension extended more thinking, and the beauty of soil language was thoroughly performed, from ultimate detail to “extremely stunning”; or from extremely straightforward to boorish. For instance, in Old Object and Reminiscence Series you could find “sweat spots” form military uniform, and you could smell “smelly shoe” from army boot. In the Dongfanghong Series, it described the inexorable, dauntless and great courage of revolution at the beginning of Chinese red political power. In the Homeland Series, it not only indicated the Chinese history that was full of tribulation and difficulties, more importantly, it united our essence of national traditional culture, through which it presented that the “simple and honest, broad and profound, powerful” open heart of a country and a nation.
Nowadays, as the participant and practitioner, we are marching among the thousands of artists group. We always want to arrange or summarize our works periodically, but we don’t think it is the right time, which needs time to be perfected. At the present time, new ideas always turns up in each stage.
We’d like to take this opportunity to express our appreciation to the teachers, predecessors and friends who gave us much assistance and encouragement. We also want to show many thanks to Mr. Lin Tianmin and the brother Lin Daiwei and Lin Dailong from Daweilai Linshe Gallery, thanks to your support and attention, without which this exhibition can not be presented here. Although it is not perfect enough, these works are our summarization of creation for years. Meanwhile, welcome criticism on our works. We see no ending, yet high and low I’ll search with our will unbending……
June 1, 2011 Songzhuang, Beijing 作者: 闻正 时间: 2013-11-25 12:05
“The Eastern Red”is also named as “The Red Machine”, which is a focus of both of our brothers in recent years. “The Eastern Red” is also a synonym of “Red China”. Since the communist party took power, “The Eastern Red” has become a special sign in Chinese history. The tractor with the brand of “The Eastern Red” served as a typical representative of the industrial development in that time, whose birth was a declaration of the mechanization of Chinese agriculture, and which the old generation of pioneers placed hopes on. The old trains and the liberation cars both carried the dreams of constructers in that time and the hope of national resurgence.
From the early “The Eastern Red Series”(including tractors, Hongqi cars, Liberation cars, steam engines and so on.) to social phenomena in contemporary China, the works of both of us cohere along a red road, with which we hope we can awaken more Chinese to the passing memory.
China has a five-thousand-year history of civilization; however, china has experienced too many disasters and shouldered too many burdens in modern history. Those who devoted their youth and energy to our country in that time have withdrawn from the historical stage, so have those “working horses” which are the witnesses of the history, but now abandoned in the corner, rusted.
The old trains and the liberation cars as transport vehicles shouldered too many missions in that time when emotion replaced reason, when there was a sea of red everywhere, when people seemed ridiculous in the eyes of people today. The formidable Red Guards and literate youngsters were taking these transportations to realize their amazing dreams in different areas in China. These “working horses” witnessed numerous scenes of blood and fire, love and hate, horror and conflicts, and departures. Now they stay silently in corners forgotten by people; however, they still radiate a glow of light through dust all over their bodies.
Elements of the nature of clay have been combined into our work because years of exploration and research of the nature of clay and language of works by both of us. We are trying to present our works in the most real and natural way both in the subtle and broad expression. It is the fruit of our two brothers through many years of hard work that memory carries concept. We would rather use the most plain, genuine and real words to explain our works with an attitude of a pious martyr to arts, than pursue magnificent appearances.
2008
BeiJing SuoJiaCun Chao's brothers studio
Self-description of the Creation
for Old City Gate and Gate Tower
CHAO BROTHERS
The creative composition of the old city gate and gate tower has a long history, in the early ten years ago, they were shocked by the gorgeous and spacious Imperial City when they came to investigate in Beijing, such as the Summer Palace, Yuan-Ming Yuan Imperial Garden, the Imperial College as well as Beijing quadrangle in old city. They lingered on these days that were spent on the streets in old cities and found it impossible to stop recollecting, there was a strange sense that these material objects named with the word “Gate” had disappeared, however, the old streets had been submerged under the modern flourishing ones”. The impressive, dignified Imperial City and brilliant ancient city were crouched in the nondescript, non-indigenous and non-modern city. Ten years ago, when we found that the bystreet disappeared one by one, when we looked at the archaeological site of Imperial City and the old ruins, it only left us hesitation, lose, helplessness and hopelessness, and there was a heart wrenching of sadness and indispensable responsibility, which urged them to take up the carving knife.
The old gate and old objects turned up from 1999. The works are mainly repeating reminiscence, what was more concerned was that they were used in mud language way.
One of Big Centuries’ creative motivation has a long history, Zhengyang Gate testified the prosperity and decline of hundreds years’ feudal dynasty, which also experienced bloody battles and baptism of fire for heaps of times. Think about the general Fu Zuoyi, who was admired for his protection of former capital and peacefully liberation of Beiping. However, as the foundation of new China, the subsequent large-scale destructive activities of cultural relics arose. Many historic relic as well as valuable bystreet reduced to ashes and no longer existed. More than 20 gates couldn’t avoid breakages, only Zhengyang Gate left the City Gate Tower and Embrasure Watchtower, Desheng Gate, standing there and confided something. As to this work, we adopted the humoristic and fantastic method, and intussuscepted some scenes of typical historical events, and put them on the feudal dynasty moat, the emperor of the Qing Dynasty who was about to patrol ran across with the marching liberation army to city. The cheering crowd, missionaries inside the city, the patrolling Qing soldiers, the rebellious Red Guards during the Cultural Revolution, the tourists of millenarianism, the Olympic Rings combined with Beijing opera figures, the scene of the car crash at the right side of city gate, all of which built a both real and sham, imaginary, irrational and surreal art world.
It was a fantastic way to find an excellent bonding point to express the ruins and vicissitudes, all of which were shown in their works. Technically, they added vitreous slip, toner, chemical raw material, and even salt and wood-ash to the clay by using the traditional mud shaping method with the combination of modern arts. Different porcelain area of soil plants and china clays in different temperature, which maintained the inherent characters, made the works simple, nature and relaxed.
2008 BeiJing SuoJiaCun Chao's brothers studio 作者: 闻正 时间: 2013-11-25 12:11
[attach]60124[/attach]
Sheng Yang
More and more young sculptors sprung up in recent twenty years. They not only were full of energy, but also strived to advance the new development in the sculpture. Those younger sculptors tried to search for the specificity in sculpture languages and individual style to show their own artistic talent. Chao Ziwei and Chao Ziyi were brothers who distinguished among sculptors. At first, I was touched by their characters-----hardworking, modest, industrious and enthusiasm. These two brothers rented a large house. The whole house was a big workshop except a small attic that was used as living. In a workshop，there were many working- platforms, tools, materials as well as all sizes of sculpture products which were finished and half-finished. When you entered the house, a thick smell with labor breath went towards you. This was an out-and-out manual mill. However, after I talked with them, enjoyed their working status and their products, I felt the atmosphere slowly transform into a bitter and happy fragrant. This was a place where the art can be created, worked and imagined.
Because of the self-language character in the sculpture, the sculpture has been expressing the nature, people’s thinking as well as artistic conception by carving figures and animals since the ancient time. Things, which were only used as character accessories, were not the main part though most of the things were used in the anaglyph. However, some people changed this concept in nearly 100 years. It appeared a new style that people carved the things to express their perceptions and esthetic sentiments. This style was developed in recent 20 years abroad. Chao Ziwei and Chao Ziyi were both fascinated with this style. Two brothers created many works and showed their talent through 20 years’ time, which shocked the field of the sculpture.
Among many sculptors that used things to show their ideas, some can create a new sense of vision and feeling by transforming the material quality; some can show the subjective meaning by adding a sign to a thing.
However, the CHAO BROTHERS was different from them. The CHAO BROTHERS had their own characters. They chose little things to carve a long and rough history which can arouse people’ memory and see the history progress again. All Chao’s products, which were either old military footwear, submachine gun or Jiefangpai cars, Dongfanghong tractors, were showing the emotion by describing the things. Those sculptures demonstrated the owners’ experience, mission as well as their destiny. The victory of wars, Martyrs sacrifice, achievements and so on can be found in those products. Those styles make ordinary things significant and valuable.
Actually, a thing experienced the history possesses a value of this history. But a good art is not just a copy, or the common and unskilled imitation is just like the mediocre piano player who can’t play chef-d'oeuvre, which depends on the cognition of things. Only by deeply researching the history of these objects and the master’s experience, destiny, character and soul can embody the spirit connotation of these objects. The more understanding of the objects’ soul, the easier to turn the common or old objects into classic will be. After studying the things, Chao’s products touched their audiences. Who wore the shoes that were worn thin and out? The old comrade who survived from the battle or the hero who sacrificed from another battle? Who made a pair of shoes? Was it a solder’s mother or a wife? Each work infiltrates blood and tears, and they carry the historical imprint, fragmentary winch, shopworn old hearth, withered boat, tattered gate, which bring you miss. How do you think of the running Jiefangpai truck and huge Dongfanghong tractor as well as the ringing locomotive? How sad we would be if facing the remaining broken walls and fallen temples or towers? Each work touched our souls.
Chao Ziwei and Chao Ziyi were twin brothers. They were from Nanyang in Henan Province. Their ancestors were farmers and lived on firing big crock. The two brothers lived in such environment and were actually interested in art. Then they studied in Nanyang Polytechnic College and Central Academy of Fine Arts. They never varnished the history, flirted with history and tried to reveal the genuine of the history. They described the past events based on historical objects and inspired people’s thinking. They carried forward the strength of historical improvement and avoid frustration, misplay, absurdity and putrescence.
The reaction of a works varies according to different audience. But all those are based on sculpture’s’ thinking and artistic talent. If the works can arouse audiences’ imagination and improve the development of the thinking, the works is more significant.
The poet Wangwei said: ormosias are from Nanling; it blooms as spring comes; I want you to pluck more because ormosias can express your emotion more. Chao spread many ormosias containing beautiful, ugly, sweet and bitter which stirred up more and more thinking.
The two brothers asked me to give some comments on their works several times. But recently they have created many new works, take part in exhibitions at home and abroad and were awarded many prizes. Because I did not see their all works, I can’t have an overall comment on their works. I only describe something happened in a workshop. I also hope that they will have a further achievement.
May,2011
Sheng Yang，China artist association, director Arts
council sculpture from cafa reveal professor 作者: 闻正 时间: 2013-11-25 12:12
The brother Chao Ziwei and Chao Ziyi could be regarded as the representatives of the “north-striving group artists”. During more than ten years’ striving experience, they learned the artistic skill, got married and had babies. When we set up our workroom in “International Art Camp” located in Suojia village, Chaoyang District, Beijing, we became neighbors. Relatively speaking, it was relatively stable period for them. In the two brick rooms, which seemed the construction camp, they even didn’t have the property right, but to our surprise, they built kiln, and planted towel gourd and cucurbit in the open ground, which was full of rich fruits in harvest season. All of this encouraged the 120 families who were upset and let them feel living and working in peace as well as contentment from this poetic garden. However, good times didn't last long. One day, the CHAO BROTHERS hurriedly told us this village should be pulled down. They went around here and there seeking any possible help in order to change the regulation of demolition. It was not only for themselves, but also for the neighbors and the 120 families or more. It seemed weak of their homestead safeguard, and they had to remove from Songzhuang. But the CHAO BROTHERS took their ease from this unrest and dived into creation based on their mentality that taking things as they were.
When they removed from the disordered village, I found that there was no sadness but delight. As to this move, they said, it was because this village was detected by the one of China Satellites above the Pacific Ocean. Think about it, one of the eyes of human being that hanged highly in the universe, it found the earth at first, then Asia, China, Beijing, it stopped its focus on lines of unauthorized constructions in Chaoyang district, finally, towel gourd and cucurbit were discovered, maybe, it seemed the determination of settling down was provoked. However, the CHAO BROTHERS felt the desired discovery and care as one of north-striving group artists.
With the change of rural-urban fringe zone of border line, in the twist between outer and inner system of artists, as well as in the modality between operative creation and survival creation, the commonness of north-striving group artists represented by the CHAO BROTHERS was that one should be independent, and they should live with creative idea, outstanding thoughts and relationships. The instability of living space and uncertainty of opportunity made them unsteady and offered them much precious freedom. However, taken a step further, the difference from other north-striving group artists was that the CHAO BROTHERS didn’t become slippery because of freedom, and they didn’t become coxcombry because of drifting. If using two words to describe their personality and art character, “honesty” is the right one.
The people who got along with the CHAO BROTHERS may have the same feeling, and they were frank and honest in their dealings. They were polite and quite generous in helping others. They never battled with the public, and seldom passed out their business cards all around or asking phone number with people. If they came across to an inner circle meeting, they would stand far way and enjoyed the atmosphere with no criticism. They came and left themselves. They often made sculptures for some other artists, they couldn’t feel the unconsciousness of exploitation from the benefit, and they didn’t care the giving which may let them lose restraint and respect. Gradually, you will be moved for their honesty, you will enjoy the fairytales, sunshine and frankness that attached to their works, which thoroughly changed the prejudice of Henan people.
Honesty is the character of the CHAO BROTHERS’ works, which is represented in the following aspects.
Ⅰ. The Honesty of Expressive Language
The CHAO BROTHERS are good at seeking the truthfulness of sculpture, and each configuration is in accurate proportion. The figure looks real, the texture, character as well as lines are fully showed, and they even form the CHAO’s art language through the detailed actual morphology presentation. They can easily carve like embroidering based on the long ceramic creating experience and deep research. Each detail will not be ignored, for instance, in a circumvallation or gate tower, you can see each tile, open or closed doors and windows, hundreds of flags, waved banners, clear objects, etc. One important reason is that they focus on both art and skill, they never look down upon the skill, and they devote themselves to the combination of art and skill. They express their idea through careful skill, and in the meanwhile, they can control the input of skill and work, which keep the appropriate skill using within the limit, from where you can hardly find sloppy works, and you can find honesty everywhere.
Ⅱ. The Honesty of Creative Style
The CHAO BROTHERS always create works by their own hands. However, most of the artists have been transformed into directors who only draft a sketch or manuscript, then ask their assistants in different batches to help and finally they conduct the finishing touch and signature. The CHAO BROTHERS always made sculpture themselves, which belonged to rare honest works. On the other hand, they never made a mystery of nothing, and in contrast, they completely respected objective realities. They studied in China Central Academy of Fine Arts and Art Department in Tsinghua University Academy of Fine Arts, from where they received professional training of sculpt dissection, with respect to true-life sculpture, they don’t feel shame, instead they felt glory. They once rented a horse as a model to create the sculpture of “Tang Priest‘s pilgrimage for Buddhist scriptures”. They were good at making old train, truck, handcart and tractor, on which there are numerous accessories like screws, gears, pipelines, and plates with different qualities. Good works were based on scrupulous, their output and degree of works were admired and made us surprised. Upholding of such creation meant they didn’t follow the others, and it also meant they didn’t ask market information and management as well as packaging, all of which indicated their works were real.
Ⅲ. The Honesty of Aesthetic Taste and Art Proposition
The CHAO BROTHERS are the artists with heavy Chinese cultural colors, who come from Henan where there are plants and historical relics everywhere, and their shaping base is the ceramics. Chinese culture and folk art can be found in their works, that is why there are some works of “Zhuaji Baby”. But on the other hand, their works indicate that they identify with the western architecture and sculpture, which is the highest objective reality. They are twin brothers, and it is hard to distinguish if you meet them first time, “this one” is the realistic writing and painting of “that one” since they were very young. It was the natural instinct that made them get close to the “true-life” western art spirit. They valued the original creation, and they respected the objective peaceful rules in stead of exaggeration, dissemblance and delicacy. They used the eye of soul to feel, just like an accurate and exact camera. As to their works, it is easy to understand being or not being, false or true, right or wrong. Such honesty of taste made them go further through a channel deep into the microcosmic. They were not abducted or obstructed on their way to art sculpture, and they went further and further until some ignored beauty of material and circumstance were finally found by them. Subsequently, reminiscence and reverting to old days became into their aesthetic proposition. The broken walls and ruins, the iron and bronze scraps sent forth the original smell, which made an atmosphere of old pictures and recovered the profound implication of truth. The disabled tractor, condemned truck, tank with broken belt, separated military uniform from its host, all of which presented silent heroic solemn, stirring emotion and delivered their epic sensibility.
The honesty of the CHAO BROTHERS looks clumsy at first glance, but actually it will be expanded faster and further while the modern art is being increasingly entrapped by visional, unreliable and false philosophy.
May,2011
Zou Wen，Doctoral Supervisor of the Academy of Arts
ant Design in Tsinghua University and an Art Critic 作者: 闻正 时间: 2013-11-25 12:13
If we divide the works of CHAO BROTHERS into ceramics, it looks right superficially, but actually it seems inappropriate. While the common “ceramics players” think highly of glazing color, chance variation and contingency, the CHAO BROTHERS focus on the reality, their great works mainly depend on the control. They regard the “making ceramics” as the “creating art”, in other words, it is a way of creating sculpture, which fully expresses such linguistic function that is hard to be substituted. As to the CHAO BROTHERS’ “realistic writing and painting”, it is a kind of consideration, choice and abstraction of actuality. It seems that their works can be understood as “portrait” of real objects. For instance, Dongfanghong tractor, the beat-up driving cab’s overhead guard is covered with waterproof cloth, which is symmetrically surrounded by rusty thumbtacks. The driver was gone, left the fabric bag that seemed with residue temperature. Although it gets rid of hard work and deadweight, it is old and useless, its resplendent times was gone, only the dilapidated body left. Touching the beat-up headstock, there was a sense of plaint. When you suddenly see the red marking “Dongfanghong”, it is bright-colored and dazzling as before, which struggles to show its indelible pride.
This work has the “portrait function”, which has surpassed the common “reality” and objective simulation, because this tractor shows the driver’s history and the memory of suffering. Just like such series of works, there are many others like Old House, Old Gate Tower, Old Locomotive and Old Truck. You may ask, what are they doing? What are they thinking? What they want to do is to retrieve the memory, which is a kind of psychological needs of human being. The CHAO BROTHERS retained these typical objects in that typical time, the mechanization work, which brought happiness and goodliness. They indicated the value of memory by means of “writing combination” though several practical images in daily life.
A new work has been created, Yesterday, which has been selected into the 11th National Art Exhibition. This is a combination of memory, the passed objects and shoes worn by different people. They are arranged and composed according to a kind of rhythm, in which contrasts the theme of this work——“Yesterday”.
Just look at the leading huge “Jiefang Shoes” of this troop, which indicates the era giant who leads the direction, and the followers who get close together to the troop are in different poses, identities and directions. This combined work likes a novel, which has the beginning, progress and episode, and the episode is at the left side of this work, see? The upside down shoe, which is the metaphor of straggler, and it makes the story colorful and arouses more guess and imagination.
Is it the end of the story? No. There are three groups of objects in the end of the troop, an old army cap, army bag, bugle, etc in the left group; leather suitcase, submachine gun, respirator, etc in the right group; camp stove, old notebook, Chairman Mao's Ana, etc in the middle group, which respectively reflects war and peace, flaming times, attack and defend, etc. This is the point of story, which makes people recall the past lives and energy through the signify language.
Hereon, shoe is the symbol of group, and it is the abstract and metaphor of public crowd. From the different new and old levels, dilapidation and rumple, living histories, we can find that the CHAO BROTHERS paid much attention to each person, foot and shoe, in which way make people arouse its profound function through these “shoes”, and subsequently indicate the miss and respect. Such work has the same effect as “tractor”, which is the abstraction and concentration of reality; because the typical object itself has the expressive character.
It was interesting that each unit in this work was originally independent and respectively had its own expressive content. However, after the recombination, the interaction, story and direction formulated. The art itself was a kind of creation no matter it was expressed in what way, modern art should set up its own language system no matter you “present” or not.
The CHAO BROTHERS had the idea of “Building House Plan” at first, then “Memory of Old Objects” and “The Old City Gate’s Complain”, and these old objects made the symphony and turned into an event, opinion as well as story. It was a monumental value that life marks had been transformed into art symbol and formed “Missing the people while watching the object”. The CHAO BROTHERS’ works were not ceramics, bop or the ancient “Xiangsheng”, but the modern works, which focused on the exquisite feeling of deepening details, attention to the society, recalling the memory and thinking.
It comes a thinking that has little to do with the theme. That is to say, art needs communication with people, and it should considered that audience’s understanding after one work is finished, which is helpful to spread the art proposition. The other people may also make such theme, but it causes different understanding because of the different points, methods and ideas. Once a work is finished, it doesn’t mean the finish of significance, which is gradually shaped during the process. However, as to the original meaning of the work, it needs to be explained widely and effectively, which is the characteristic of modern art, because the modern art depends on the attitude of the elucidator. The position of the spectator could be switched, in other words, the artwork watch you when you watch the artwork, at the same time, the resonance may arise, as to the CHAO BROTHERS, the resonance is that the history should be remembered, spiritual value should be kept in mind forever, because history is helpful to explain matters, and the typical objects are the proofs of history. It is the CHAO BROTHERS who transmits the “original” information carefully and in great detail, which is convenient for retaining memory and thinking. This is not only the writer’s “discovery” of the CHAO BROTHERS, but also their value and idea.
Elegy of Chinese Old Train
—The “Dongfanghong” Series, the Sculpture Creation of Old Train
by Chao Ziyi and Chao Ziwei
Bo Qingjiang
Since the creation of the work Disappeared Homeland, which won the gold award in the 7th National Ceramics Art Exhibition, the brothers Chao Ziyi and Chao Ziwei were widely concerned in the fields of ceramics and even sculpture, and their works were strived for the fields with high challenges and high-point. The works became bigger and bigger, heavier and heavier, which touched the soul of human being though the similarity of appearance. Dongfanghong Series “Sculpture Action”, the red line among the works was finally formed, from method to idea and from separation to concentration. After their achievements of front line supporting vehicle, tank, Jiefang truck and tractor, Dongfanghong Series “Old Train” came out, which took almost one year. This sculpture was six meters long and it weighed several tons, which brought us brightness, it looked familiar and made us meditate. It was this train that took us to leave our hometown and became a builder. However, this “industry dinosaur” is being put away pitilessly, and the heavy instrument no longer bears the construction mission. The CHAO BROTHERS make people look up to the “industry dinosaur” in such easy art way, which reposes the Chinese special feeling in the work over the half century.
As a symbol of an era, “Dongfanghong” old train carried the reminiscence of older generation builders who lived in the new China. It carried the memory of meeting and parting, rise and decline. Since the construction of the first railway carried by Zhan Tianyou, it was regarded as the alarming and running “industry dinosaur”, and even the miracle that was combined with fire and steel, which had much energy for a long journey in the new Chinese construction.
We may say that there is no vehicle likes the old train with reminiscence and desolation. As to countrymen, old train is the place for meeting and parting of past events and lives. A scene, experience and story that related to old train can be silently treasured up for a lifetime. But in nowadays, with the development of electron and information, old train is disappearing from people’s sight bit by bit and is being forgot As long as people took or discerned the old train, it was the memory of old train and nothing could substitute it, such as its rapid body and alarming klaxon as well as its silent exit. The brother Chao Ziyi and Chao Ziwei preserved the memory though rusty cast iron sculpture, which is the direct way to sing elegy for them while calling up old times.
When creating the sculpture “Tractor” of “Dongfanghong” series, the writer once described their conception: “Dongfanghong” is another name of red China, and it is the product of the era. However, since the naissance of “Dongfanghong tractor”, it indicated the transformation from agricultural times to mechanization, which also carried Chinese hope, wisdom and dream. The true-life method was used in this work, which reproduced glorious history. One part of the work adopted the ceramic material, because the ceramic itself had original, simple and mysterious effect during the kiln firing process, which was more appropriate for expressing this theme.
It was the confidence that was accumulated from earlier experience made them dare to challenge the utmost of ceramics sculpture. As to the theme, there was old train, which was the dateable monster; as to the material, there were ceramics and metallic material, such as cast copper, cast iron and several synthetic materials, etc. As to the idea, it was viewed from the memory of current standpoints, willfully and gracefully expression of “things flow away”, which also call people to reexamine the reality and plan tomorrow through reminiscence.
On the academic side, the sculpture work “Old Train” of “Dongfanghong” series not only set the example based on historical industry theme, but also broadens and deepens the expressive space and strength. When it is widely viewed and won the approval, this point may be kept in mind by the audience, because we can not avoid the common reality after “joining WTO” and “connection of tracks”. Under such busy times, we certainly need feelings to comfort ourselves. So let’s face the silent “Old Train” of “Dongfanghong” series, and watch its twinkling entrance with our memory for the past.
Dec. 2006
Bo Qingjiang,Nanyang polytechnic college professor 作者: 闻正 时间: 2013-11-25 12:17
[attach]60130[/attach]
“Skill carries the Idea”
Reading sculpture works created by Chao Ziwei and Chao Ziyi
Huang Chunping
The works created by brother Chao Ziwei and Chao Ziyi are lifelike with both realistic writing and straightforward character. The theme is mainly from significant historical objects, from the early old house gate tower to recent period “Dongfanghong” tractor, and the old objects with rich reminiscence feeling which have been eliminated are used continually. The ceramic was chose as the material for creation, which was easy to be sculptured, they carved and depicted on the ceramic by using the mud shaping method, and finally the works were shaped by kiln firing or other ways. The carved works seemed nearly real with masterly skills, such realistic depiction was adopted by some other people, such as the simulate tea set and ceramic sculpture in Yixing, Shiwan, Foshan, as well as the ceramic sculpture Bridge created by Chen Jingliang(A Liang) in Taiwan, etc. However, the CHAO BROTHERS added more initiative to their realistic writing as well as language respect to the material itself. “My works use super realistic depiction but not the blind copy or plagiarism. During the creating process, sometimes I drastically exerted, sometimes carved with great care again and again, take truck for example, I used mud slice to print wood vein on the log, and then carved the texture, wood grain, deadwood, head sampling, rivet with sharp blade according to the necessity, sometimes left the knife mark in order to reserve ceramic character. “ (Described by Chao Ziwei)
Chao Ziwei worked very hard to create new works, and he paid much attention to improving personal cultivation, he studied in Sculpture Department of China Central Academy of Fine Arts in 1998, then he studied in ceramic workroom of Sculpture Department from 1999 in China Central Academy of Fine Arts, from where he learned the ceramic technology, experienced the modern art idea and phenomenon from different countries all over the world, which broadened art view, he found the way to express his own art language. The works of the CHAO BROTHERS won many awards home and abroad. They won the “Third Prize” in the 55th Anniversary of Anti-Japanese War in 2000 (Beijing); the “Gold Award” of the 7th National Ceramics Art Exhibition (Longquan); the “Bronze Award” of 2003 Korean International Ceramics Biennale Guest Exhibition, (Icheon, Korea); the “Third Prize” in the 7th Asian 2005 Art Festival Subject Sculpture (Foshan, Guangzhou). Except for the exquisite true-life skill, there was another important element, that is, the urban reminiscence, which was expressed from their life experience, and on the other hand, it was the rethinking of past events as to modern people.
In the end of 1990s, Chinese artists finished the transformation of conceptual sculpture under the current cultural background, and they began to pay attention to their own traditional culture and rethought historical events. Many historical themes turned up, such as “the Cultural Revolution”, Mao Zedong image and Chinese tunic suit, etc. The works created by the CHAO BROTHERS belonged to this theme. Of course, there were some ignorant people who used them to benefit from market. Compared with such ignorant people, the CHAO BROTHERS’ works were based on experienced true-life skill and material, which were expressed real and nature. The most impression of their works were the visualization, reality and careful carving, they couldn’t be finished if there was no strong willpower and patience. It took much time and energy for them to create each work, the Locomotive cost more than half a year, and each detail was strictly required. It was this rigorous spirit that made their works beautiful and elaborated. Meanwhile, it was this worshipful character that caused the incessant orders, recently, there are some foreign galleries who request to sign contracts with them for spread.
Of course, as to a skilled artist, what the most necessary problem to think about is the choice of representation object, which may effectively cut-in the modern art. Although the early Gate Tower series successfully shaped the ruins and vicissitudes, the theme was not fresh enough, which lacked of art value. The “Dongfanghong” Tractor, which was exhibited in June in art gallery, made people refreshing. As the typical symbol during the Cultural Revolution, the tractor carried much historical significance, not only with strong visual tension, but also with more imaginary space. Their works couldn’t be so successful without the appropriate choice and familiar ceramic shaping and firing skill. The pottery clay itself is simple and nature, which matches the theme perfectly. When it is expressed based on technicality, the dignified of artistic quality, the stronger of its visual effect will be.
From 1940s to 1950s, the conceptive art became into the mainstream, completed products, video equipment and action art showed up, the artists no longer needed to master skill, an good idea could make them into a good artist, the traditional hand skill seemed quit the historical stage, however, actually it was not true, the conceptual art didn’t become the major stream of modern art, it was spread into two directions, one focused on the technicality of true-life while another emphasized conception of art, Pop art and super realism were the symbols of modern art. Technicality and conception were just like spirit and material of human being, neither of the two could be dispensed, pursuing excessively for material might cause spiritual emptiness while excessively emphasizing for spirit might affect the quality of life. Emphasizing the art skill didn’t mean going against with conception, the true-life skill was not the simple copy and disregard of modern social culture, otherwise, the work would be the common one. Shi Chong, the representative individual of true-life drawing, paid much attention to the details of appearance in his early works, and then he turned to conceptual expression in later works, which made deep significance. Sui Jianguo, Zhan Wang, Yu Fan were the representatives of modern sculpture, their works had typical conception character under the solid true-life method.
Each kind of art has its own special art language. If you don’t have the basic understanding and mater for this language, you can’t achieve the ideal result. The conceptive artists reach their goals with the help of the other people’s skill. However, the skilled artists express their idea through experienced skill with various methods. They have a ready-formed plan in the language aspect of material using, which is hard to reach. The modern artists are all thinking about regaining artistic ontology language, maybe, the skilled artist play an important role in this aspect.
2007
Huang Chunping, North China University of Technology 作者: 闻正 时间: 2013-11-25 12:18
Saving the Memories
——Reminiscence Story of Chao ziwei and Chao ziyi
Chen PeiYi
Reminiscence is the inherent feeling of human being. Ban Gu, who lived in the Han Dynasty, said, “Remember past times or old acquaintances with kindly thoughts” in his work Ode To Xidu. Such reminiscence derived from the past frame of mind. For example, the marvel of the full memory of historical development, the change of times that caused the difficulties in life, the change of circumstances, improper time, unrecognized talents, impression of divine beauty in life memories, or the love affection. There are many manifestation modes of reminiscence, inscribing a poem, writing words and articles, drawing, however, the brothers, Chao ziwei and Chao ziyi describe the retrospect of history by means of kneading clay.
Born in Nanyang, Henan province, Chao ziwei and Chao ziyi are twin brothers, whose ancestors are farmers with the occupation of firing coarse slurry vat. “Even they didn’t know how to plowing or weaving when they were young, they learned to plant melon under tree shade”, which forged a different sense with mud. When they grow up, they studied in Nanyang Institute of Technology, China Central Academy of Fine Arts, from where they learned the sculpture method and design idea of modern Ceramics.
The creative urge comes from their dreams and destroys of dreams in succession. Just as they said in their creation description, “In the early ten years ago, they were shocked by the gorgeous and spacious Imperial City when they came to investigate in Beijing, such as the Summer Palace, Yuan-Ming Yuan Imperial Garden, the Imperial College as well as Beijing quadrangle in old city. They lingered on these days that were spent on the streets in old cities and found it impossible to stop recollecting, there was a strange sense that these material objects named with the word “Gate” had disappeared, however, the old streets had been submerged under the modern flourishing ones”. The impressive, dignified Imperial City and brilliant ancient city were crouched in the nondescript, non-indigenous and non-modern city.
Ten years ago, when we found that the bystreet disappeared one by one, when we looked at the archaeological site of Imperial City and the old ruins, it only left us hesitation, lose, helplessness and hopelessness, and there was a heart wrenching of sadness and indispensable responsibility, which urged them to take up the carving knife. In 1999, the CHAO BROTHERS began the creation of serial works for old gate tower, old objects based on such support of motivation.
Family is the smallest unit of society, institution department is small unit, and nation state is big unit. Each unit is an independent individual no matter it is big or small, each individual is closed, and the closed unit has a gate which may cut or open the communication of the outside world. People who live in different areas, different nations, different identities, different industries, and different times have different understanding of the “gate”, and the gate they made or used are also different. Moreover, the difference of gate’s function, direction, material, architecture reflect gate’s different performance characteristic. Therefore, gate is the result and appearance of culture, it is the method of self-containment, separation or mutual isolation, and it is the weapon of self-comfort as well as self-protection. Ancestry, family power and gate turn into the substitution.
As to China, the Urn City of Zhengyang Gate is the best witness of the changing nature and vicissitude nation over the past 600 years. The CHAO BROTHERS adopted the humoristic and fantastic method, and intussuscepted some scenes of significant historical events, which combined the complicated image. Such composition way looked like the scattered perspective of Chinese traditional painting composition, combination as well as switch of modern film art scene.
The marching liberation army to Beiping ran across with the emperor of the Qing Dynasty who was about to patrol and was subsequently plugged up at the city gate, which seems “Shadow Valleys”. The crowd who were welcoming our own army, the tourists, the rebellious Red Guards, the Olympic Rings combined with armed horseback figures, foreign missionaries, the patrolling Qing soldiers, the scene of the car crash, shopping citizens, all of which built a real and imaginary art world.
On the culture side, nearly every significant social transformation brought bad luck to the historical heritage. The Urn City of Zhengyang Gate and the East-West Gate were pulled down on 1915 after the establishment of Republic of China. The Urn City of Yongding Gate was pulled down in 1950. The Yongding Gate Tower and the Embrasure Watchtower were pulled down in 1957. The Zhonghua Gate of Tiananmen Square was pulled down in 1959. At the same time, the Beishang Gate and the Dian Gate were pulled down. Beijing began to build subway from July 1, 1965, and the first subway began to open to traffic on October 1, 1969. Accordingly, the Chongwen Gate, the Xuanwu Gate, the Fucheng Gate, the Xizhi Gate, the Anding Gate, the Dongzhi Gate, the Chaoyang Gate as well as some other gates located in inner city were pulled down, and the moat was filled in.
After the 1990s, the extensive modification works were carried out in the old town, which caused the sharp cutoff of few extant old quadrangles that were kept restrictedly as a culture symbol. Such significant social transformation hurt the CHAO BROTHERS, and they successively created a series works of suffering condition and simultaneously finished Memorabilia, which represented the hopelessness and helplessness of old civilization, the pain of destroy liked crushing dry weeds and smashing rotten wood. For example, Red Times, Ruins, Northern Residences, Old Gate, etc.
They added vitreous slip, toner, chemical raw material, even salt and wood-ash to the clay by using the traditional mud shaping method with the combination of modern arts, which commendably represented texture and historical sadness of the city gate tower as well as gate tower that coagulated the past historical moments, they tried to detain the disappeared memories or the memories that will disappear, which draws much attention to the traditional heritage.
The CHAO BROTHERS were born in the middle of the 10-year Cultural Revolution, under the red sea and enjoy the red sunshine, and they grew up coupled with red songs. Therefore, the East Is Red became their most profound memory. In the times of People's Commune, “How much the plantation products depend on how gutsy you are”. “Dong Fang Hong” tractor was the major productivity of agricultural mechanized farming, and it was the particular marking of that times and the major transportation, which carried people’s hope and dream. “Dong Fang Hong” tractor was the large machine tool designed by ourselves, which indicated the termination of Chinese traditional agricultural production model and started a new chapter.
Meanwhile, the Red flag car, Jiefang truck, Maozedong steam engine were raised. The CHAO BROTHERS called them “Red Machine”, which were the outcomes of that battle era and symbol of social productive force.
Nowadays, the once glorious “Red Machine” has been cooled down by the termination of that era. Some of them are kept in the museum, and some are kept in mind, however, most of them are thrown away, just like being banished to the cold palace and turn into piles of scrap iron.
If the CHAO BROTHERS’ series works of “Old Gate Tower” were their results of impulsion, the series of “Red Machine” were the fruit of their rational thought. They unscrambled the nation’s destiny and realized the ethos of that time, they experienced the youth and romantic, they tasted the pathos and grandness, and they sighed with the ignorance and confusion.
They “recopied” these Red Machines by their own hands, which descried these resplendence, racks and ruins, in which way to awaken people thinking about the passed and disappeared memory. As an old saying goes, “A fall into the pit a gain in your wit.” Respect the history, respect the foretime doesn’t mean conservatism or falling behind, and it means the better reminder for not repeating past mistakes, one should learn predecessor's lesson but not let it happen again or take a heavy toll which has been paid already by them.
When we face these “Red Classic” of the CHAO BROTHERS, in spite of their delicate skills and well-knit writing, we can feel the shock, the corrosion and mottle, the snub, cheerlessness and decline.
The CHAO BROTHERS who lived in Beijing not only discovered that one should focus on the current social problem and reflect some issues like environmental protection, traffic disaster, the people's livelihood as well as security through their works, but also can't bear to part the rural life in Nanyang, they created some “Old Objects” which described the old familiar life and buddies with sincere feeling, such as the series of Boss Car, Windlass, Old Luggage, Old Boat, Old Hearth, Old Objects, Army Cap, Army Satchel, Liberate Shoes, Tea Urn, etc. These works were filled with flavor of rural life and nostalgia, which fully expanded the expression space of modern art and enriched creation theme as well as a new aesthetic value.
Actually, the modern art referred to upsetting tradition, parsing of tradition, recreating tradition and the abundant use of various new documents as well as new technology, which made it bright, fresh, beautiful and colorful. However, the CHAO BROTHERS were not affected by the modern art waves and tides, they added heavy, pained and pride nostalgia by using return to innocence in a realistic way according to the standard of renovating historical relics, which formed a particular art language and character, they created their own art style with strict adherence and distinctiveness.
As for the CHAO BROTHERS, “Memory Carries Idea” was the art pursuit over the years, they prettified brilliant coat unintentionally, they would like to be a devotional martyr, silently, in which way they express annotation of their own works through the simplest, earnest, sincerest words.
