Ethnic art expo - Works by some illustrious master protégés of Distinguished Professor Wang Guo Neng

The Dongxiang ethnic minority live in the Linxia Hui Autonomous Prefecture in Gansu, Northwest China, next to Xinjiang and is believed to be a mix of the remnants of Genghis Khan’s army and local Hui Muslims with whom they intermarried over the past eight centuries.

Meet Mrs. Ma Mina – called “Amina” by her friends, of the Dongxiang ethnic group whose story encapsulates the evolution of a truly ancient culture even by Chinese standards, e.g. "the oldest copper smelting location, and bronze artifacts found in China were found at the Linjia site in Dongxian and have been dated to around 3,000 BC..." and some of her earliest works capture the essence of ancient rock paintings found in her time-machine like neighborhood. Some of the more “recent” artworks found in her neighborhood include buttons and beads, mirrors and figurines that are only 3,000 years old or so. Some of Amina’s earliest works are perhaps not so different in some ways, transformative paintings.

Looking at her more recent works one finds quite a variety of emotions in the eyes of the Muslim women she’s painted. If eyes are the mirror of the soul Amina’s paintings beckon the viewer into a world that is ancient and modern simultaneously. Her works have gotten a bit more abstract during her career it seems, yet she still dabbles occasionally in black and white.

After talking with Amina and appreciating of some of her work, I had the even more rare opportunity to interview Professor Wag Guo Neng, the patriarch master professor of minority ethnic art who has taught at the National Ethnic Art University in Beijing for the past 30 years.

Asked how he feels seeing the exhibition of some of his finest protégés, he said: “Proud, not just because of the art they’ve produced, but because many work at different occupations and companies, yet all still continue to grow and develop in their art, but most importantly have created their own styles.” I encouraged him to continue and he added: “There’s a new discovery of self and broader understanding here that I can appreciate.”

Exhibition Website: http://www.daodongart.net/?r=news/show&id=12341

Date: May 1 – May 13

Time: 9:00 - 20:00

Address: 798 Photo Gallery, Dashanzi Art District, No. 4 Jiuxianqiao Lu

Chaoyang District

朝阳区酒仙桥路4号798大山子艺术区

Tel: 6438 1784, 6437 5284

Source: www.thebeijinger.com