On the afternoon of November 9, 2023, "Chang'an Elegant Gathering – Oriental Botanical Character and 'Bai Ming' Installation Artwork Presentation" was held with success at the Cultural Space of Beijing Overseas Cultural Exchange Center (BOCEC).
At the event, Yue Mu, founder/practitioner of taste aesthetics and immersive art creator, and Jia Jinli, instructor at Beijing Institute of Technology's School of Humanities and a resident artist in France, explored the character of Oriental plants. The event initiated a captivating dialogue between Yue Mu and the natural beauty of plum, orchid, bamboo, chrysanthemum, pine and lotus, delving into the wonderful connections between the taste aesthetics of plants and Chinese virtues. Through the emotional attachment to these plants, each bearing rich traditional symbolism, the artists explored the plants' distinctive qualities and spiritual significance, all within the enchanting realm of "taste". Together, they told the story of how the Chinese virtues have become part of people's life in daily aesthetic experiences.
The event was hosted by Liu Jia, the chief director of the documentary "Tea in China".The director of the Collaborative Innovation Office at the Central Academy of Fine Arts, Yue Jieqiong, and guests from both China and abroad, including Alexandre Adrien from France, attended the event. The event was live-streamed on platforms including yangshipin.cn, china.com.cn, and BRTV, with view counts reaching nearly 300 thousand.
Embracing Chinese artistic philosophy to foster contemporary living art
For more than a decade, artist Yue Mu has wholeheartedly immersed herself in unraveling the essence of Oriental plants and explored ways to converse with nature. Seamlessly blending artistic contemplation with the essence of craftsmanship, she crafts her "Chinese plant tastes" to curate a sophisticated and modern lifestyle experience.
The fragrances of "plum, orchid, bamboo, chrysanthemum, pine, and lotus" are natural scents deeply rooted in Chinese traditional culture. Taste artist Yue Mu showed her journey of taste exploration at the elegant gathering. Roaming through the mountains and villages of China over the years, she has engaged in profound conversations with nature, herself, the local communities, and music. Through her adept use of firing techniques, she unveils the authentic and exquisite qualities and tastes of a myriad of Oriental plants. Yue Mu transcends the mere reproduction of "taste" to delve into the core of "Chinese artistic and philosophical traditions of establishing connections between natural objects and man's inner qualities". This unique perspective of appreciating plant tastes opens a portal for the connoisseurs to engage in a dialogue with nature and their inner selves. Commencing with an understanding of plant tastes, she utilizes Chinese plants to embody "virtues" and the amazing connections between man and nature, so as to nurture the refined characteristics akin to a man of noble character.
Launch of "Bai Ming" Installation Artwork – A Beautiful Presentation of Chinese Plant Tastes
The "Bai Ming" (which literally means "making tea", and is a homophone of "making it clear" in Chinese) installation artwork aims to encourage viewers to explore diverse interpretations of plant tastes and the myriad possibilities of the blending of these tastes.
Two hundred white bowls were meticulously arranged, each containing a dried representation of one of the 200 plants from the deep mountains of China. The artist, dressed in a white skirt, gracefully wielded boiling water to brew the plants, releasing hot vapors and unfurling the plants within the bowls. This elegant act, combined with the unfolding of the plants, created a powerful artistic impact for on-site viewers. As they walked among the 200 slowly "blooming" porcelain bowls and chose which they would like to have a taste of, they obtained the most genuine appreciation of Chinese plant tastes. The aromas transmitted by water and plants (tea) not only pleased the senses but also symbolized the delicacy and sensitivity of life experiences in Chinese culture. At this Chang'an Elegant Gathering event, Yue Mu offered the guests a delightful aesthetic experience, as she led them through a sensory journey and a quest to discover the essence of Chinese plant tastes.
Wang Hairu, Deputy Director of the Beijing Overseas Cultural Exchange Center, noted that "this Chang'an Elegant Gathering event presents a new experience towards beauty. The Beijing Overseas Cultural Exchange Center, in collaboration with the two artists, debuted the 'Bai Ming' Installation Artwork on the platform of 'Chang'an Elegant Gathering'. This new endeavor also offers encouragement and support for artists and artworks that strive to showcase Chinese culture and taste." As a signature project of BOCEC, "Chang'an Elegant Gathering" will continue to explore and pursue an "immersive experience of Chinese literati's aesthetic life". Its aim is to build a cultural bridge of integration and exchange for more narrators of Chinese culture and art, so that the charm, ideals, wisdom, and character of Chinese culture can be vividly showcased.
