The construction of the memorial sculpture of the 7th Asian Art Festival is an artistic project that combines art and architecture in multiple ways, and the multi-directional integrated operating system works in coordination. The project started in March this year and ended on October 15th. Among them, the main construction project of the finalized "Asian Art Gate" sculpture was officially started on July 16th, and the first kiln was put into the kiln for trial installation on August 24th, the first kiln was ignited on August 25th, the seventh kiln was fired on September 26th, and the installation was completed on October 15th, which was fully completed five days earlier than originally planned. Its cultural content is heavy, its artistic form is unique, its structural mechanics reaches the standard, its firing rate is 98%, and its color reaches the expected ideal effect.
The original plan of "The Gate of Asian Art" was designed by Chen Shushu, deputy director and professor of the Chinese Painting Department of Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts, and Wei Hua, a mural teacher of the Chinese Painting Department of Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts. The amendment was designed by Li Min, a national second-class artist of Foshan Sculpture Academy. The three-dimensional Chinese version of the amendment was created by national first-class artist Jian Xizhao, national second-class artist Li Min, national first-class artist Xue Lyon, national second-class artist Zhuo Guoping, national second-class artist Bingji Zhou and national third-class artist Luo Zhiqi of Foshan Sculpture Academy. Foshan Sculpture Academy undertook the revision and construction of the scheme, including the creation of the revised three-dimensional Chinese manuscript, the enlargement of the 1: 1.13 clay manuscript, the turnover of plaster mold, the molding of ceramic plastic printing blank, the drying of blank, the surface glazing treatment, transportation and installation. Its firing work was donated by the People's Government of Chancheng District of Foshan City, Shiwan Sub-district Office of Chancheng District of Foshan City and Nanfeng Guzao Tourism Development Co., Ltd..
The molded "Gate of Asian Art" consists of 2,839 ceramic plates, with a relief area of about 83 square meters. The actual firing heights of the two "gates" are 17.6 meters and 15.6 meters respectively.
"The Gate of Asian Art" is a masterpiece of collective wisdom, a crystallization of group cooperation, an image symbol of Foshan ceramic culture and an eternal gift from Foshan people to the 7th Asian Art Festival.
According to the introduction of Foshan Ceramic Sculpture Institute, "The Gate of Asian Art" is the largest modern ceramic sculpture in the world, the first large-scale epic of Asian artistic civilization forged with clay, and a milestone in the development of ceramic art in Foshan, Tao Dou in the Millennium.
"The Gate of Asian Art" embodies the Lingnan ceramic culture which is eclectic, profound, enlightened and open. It is the symbol of Asian art park, not only a work of art, but also a cultural symbol, symbolizing the exchange and opening up of Asian culture, implying openness, exchange, integration and sublimation. It is a door that "art unites Asia and culture communicates with the world" and displays "charming Foshan, cultural Asia and art world". It is a gate for Asian cultural exchange, opening, sublimation, China cultural inheritance, development, integration with the world and brilliant achievements with Asia. At the same time, it is also a door to "let the world know about Foshan and let Foshan go to the world".
Breakthrough and innovation:
1) Foshan Sculpture Institute has repeatedly verified the actual dimensions of the "Nanzao" kiln cavity of Longyao and consulted many experienced Nanfeng ancient kiln masters, and scientifically designed the kiln site capacity of 13㎡/ kiln according to the kiln space: the block scale of the mold is cut according to the maximum coefficient of each interval kiln bin, which is basically 72 ㎝× 48 ㎝. The stacking kilns are packed according to the maximum safety factor, and the spacing is controlled within the range of 15 ㎝-2 ㎝, which are the keys to determine the capacity of the kiln and ensure the timely completion of the task.
2) Apply the experience and technology of "three-dimensional stacking kiln" and "fire stopping" of the traditional dragon kiln firing stacking kiln, especially the "fire stopping room" with traditional characteristics. However, this time, the technical team adopted a new method of keeping the center stable with the bottom of high-temperature silicon plate and dispersing the bearing capacity with the positioning and traction of silicon plate, which improved the kiln loading quality and stability of flat blank.
3) Break through the traditional gypsum mold printing method: print the main view blank with a flat mold, and then empty the mold to establish the surrounding volume. This method breaks through the traditional printing method of "closed mold" or "enclosed mold" in Shiwan, and is a backup porcelain for the printing of large-scale ceramic sculptures. This printing method has been tried in the production of a large-scale environmental pottery sculpture "Tao Nv" (with a total height of 8.3 meters) in Shiwan Park, but it is the first time for such a large-scale printing.
4) Breaking through the contingency of the "flame red effect" of the wood kiln: In order to achieve the ideal unique "flame red" natural effect of the wood burning with red copper, the Sculpture Institute boldly adopted the pigment formula that was only used in small works in the past. The formula uses nearly 3 kilograms of industrial salt and 3 kilograms of iron oxide coloring agent. With the principle of salt burning and the effect of wood burning, it achieves a relatively ideal natural color burning effect without the assistance of scientific and technological instruments, ensuring the artistic appeal of the "Asian Art Gate" surface.
The original design idea of "Gate of Asian Art"
Chen Shushu, one of the original designers, took the traditional Chinese character "Gate" to form the main body of the sculpture, which itself is a national symbol language with far-reaching symbolic significance; Wei Hua, one of the original designers, integrated his artistic personality language into the shape of the "door", giving the "door" content and visual effects, which has three meanings: first, it shows the regional significance-"China's South Gate" Foshan, Guangdong; Secondly, the door represents the transformation and handover of space, which means that the cultures and arts of Asian countries are independent and interdependent, and the absence of either side will make the other side appear isolated; Thirdly, Foshan in the new century and China in the new century will, as always, open their doors to welcome the art and culture from all over Asia to enter the country, and gather the elites to create brilliance.
The design of the amendment of "The Gate of Asian Art"
The designer of the amendment is Li Min. The amendment found the best combination with the original design: the content and form are highly consistent with the theme requirements of commemorative sculpture. The representative spiritual creation heritage in the treasure house of Asian cultural heritage is interspersed in the shape of the "door" according to the law of artistic composition: the sculpture itself is like a silent monument, which makes people think about it. Standing in front of it, everyone can find their spiritual belonging-drifting away from themselves, from national boundaries and from the nation, and truly experience a spiritual spiritual communication.
The cultural connotation of "Asian Art Gate":
The "Asian Art Gate" takes the spiritual heritage of Asian culture as the object of expression, aiming at crossing the tunnel of the long history, tracing along the track of the birthplace of Asian civilization, and displaying Sumerian civilization, Babylonian civilization, ancient Indian civilization, Chinese civilization of 5, years and Lingnan regional cultural characteristics. Its reliefs have shaped the East Asian cultural heritages such as the Code of Hammurabi, Sumerians and Chequered Characters, the Goddess of Cattle and the Goddess of Nivrusha Valley, the Lion with the Blade of King Banipa of Assyria, the Syrian Piper, and the bronze statue of Shiva, the dancing king. It focuses on depicting the symbolic legend of Chinese civilization for 5, years and the "Waji Doll" with Lingnan regional cultural characteristics, and incorporates the abstract and empty.
The key to the internal vitality of "Asian Art Gate" lies in highlighting Asian national culture, demonstrating the glory of Asian culture by advocating the characteristics of Asian national culture, and exploring the spiritual and cultural heritage of ancient Asian civilizations to show the brilliant yesterday of mankind, inspire the creators today and enlighten the future of the later generations. The "Gate" also highlights the Lingnan cultural characteristics of Foshan Millennium Tao Dou, and expresses the profound culture and art of Asian countries with the traditional cultural element "Tao" as the carrier.
The significance of the "Gate of Asian Art" in creating a unique urban cultural image:
China is blending with the world, and Foshan is blending with the world. Culture is an important factor that constitutes the competitiveness of modern cities. Foshan strives to adapt to the modernization requirements of cultural construction on the basis of inheriting the historical context, and strive to enhance the characteristics of Foshan's historical and cultural city.
Jian Xizhao, president of Foshan Sculpture Academy, said: "It is inevitable for a specific regional culture in a specific historical period to incorporate the modern ceramic art concept into Foshan's urban sculpture construction and create a unique urban cultural image of Foshan. Pottery sculpture "The Gate of Asian Art" has taken a big step in Foshan's unique urban sculpture, and will definitely break through the sculpture pattern of other cities in China and stand in the hearts of the world with its distinctive personality. The most brilliant' pottery culture' in Foshan's cultural industry is applied to Foshan's urban environmental public art, creating a cultural atmosphere with Tao Wei as the main body, making people blend into the artistic realm of a pottery culture, and making people truly feel that this is' Foshan, a famous historical and cultural city', not any other city. "The Gate of Asian Art" will certainly activate the traditional ceramic art mechanism and push Foshan modern ceramic art into a broader space. "
The construction of "Gate of Asian Art" is characterized by the use of traditional molding techniques and firing methods in addition to the use of pottery materials with regional characteristics. The whole process of pottery molding is purely hand-shaped. Creating a precedent for the artistic construction of modern large-scale pottery sculptures has the following six historical and practical significance:
1) Breaking through the traditional limitations;
2) It has opened up a new development direction for the existing living "Dragon Kiln" in Shiwan, and activated the contemporary vitality of the living fossils of traditional firewood kilns;
3) It provides historical evidence for the study of Shiwan modern ceramic art;
4) Textual research on the material basis and scientific basis for creating a unique artistic image of Foshan city.
5) It has laid a theoretical foundation and practical experience for modern ceramic art in China to enter the field of landscape art;
6) It opened a new chapter for the practicality of "pottery" and the resplendence of decorative art in China in the Neolithic Age after thousands of years, which foreshadowed its potential vitality and expansion space.