Peasant Lives: Chinese Peasant Painting

A Cultural Project sponsored by the Georgia Humanities Council and

Georgia Perimeter College

China is a large, diverse country: bordered by diverse countries

Chinese Folk Art

Many forms, many varieties

• Paper folding and Paper Cutting

• Puppetry

• Knots

• Shadow Play

Geographical differences

Shaanxi County is surrounded by other counties, far from national borders

Peasant Paintings from Hu County, Shaanxi Province

• Ding Jitang, artist and exhibit preparer

• Drs. Ed and Sylvia Krebs, exhibit experts and facilitators

• Located near Xi’an (famous for Terra Cotta Warriors)

• Artists labor as farmers and paint in leisure

• “The people of China and the U.S. are friends. We believe that you will begin to understand more about our paintings and our life. Welcome to our exhibit!” Ding Jitang, Chairman , Shaanxi Peasant Painters Association

Chinese Peasant Painting

1950’s Peasant Painting takes on political relevance– Mural paintings– Supported by cultural centers in the countryside– Publicity as major purpose– Promoted production, class struggle, peasant

dreams

1960’s and 1970’s– Stagnated during extreme political upheaval

1980’s- Revival with “opening door”- Included in rural, fishing, pastoral and minority

communities

Today’s Folk Paintings

Focus on traditional folk styles and methods

Focus on familiar and beloved subjects

Reflections from GPC faculty in Hu County

"While we traveled to Huxian, a small town of village painters, we were pleasantly surprised to see paintings on the walls that lined the road leading the village. The paintings were passionate with vivid colors like yellow, orange, pink, purple, and blue to express the painters’ feelings.”

GPC Faculty/Staff Visit Hu County 2008

“When we arrived at a painter’s house, we viewed artwork created by art teachers and their students. The students tended to mimic their teachers’ work without deviation. Both works were similar to each other as though the student has to pass a test to duplicate the teacher’s work. The copies were intriguing to compare.”

“This painting put a smile on your face because it expressed joy, happiness and peace. Most people like to see children having fun.”

“Most of the painters seem to capture their culture by animating Chinese workers in their daily lives.”

“After looking at many paintings, that revealed not only extreme passion and deep emotion but also an expression of social, political and ideological feelings of the past, present and future, I realized that we all have similar lives but live in different places and express our ideas differently.“

You are Invited!

• February 2 Reception5:00-7:00

• February 11 GPC Panel• 11:30-1:00

• February 12 Community Lecture

7:00

• February 16 Scheduled School

Visits• February 20 Upward Bound

Program