Public Art Works "Heart Panda" Created in China Hit Berlin
BERLIN, May 22, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- On a lush lawn against a Chinese style courtyard lie or stand 43 bright-colored cute pandas. These fiberglass panda models are created for the Heart Panda public art activity organized 10 months ago by Chen Mimi, a 27-year-old girl from Chengdu, China, and her team and the Chengdu Economic Daily. Up to now, there have been over 3,000 participants and nearly one thousand panda art works.
On May 21st, 2015, 43 of these art works make their debut in the Garden of the Reclaimed Moon (Garten des wiedergewonnenen Mondes) of Berlin, the first station of Heart Panda World Tour. Within this year, their footprints will be also left in Shanghai, Hong Kong and some American cities. At the end of the World Tour, 10 representative works will be auctioned for charity, all money raised to be used for nursing giant pandas, helping underprivileged children and supporting environment protection and public benefit activities.
On that day, child visitors are completely attracted to "giant pandas" as well as those who dress up as pandas, dancing with them and giving them gifts from Chengdu. "I love this hat so much. I'm a panda now!" Seven-year-old Sabine learns about pandas only on TV or in picture books. Seeing so many pandas in his hometown, he just can't wait to take photos with them one by one.
"We wish to protect our traditional technologies and arts that are on the verge of being lost while cultivating a new generation of Chinese art power." Deng Yihan, the design director of Heart Panda public art activity, says when talking about the original intention of this activity. "Like Berlin bear and Swedish colored cow, panda is distinctive enough to represent a city and even a country." The panda-themed artistic creation has reminded Mr. Deng of an unforgettable moment in Wenchuan where he saw a panda, uncared-for after earthquake, standing up and stretching his hand to catch a bamboo behind metal railing. Inspired from this scene, he designs a panda model in standing posture for Heart Panda which is used for subsequent collection of re-creation works from 11 colleges and universities of 7 cities in China.
Among works displayed at Asia-Pacific Week in Berlin, Charm of Chengdu, which employs Chinese traditional paste craft in lacquer ware to present full bloom of hibiscuses around the panda body, is particularly captivating. "This is hibiscus, the city flower of Chengdu and another charming symbol other than panda." Chen Mimi introduces to German citizens the lacquer art, a traditional handicraft of China with a history of more than one thousand years. In her view, the panda art works designed and created by Chengdu Lacquer Craft Factory integrate ancient lacquer art with modern public art and present amazing artistic effect. "These art works represent different words Chinese youth want to say to the world, from philosophical view to personal emotion, and show their positive attitude and new spiritual appearance." Chen Mimi says. Through the worldwide exhibition organized by Heart Panda, she expects the Chinese younger generation can replace the global label of "Made in China" with "Created in China".
Besides, Chengdu delegation brings Sichuan embroidery and brocade products and duplicates of Sanxingdui relics to Asia-Pacific Week in Berlin for exhibition as well as Chinese calligraphy and Tai Ji shows which the German visitors are extremely curious about. Of course, the most attractive to them are Chengdu specialties made at the scene. Snacks such as rice dumplings, cold noodles and Tofu pudding get repeated thumbs up from Lukas Lohovel, a German visitor. "I can't believe this jelly-like stuff is made from soybeans. It's really amazing!"
Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150522/218048
SOURCE Chengdu Economic Daily
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