Postcards: the Chinese calligrapher
August 24, 2011 On a bright summer morning in Beijing, the calligrapher skillfully ran his brush along the smooth, gray stone of the Summer Palace’s pavilion, making curvaceous strokes with lines as beautiful as the ancient, upturned rooftops in the distance. Each character was written quickly and boldly with water for ink, appearing for an...
A Cultural Education in Beijing, China: art class at the China Culture Center
I close my eyes and place my hands on my lap. There’s rice paper spread on the table in front of me, along with three ink brushes, plates and a porcelain water bowl. I take a deep breath and smile slightly. I’m content. Today I’m not brushing shoulders with thousands of tourists in the Forbidden...
Couchsurfing with a Chinese Family
Last August I was in Beijing, trudging along a sidewalk lined with high-rise apartment buildings. Sweat dampened my t-shirt beneath my oversized backpack, filled with essentials to confront China’s diverse terrain and weather. I clutched a wrinkled piece of paper with directions to the family’s home and squinted at the rows of buildings. I was...
Korean Couple Attire
I’ve been drawn to the Asian couple t-shirt fashion trend since my first week in Korea as an exchange student in 2009. My Korean roommate and I were casually walking around the vicinity of our university when I noticed a couple wearing matching blue sweatshirts with anime characters on the front. I grabbed my roommate’s...
2011 in Photos: a year of transition and travel
Despite some negativity, the Year of the Rabbit allowed me to grow and transition in a positive way. I traveled a lot, moved to Seoul, got a new job, participated in an art show, and made some great new friends. 2006 and 2009 are still my favorite years, but 2011, wasn’t so bad. I’ve summarized my year...
Beijing’s 798 Art District: where fine art and commercialism collide
China’s rapid development and economic growth have sparked a creative explosion in the international art market. Beijing’s 798 Art Zone, otherwise known as Dashanzi art district, is part of this movement. Located in the Chaoyang district, the galleries exist in communist-era, Bauhaus-style factory buildings, originally named Joint Factory 798. Contemporary artists on the lookout for...
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