“Panta Rhei – Everything Flows”

Last night, I had the pleasure of joining the vernissage of the solo exhibition of Rosette Bonello at Rudy Buhler’s Art Gallery in Marsaskala. I walked along the coast from Kalkara, at the end of a stormy day, which expanded into the night. It is always impressive to see how the rock has been able to withstand the waves for ages. Rudy was a Swiss banker for most of his professional life and now manages to bring a cultural spotlight to this village in Southern Malta. This exhibition is called “Panta Rhei – Everything Flows” and runs until December 22nd at Quayside Court, 58 Triq Is-Salini.

During the day before, I went through many of my things in Malta and sorted and maintained what needed to be done. Besides the practicalities, I also found my old calendars, especially the 2014 one, caught my attention. This was my last year living in China, and the beginning of a world trip and my European adventure. It is great to have these calendars and be able to move back in time and even sense life’s atmosphere. Back then, it ended 12 years in China and started for new horizons. It was a similar time to what it is now. But a lot has changed also. Some people, yes, but also how the world works.

Back in the day, it was, for example, possible to share exact plans and locations online. There were people writing back and asking questions very specific questions and the exchange was light-hearted. Since then, also the online world has become a more hostile place, and comments reflect less inspiration but greed. That’s why I am not on social media except LinkedIn, which hopefully maintains professionalism. Running this blog feels already anachronistic and untouched of that.

Re-inspired by browsing through my paper diaries, notebooks and calendars, I obtained a 5-year diary. Here, you have the same day on one page, and by “scrolling up” with your eyes, you have a direct comparison over time. It would not make sense today to have a paper calendar anymore because coordination and scheduling have become more of a life tool than a lifestyle. But such diaries run parallel to the office world in a nice way.

Also, I re-plenished myself from my local stock of small notebooks. I always carry these to capture information and impressions. In recent years, with being less mobile, I have switched to larger formats. But now, it will be more of the small Moleskine type again, and Riteintherain for the tougher outdoor notes. Given that I cannot carry many books, I also re-set my Amazon Kindle. That’s the only reason to keep my Amazon account open. But for the coming trip to Canada, I will take a paper copy of Joan Didion’s "Slouching Towards Bethlehem". She had something to say about how to use notebooks as a tool but even more about the chaotic and rapidly changing cultural landscape in the USA of the 1960s. And of course, I will put more American authors now on my reading list. Suggestions are welcome.

My 2014 calendar, which marks the last of 12 years living in China. Recovered (and cleaned thoroughly) in Malta.

Andrew Wyeth exhibited in Beijing

Works of the American painter Andrew Wyeth (1917-2009) are exhibited in Beijing and Hong Kong as preparation for a New York Auction. The venue is the YUAN Space and it is jointly coordinated by Christie's and Andelson Galleries from April 14th until May 12th. It is located at the 20th floor of Jiaming Center, Tower B, 27 Eastern Ring Road North, Chaoyang District, Beijing. Wyeth often painted and portrait people living and being around him, famously his muse Helga Testorf. Some of his paintings of her, and related studies were shown in the exhibition. One of his very famous pictures is the painting Christina's World showing a woman from his neighborhood crawling home over the fields. The picture is inspired by Christina Olson (1893–1968) who is believed to have suffered from polio. There are a few books available on Wyeth. One of them is John Wilmerding's Andrew Wyeth: The Helga Pictures, which shows 240 only in the late 1980s disclosed pictures and renderings of Helga, out of which you find some in the Beijing exhibition.

In the Orchard, 1973

Study for On her Knees, 1975

Study for Overflow

Dafen Oil Painting Village in Depression

Dafen Oil Painting village is the place in Shenzhen, where 60 % of the world’s cheap oil paintings are produced. The term “village” is a bit misleading. However, Dafen has some nice views and last year made first attempts to move “upstream” in terms of what is called arts. According to today’s issue of the South China Morning Post, in 2006 about 500 million RMB worth of paintings were exported from Dafen. The main clients were American property owners and Hotels. But since September, sales literally collapsed by 70 %. And even prices eroded 30 % still the volume keeps low. Also domestic sales is weak. Last year, even in the boom times, I felt that Dafen is a village of broken dreams for artists. So much skill and so poor living and working conditions, painting all the time the same motives. But now even this went down. The artists get laid off. And the income which was around 200 RMB per painting is now down to 20-30 RMB. It really did not take long until the financial crisis moved from Wall Street to Main Street. But here it is hitting the rice bowl now.

If you want to go there from Shenzhen by taxi and do not speak Chinese, print this for the taxi driver: Long Gang District, Da Fen Oil Painting Village, 龙岗区大芬油画村