The statue of Mao Zedong at in Zhongshan Square in Shenyang is remarkable for its size and how it fits in with a skyline that continues to be altered by new tall buildings. And on many days, smog adds adds to the effect. The figures surrounding Mao are what caught my attention the most though. The photos below begin at the front and go around in a counter-clockwise direction. There is a lot going on, and I won't try to suggest what most deserves attention or what to take from it all. But the dense scenes are worth a closer look.
Showing posts with label Creativity. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Creativity. Show all posts
Tuesday, November 1, 2016
The Many Faces Around the Mao Zedong Statue in Shenyang
Posted by
Brian Glucroft
at
11:53 PM
The statue of Mao Zedong at in Zhongshan Square in Shenyang is remarkable for its size and how it fits in with a skyline that continues to be altered by new tall buildings. And on many days, smog adds adds to the effect. The figures surrounding Mao are what caught my attention the most though. The photos below begin at the front and go around in a counter-clockwise direction. There is a lot going on, and I won't try to suggest what most deserves attention or what to take from it all. But the dense scenes are worth a closer look.
Monday, August 1, 2016
Assorted China Tech Links: Innovation and Control Mix, a Reason to Break Through, and Uber China Sold
Posted by
Brian Glucroft
at
7:05 PM
Some longtime readers will remember the days when there was a more explicit tech focus here, and I hope to soon return to some old themes. For now, I will keep it simple and share links to six pieces on China tech:
1. Emily Rauhala pushes back against the idea that heavy censorship by the government means tech innovation has been stifled in China:
2. Despite the innovation, not everything is rosy about the Chinese internet. Christina Larson captures some of how the good and the bad fit together:
3. Zheping Huang looks at a specific case where Chinese people who previously didn't see a need to access online information and services blocked in China finally felt compelled to use a VPN to break through the Great Firewall:
4. For something fresh from today, there is big news about Uber and Didi Chuxing:
5. The sale of Uber China comes as no huge surprise to many. Heather Timmons highlights how the writing was on the wall:
6. And Josh Horowitz takes a quick look at the impact of beyond China:
1. Emily Rauhala pushes back against the idea that heavy censorship by the government means tech innovation has been stifled in China:
“You go on Facebook and you can’t even buy anything, but on WeChat and Weibo you can buy anything you see,” said William Bao Bean, a Shanghai-based partner at SOS Ventures and the managing director of Chinaccelerator, a start-up accelerator.
“Facebook’s road map looks like a WeChat clone.”
2. Despite the innovation, not everything is rosy about the Chinese internet. Christina Larson captures some of how the good and the bad fit together:
These stark contrasts—an Internet that is simultaneously dynamic and lethargic, innovative and stultifying, liberating yet tightly controlled—are easier to understand when you realize they are not necessarily contradictions. Being forbidden to develop tools for stimulating free expression or transparency essentially forces Chinese entrepreneurs to concentrate their resources on services that facilitate commerce, convenience, and entertainment. And the more successful those kinds of businesses become, the more money they and their investors have at stake, possibly cementing the status quo.
3. Zheping Huang looks at a specific case where Chinese people who previously didn't see a need to access online information and services blocked in China finally felt compelled to use a VPN to break through the Great Firewall:
Recently, hundreds of Chinese investors, who may be out $6 billion in one of China’s biggest financial scams, have leaped over the Great Firewall in an organized, determined way. After being ignored by China’s regulators and lawmakers, these desperate investors are pouring into Twitter to spread news of their plight.
While their numbers are small, their actions are already inspiring other Chinese investors burned in a monumental number of recent scams, turning Twitter into a new venue for angry Chinese citizens to protest. And as they leap over the Great Firewall, some are coming to a new realization—the government has been cracking down on free speech and civil protests just like theirs for years.
4. For something fresh from today, there is big news about Uber and Didi Chuxing:
Didi Chuxing, the dominant ride-hailing service in China, said it will acquire Uber Technologies Inc.’s operations in the country, ending a battle that has cost the two companies billions as they competed for customers and drivers.
Didi will buy Uber’s brand, business and data in the country, the Chinese company said in a statement. Uber Technologies will receive 5.89 percent of the combined company with preferred equity interest equal to 17.7 percent of the economic benefits.
5. The sale of Uber China comes as no huge surprise to many. Heather Timmons highlights how the writing was on the wall:
Then things got even worse—Beijing started to openly back Didi, with an investment by China’s sovereign wealth fund into the new Chinese giant. China’s state banks rolled out billions of dollars in loans to Didi.
In August 2015, Uber reported it was being scrubbed from WeChat, a move, Quartz wrote, that was “almost certainly designed to protect and promote Didi Kuaidi” and make it hard for Uber to do business.
6. And Josh Horowitz takes a quick look at the impact of beyond China:
Didi’s $1 billion investment in Uber likely gives it only a minuscule stake in the ride-hailing giant. But it nevertheless means it has its hands in every single one of its potential major competitors.
This changes perceptions of the future of the ride-hailing industry.
Monday, July 4, 2016
Contemporary Art on Display Outside the Parkview Green in Beijing
Posted by
Brian Glucroft
at
7:56 PM
The Parkview Green in Beijing has much contemporary art on display not only inside but outside as well. I will share one or three examples depending on how you count them by artist Gianni Dessi (Italy, born 1955). Dessi titled the set created in 2015 Three For You. Individually, they are titled Red Sculpture, Black Sculpture, and Yellow Sculpture. In addition to brief information about the artist and the pieces, a poem is provided. I will share it below in all caps since that it is how it is displayed.
OK, the photos. In addition to capturing the art, they also capture a bit of life in Beijing.
As a bonus, I will also share a photo of one of the several small marching soldier sculptures displayed outside. I didn't find any identification, but they look like works of Chinese artist Qin Fengling, whose piece Report inside the Parkview Green has apparently caught the attention of at least a few readers.
Just something else to ponder . . .
This raises the question: "Why not four?"THREE FOR YOUTHREE FOR YOUTHREE FROM ME TO SPEAK OF YOUFOR THEM WHO SEEMAKE CONNECTIONS AND DRAWFOR THEM WHO LISTENFROM WITHIN AND WITHOUTWHO BREATHE AND BLOWREIGNITING THE WORLD
OK, the photos. In addition to capturing the art, they also capture a bit of life in Beijing.
Red Sculpture |
Black Sculpture |
Yellow Sculpture |
As a bonus, I will also share a photo of one of the several small marching soldier sculptures displayed outside. I didn't find any identification, but they look like works of Chinese artist Qin Fengling, whose piece Report inside the Parkview Green has apparently caught the attention of at least a few readers.
Just something else to ponder . . .
Friday, July 1, 2016
A Beijing Sculpture Mystery Somewhat Solved
Posted by
Brian Glucroft
at
1:07 PM
In the previous post with examples of contemporary art currently displayed at the Parkview Green shopping mall in Beijing, I was not able to identify the artist of one of the sculptures.
One reader had a thoughtful suggestion for the possible artist, but I couldn't find match. After a variety of online searches, including using different versions of the photo, proved fruitless, I took another look at what appeared to be a signature on the sculpture's base.
If the signature used a creative style of Chinese characters, I was clueless, but it appeared to use letters from the Latin alphabet. My first guess was "X-something Li". I had found some artists with similar names but, again, no matches.
This time, though, I stopped thinking of the first symbol as an "X" and eventually a familiar name jumped out at me. It didn't take long after that for me to find several matching examples of "The Michelin Slave" (1967) by Salvador Dali. I also see similar examples named "Michelin's Slave — Can Be Used as a Car". In reference to a smaller version of the sculpture, LiveAuctioneers wrote:
I am not sure of the meaning of the letters below the signature and wonder whether they indicate the sculpture is a reproduction of some type. According to a fascinating in-depth article on Artnews, "The Dalí Sculpture Mess", the status of this sculpture might not be a simple issue. The lead paragraph:
One reader had a thoughtful suggestion for the possible artist, but I couldn't find match. After a variety of online searches, including using different versions of the photo, proved fruitless, I took another look at what appeared to be a signature on the sculpture's base.
If the signature used a creative style of Chinese characters, I was clueless, but it appeared to use letters from the Latin alphabet. My first guess was "X-something Li". I had found some artists with similar names but, again, no matches.
This time, though, I stopped thinking of the first symbol as an "X" and eventually a familiar name jumped out at me. It didn't take long after that for me to find several matching examples of "The Michelin Slave" (1967) by Salvador Dali. I also see similar examples named "Michelin's Slave — Can Be Used as a Car". In reference to a smaller version of the sculpture, LiveAuctioneers wrote:
For Dali, the slave imprisoned by tires symbolized the slaves who construct the Cadillac automoblie [sic] in the plants of General Motors. This piece is also known as Venus de los neumaticos.So it seems to be yet another intriguing choice for a piece of art displayed at a shopping mall.
I am not sure of the meaning of the letters below the signature and wonder whether they indicate the sculpture is a reproduction of some type. According to a fascinating in-depth article on Artnews, "The Dalí Sculpture Mess", the status of this sculpture might not be a simple issue. The lead paragraph:
A flood of posthumous sculpture by Salvador Dalí generates millions of dollars in annual revenue—but the artist’s connection with much of the work is unclear. The market is rife with unreliable information, disputed ownership claims, unauthorized editions, and legal conflict. At least two European police investigations are under way.From one question to another . . .
Thursday, June 30, 2016
Contemporary Art on Display Inside the Parkview Green in Beijing
Posted by
Brian Glucroft
at
11:59 PM
Some readers may still be wondering about the intended meaning of the sculpture in the previous post, and some may be wondering about its location. I have ideas but no definitive answers for the the first question, but at least one reader correctly guessed the photo was taken at the Parkview Green shopping mall in Beijing. Even if you have no interest in or money for luxury shopping, the mall is worth a visit for its remarkable architecture and numerous pieces of contemporary art. The bathrooms have fancy toilet seats too.
Photos of nine of the works on display inside the mall during a recent visit appear below with some bits of symmetry in their ordering. I have only listed the artists' names because sometimes the works' names weren't clearly displayed, at least anywhere I looked. In one frustrating case, I have not even been able to identify the artist — any help welcome [update: mystery solved]. Although none of them were as surprising to me to find in a Beijing shopping mall as the piece in the previous post, I found them all provocative in their own ways.
Photos of nine of the works on display inside the mall during a recent visit appear below with some bits of symmetry in their ordering. I have only listed the artists' names because sometimes the works' names weren't clearly displayed, at least anywhere I looked. In one frustrating case, I have not even been able to identify the artist — any help welcome [update: mystery solved]. Although none of them were as surprising to me to find in a Beijing shopping mall as the piece in the previous post, I found them all provocative in their own ways.
Chen Wenling |
Roberto Barni |
Shen Jingdong |
Huang Mingzhe |
Huang Yulong |
Ichwan Noor |
Lee Seung-koo |
Chen Wenling |
Wednesday, June 29, 2016
Thursday, June 16, 2016
Friday, May 27, 2016
Monday, May 23, 2016
Wednesday, April 13, 2016
A Magical Proposal in Taipei
Posted by
Brian Glucroft
at
11:57 PM
Yesterday afternoon while working on a project outside at the Xinyi Shoppping District in Taipei, Taiwan, I saw a magician perform for a young couple.
I had seen the magician in the same plaza earlier when he appeared to be waiting for someone or something. I considered why the magician chose this particular couple and why two people were capturing it all on video. The videographers were at times clearly interested in making sure the female stayed in the scene even when the magician was focused on her partner.
After several magic tricks, the magician covered the young woman's eyes with an eye mask for the next trick. I figured it was time for me to move on. But then I saw a person rolling out a red carpet, and I began to wonder if there was something more taking place than I had at first assumed. Immediately after that I saw somebody holding flowers. Oh . . .
Flower petals were spread on the carpet. If this was just a trick, it was really going over the top.
While these preparations quietly occurred, the magician kept the woman occupied.
With the young man holding a bouquet of roses while briefly biting his lower lip and others holding "Would you marry me" signs behind him, it was clear a bit more than a magic act was about to occur.
Soon all was ready for the reveal, and the young woman was told to take off the mask. At first, she had an ordinary smile.
And then it grew.
But she appeared unsure and began to search for something. Soon, she had what she needed — a pair of glasses.
I don't know what was going through the young woman's mind, but she was reserved in her expressions. She may have been wondering if this could somehow be part of a magic act. But then her boyfriend began a long speech.
If she had any doubts, they melted away.
As I watched, I realized online videos of public marriage proposals gone awry have left their mark on me. No worries here though. What followed went well.
Soon the newly engaged couple walked off to sit on a nearby bench together, and the efficient cleanup began.
They even picked up the flower petals, so Taiwan.
Later, the couple took advantage of having a photographer around and posed for some photos. The young woman looked far more relaxed. For me, this was the moment where I erased any question whether the young woman's "yes" might have only been a polite face-saving public reaction.
Best wishes to the newly engaged couple. Even for me, the luck involved in witnessing their special moment seemed like a bit of magic. Perhaps I should have expected it. About half an hour earlier I had noticed a statue overlooking the same plaza.
The small statue of a mythical god is titled "Cupido".
I had seen the magician in the same plaza earlier when he appeared to be waiting for someone or something. I considered why the magician chose this particular couple and why two people were capturing it all on video. The videographers were at times clearly interested in making sure the female stayed in the scene even when the magician was focused on her partner.
After several magic tricks, the magician covered the young woman's eyes with an eye mask for the next trick. I figured it was time for me to move on. But then I saw a person rolling out a red carpet, and I began to wonder if there was something more taking place than I had at first assumed. Immediately after that I saw somebody holding flowers. Oh . . .
Flower petals were spread on the carpet. If this was just a trick, it was really going over the top.
While these preparations quietly occurred, the magician kept the woman occupied.
With the young man holding a bouquet of roses while briefly biting his lower lip and others holding "Would you marry me" signs behind him, it was clear a bit more than a magic act was about to occur.
Soon all was ready for the reveal, and the young woman was told to take off the mask. At first, she had an ordinary smile.
And then it grew.
But she appeared unsure and began to search for something. Soon, she had what she needed — a pair of glasses.
I don't know what was going through the young woman's mind, but she was reserved in her expressions. She may have been wondering if this could somehow be part of a magic act. But then her boyfriend began a long speech.
If she had any doubts, they melted away.
As I watched, I realized online videos of public marriage proposals gone awry have left their mark on me. No worries here though. What followed went well.
Soon the newly engaged couple walked off to sit on a nearby bench together, and the efficient cleanup began.
They even picked up the flower petals, so Taiwan.
Later, the couple took advantage of having a photographer around and posed for some photos. The young woman looked far more relaxed. For me, this was the moment where I erased any question whether the young woman's "yes" might have only been a polite face-saving public reaction.
Best wishes to the newly engaged couple. Even for me, the luck involved in witnessing their special moment seemed like a bit of magic. Perhaps I should have expected it. About half an hour earlier I had noticed a statue overlooking the same plaza.
The small statue of a mythical god is titled "Cupido".
Thursday, April 7, 2016
Two Mythical Qilins on Display in Kinmen
Posted by
Brian Glucroft
at
12:07 AM
I have been unexpectedly occupied since praising Yeh's Fermented Eggs. So for today, I will keep it simple and share four photos of artistic creations on display at the Historical Folk Museum in Kinmen.
The qilin (麒麟) sculptures made during the time of the Xuande Emperor, who ruled from 1425 to 1435, were two of my favorites at the museum.
Another set of sculptures at the museum, these made recently by children, provided an unexpected variation on the imaginary creature theme.
Perhaps in 600 years they too will be displayed as examples of ancient art.
The qilin (麒麟) sculptures made during the time of the Xuande Emperor, who ruled from 1425 to 1435, were two of my favorites at the museum.
Sculpture of a qilin ridden by a "golden boy": 七寶銅麒麟 - 金童 |
Sculpture of a qilin ridden by a fairy: 七寶銅麒麟 - 仙女 |
Another set of sculptures at the museum, these made recently by children, provided an unexpected variation on the imaginary creature theme.
Perhaps in 600 years they too will be displayed as examples of ancient art.
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