Opening of Travelling Exhibition of Xutong Tian’s Ink Painting
On the 12th of November, the Fo Guang Yuan (FGY) Art Gallery Christchurch held a ‘Travelling Exhibition of Xutong Tian’s Ink Painting’ exhibition by artist Professor Xutong Tian who specially came to Christchurch to meet with everybody. Present on the opening day of the exhibition was FGY Curator Venerable Abbess Manshin, Professor Xutong Tian, BLIA North Island New Zealand Head Advisor Dolly Tsai, Canterbury Police District Inspector Al Stewart, Christchurch Multicultural Society President Dr. Surinder Tandon, Oil painter Carole Harnett, Christchurch’s Kurashiki Sister City Commitee member David Bolam-Smith, Friends of the FGY Art Gallery, several BLIA members and other visitors making up almost a hundred guests in total.
During the opening ceremony, Abbess Manshin thanked Professor Tian and his family for coming, and quoted one of the conversations she had with him, about how his subtractive methods of creating art are consistent with that of the FGY Art Gallery CHCH, specifically, how even simple line strokes can bring out the beauty of white emptiness. Through this exhibition visit, it is hoped that the conversation between the curator and Professor Tian will provide a strong stimulus for his future drawing style. At the same time, we wish to give a word of appreciation for Professor Tian’s artwork gracing the walls of FGY Art Gallery CHCH with colours and spiritual inspiration.
Professor Tian was glad that so many people have came, and spoke of how the Christchurch temple’s serenity made him feel very welcome on his arrival to the city, with the unspoken heart to heart communication between the people and the artist in him being very clear. Much like a Chinese saying, of how we seek knowledge by reading books with words, but that wisdom we seek by reading books with none. Professor Tian remarked on how his twenty years of Chan art experience has been very splendid, and is something he wishes to continue pursuing, hoping that his art can make people feel happy.
At the scene, Professor Tian also live demonstrated his painting, skilfully using paper, ink, brush and water to finish off an art piece in under half an hour, much to the astonishment of the crowd. Professor Tian noted however, that not all artwork can be finished in a day. Some may even take up to years before the inspiration and the right conditions allow the work to be finished. The professor also said that meditation gives him a lot of ideas for his creative work, and is one of the driving sources that makes him want to continue painting.
Two of the visitors, Julie and Stephen, would like to thank the organizers for inviting them to the Fo Guang Yuan Art Gallery No. 2. Admiring the artwork within the calm and serene environment was a very nice experience, and they would not hesitate to recommend the place to their friends. Several members of the public also hoped that Professor Tian would have more opportunities to visit New Zealand, and maybe have a chance to incorporate some of the local natural environment into his artwork. Still, others were keen on purchasing samples of his artwork, complete with a personal signature.
Although the opening ceremony that day coincided with one of the long weekends for the Canterbury region, hence the fact that some people were away and could not make it, there was still a very good response of near a hundred visitors in total participating in the gathering. The day certainly gave Professor Tian some extra inspiration, and on that note, the opening ceremony ended smoothly.