A retrospective exhibition of famed glass artist
The Liuli China Museum in Shanghai is holding a retrospective exhibition of glass artist Chang Yi, curated by his wife Loretta H. Yang, to express her deep love for Chang, who passed away in November last year.
Born in 1951, Chang is widely recognized as a pioneer in and founder of China's modern liuli (Chinese glass-making) art.
"Why Glass? Driven by Virtue – Retrospective Exhibition of Chang Yi's Works" features pictures, drafts, documentation, personal belongings and glass works created by Chang, dubbed "father of Asian studio glass movement" by The New York Times.
Chang Yi
"Chang was a versatile person, and he seemed to excel in each area he loved," recalled Yang. "He insisted for a modern spirit to be fused in glass-making."
In the 1980s, after being crowned Best Director at the Golden Horse Awards in Taiwan, Chang quit the film industry. In 1987, he and Yang founded Liuli Gongfang, a contemporary glass art studio.
The couple invested in studying and reviving the Han Dynasty (206 BC-AD 220) glass casting techniques, which later led them to international glass art exhibitions.
The highlight of the current exhibition is "The Rock of Taihu Lake," a series created by Chang. He believed that the "texture and shape of Taihu Lake rocks" show light and shade as reflected through glass.
"The Rock of Taihu Lake" series is a highlight of the exhibition.
Visitors to the exhibition will be impressed by a wall of writings he completed for each of the glass productions from Liuli Gongfang.
"He wrote about 10,000 notes in defining the cultural and artistic elements in each of our productions," Yang said. "I felt so fortunate that we kept these 3,000 drafts in his handwriting."
Equipped with talent in writing and art, Chang fused Eastern philosophical thinking and a Zen touch into Liuli Gongfang.
Loretta H. Yang explains a wall of Chang's writing pads.
Exhibition info:
Dates: Through March, 10am-6pm
Venue: Liuli China Museum
