Moca Asia 2010 Amcham Group Exhibition

First Nature is in reference to the natural disposition or affinity of the artists for the creation of art. The exhibition features a selection of photographic works from Mau Lim’s Portraits of Nature series as well as works by Lee Shi-min and New Ton.

Proceeds from the sale of artworks to benefit the artists, Moca Asia, Operation Smile China Medical Mission and Orbis Hong Kong.

Mau Lim: Portraits of Nature
Artist Serial Review by Arturo Tora (1 December 2009)

Mau Lim abides by the doctrine of non-disturbance in her works. For one to capture images of life, flora and fauna in their natural setting and habitat, devoid of traces of an observer is a glorious, sacred moment and privilege. She often employs close-up and distant images of natural scenery to form a solid base colour field which upon closer examination reveals a variety of interesting features, details and adornments.

Through her devotion to the study of elements of nature, firm grounding and experience in botany, gardening and landscape design, she captures the strength, vitality and ephemeral nature of her subjects. With keen observation and insight, she imbues her work with innate harmony and balance, and successfully captures the intangible and intangible rhythm, pulse and beauty of nature‘s aspects, features and phenomena.

Mau Lim is an environmentally friendly artist whose emotive fleeting portrayals evoke feelings of calm and serenity that resonate with viewers. To her, the creation of such works is a form of meditation, and through the years she has developed a style uniquely her own.

A number of Dangdai Dolls official urban art slogans have been released by Dangdaier.

English Translation

1. Dangdai Dolls decorate the Walls.

2. The cuts on the faces of the Dangdai Dolls
Mark the way up the Mountain of Heavenly Calls.

3. The stars in the eyes of the Dangdai Dolls
Are reflections that light the Heavenly Halls.

4. The scars on the bodies of the Dangdai Dolls
Are souvenirs from scaling the Terrace of the Talls.

Traditional Chinese

1。當代娃娃裝飾牆壁。

2。此次裁員的臉上當代娃娃
馬克，一路山水天呼籲。

3。星星的眼睛當代娃娃
這是反射光的天大廳。

4. 在傷疤的機構當代娃娃
是紀念品，攀登台巨動物.

Pinyin Romanization

1。dāng dài wá wá zhuāng shì qiáng bì。

2。cǐ cì cái yuán de liǎn shàng dàng dài wá wá
mǎ kè， yī lù shān shuǐ tiān hū yù。

3。xīng xīng de yǎn jīng dāng dài wá wá
zhè shì fǎn shè guāng de tiān dà tīng。

4。zài shāng bā de jī gòu dāng dài wá wá
shì jì niàn pǐn， pān dēng tái jù dòng wù.

Simplified Chinese

1。当代娃娃装饰墙壁。

2。关于当代娃娃脸的削减
标记方式有天山区的呼吁。

3。在当代娃娃的眼睛的星星
这是反射光的天大厅。

4. 对当代娃娃的尸体的伤痕
从攀登巨动物阳台纪念品.

Pinyin Romanization

1。dāng dài wá wá zhuāng shì qiáng bì。

2。guān yú dāng dài wá wá liǎn de xuē jiǎn
biāo jì fāng shì yǒu tiān shān qū de hū yù。

3。zài dāng dài wá wá de yǎn jīng de xīng xīng
zhè shì fǎn shè guāng de tiān dà tīng。

4. duì dāng dài wá wá de shī tǐ de shāng hén
cóng pān dēng jù dòng wù yáng tái jì niàn pǐn.

The iconic images presented by Chinese contemporary artist Lee Shi-min’s Dangdai Dolls: The Great Doll of China are testament to the progress of civil society that in modern day China the only mental and corporeal constraints upon females, whose status was once restricted by sexist social mores and whose mobility was hindered by ritual bondage of feet, have been relegated to the superfluous uppermost flowing appendages of the human body as vestigial remains expressed in knotted braided kernels and grains of hair.

The visages of the vector dolls, with a true sense of direction, constitute respectable graphic displays that incorporate animist imagery and reverent reworkings and reappropriations of Chinese emblematic elements.

The Dangdai Dolls Congratulate New China on Her 60th Anniversary

Dangdai Dolls: The Great Doll of China Official Face Logos have been released on 1 October 2009 by Dangdaier, the art production company supporting Chinese contemporary artist Lee Shi-min’s works,  to honour, celebrate and commemorate the 60th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China.

The perfectly balanced compositions, which adopt open-plan faces that allow plenty of room for imagination, are purely symbolic epitomes of elegance in simplicity while the combinations of dynamic, ornamental and abstract elements, forms and lines in this brilliantly colorful, color-coded Dangdai Dolls flagship character series of works reference air, land and marine animals in the highest regard for Mother Nature,  clearly illustrate the artist’s exceptional ability to conceive, render and convey universal multi-directional concepts in a physical medium of two dimensions, and make for an auspicious, grand tribute to the more aesthetic gender of the human species, curvilinear, rounded, refined: a triumph of modern contemporary art that leaves one’s head in the clouds.

Dangdai Dolls Official Posters commemorating the historic anniversary and further information on the Dangdai Dolls: The Great Doll of China  may be found on Dangdaier’s website: http://www.dangdaier.com

In response to popular demand,  a number of original master drawings from contemporary artist Lee Shi-min’s Dangdai Dolls: The Great Doll of China character series have been released. The prototypical drawings are noted for being highly conceptual, perfectly balanced and elegantly simple.

Dangdai Dolls Face Original Master Drawing v6

Dangdai Dolls Face Original Master Drawing v8

In the above version no. 8, note the hammer and sickle ears in reference to the solid foundation, hard work and discipline that underpin the Dangdai Dolls laudable position, stature and outlook, and corneal triangular reflections symbolizing the Mountain of Heavenly Calls.

Dark-haired doe-eyed Dangdai Doll Dai-dai, of the present-day Dang dynasty and the modern-day explorer-character from Lee Shi-min’s Dangdai Dolls: The Great Doll of China series, the lead doll of the 12 vivacious young women from the Land of the Dolls, Vernal Village of Dangdai, Rainbow Forest, Valley of the Falls, Foothills of the Mountain of Heavenly Calls, upon her graceful black horse Nuo-nuo, has been described by art critics and observers as the Lara Croft of the East.

The diverse range of disciplines of the twelve Dangdai Dolls, all expert mountaineers, are as follows:

1. Dong-dong, Musician
2. Lan-lan, Carpenter
3. Qing-qing, Tailor
4. Fen-fen, Gardener
5. Huang-huang, Historian
6. Hong-hong, Artist
7. Dai-dai, Explorer
8. Xia-xia, Barber
9. Xing-xing, Doctor
10. Zi-zi, Architect
11. Yun-yun, Designer
12. Fei-fei, Chef

It is thought that each doll’s ascent of the mountain and subsequent journey is a metaphor for the euphoria experienced upon realization of a great achievement.

Chinese contemporary artist Lee Shi-min has announced an initiative to release a trinity of musical works he has termed Dances of the Dolls to accompany his Dangdai Dolls: The Great Doll of China series and characters. Following the successful release of his acclaimed Dollonaise No.1, March of the Dolls in the grand tradition of the Polish polonaise in July 2009 to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China, a Dollero after the Latin Spanish-Cuban bolero and Dolltz after the Austrian-German waltz are to be released in due course.

Chinese contemporary artist Lee Shi-min has released his March of the Dolls international anthem to commemorate and celebrate the 60th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China on 1 October 1949.

當代娃娃进行曲
Dāngdài Wáwa Jìnxíngqǔ

從北到南,
從東到西,
尋找中的當代娃娃,
在放開雙手歡迎你,
一個微笑,
一個大笑,
一切順利!

游走的當代娃娃有点瘋狂,
走過熱情的頂峄,
騎過波濤的雄風,
走過海浪,
越過沙堆石頭,
尋找最新的衣著潮流!

創意的風格程現,
觀眾的期望,
留深刻的印象,
優雅經典的設計,
流放無盡的意念!

當代娃娃要,
欣賞者繼續來,
看最新的創作,
想出的愛和情!

現在就坐下來,
放鬆地休息吧,
很高興有個貴賓,
同伴會議來證實,
當代娃娃真有福!

Pinyin Translation (with tone marks):

Dāngdài Wáwa Jìnxíngqǔ

Cōng bĕi dào nán,
Cōng dōng dào xī,
Xún zhăo zhòng dì dāngdài wáwa,
Zài fàngkāi shuāngshŏu huānyíng nĭ,
Yī gè wēi xiào,
Yī gè dà xiào,
Yī qiè shùn lì!

Yóu zŏu de dāngdài wáwa yŏu diăn fēngkuáng,
Zŏu guò rèqíng de dĭngyì,
Qí guò bōtāo de xióngfēng,
Zŏu guò hăilàng,
Yuè guò shāduī shítou,
Xún zhăo zuì xīn de yīzhuó cháoliú!

Chuàng yì de fēnggé chéngxiàn,
Guān zhòng de qīwàng,
Liú shēnkè de yìnxiàng,
Yōu yă jīng diăn de shèjì,
Liú fàng wú jìn de yì niàn!

Dāngdài wáwa yāo,
Xīn shăng zhĕ jì xùlái,
Kàn zuì xīn de chuàngzuò,
Xiăng chū de ài héqíng!

Xiànzài jiù zuò xialái,
Fàng sōng de xiūxi bā,
Hĕn gāo xìng yŏu gè guì bīn,
Tóngbàn huìyì lái zhèngshí,
Dāngdài wáwa zhēn yŏu fú!

Sentence Pronunciation (Beta)
游走的當代娃娃
從北到南從東到西尋找中的當代娃娃在放開雙手歡迎你一個微笑 一個大笑一切順利。 游走的當代娃娃有点瘋狂走過熱情的頂峄 騎過波濤的雄風走過海浪越過沙堆石頭尋找最新的衣著潮流。 創意的風格程現觀眾的期望留深刻的印象優雅經典的設計流放無盡的意念。 當代娃娃要欣賞者繼續來看最新的創作想出的愛和情。 現在就坐下來放鬆地休息吧很高興有個貴賓同伴會議來證實當代娃娃真有福。 

English Translation:

March of the Dolls

From north to south, east to west,
Dangdai Dolls are on a quest,
To welcome you with open arms,
A smile, a laugh, and all the best!

Dangdai Dolls march on possessed,
By passions to ride upon a crest,
Of waves, stones, sand-washed bones,
Always looking freshly dressed!

Inventions of style are so expressed,
That viewers desire and are impressed,
By the grace and elegance of designs,
Flowing from a fountain of minds!

Dangdai Dolls have one request:
Admirers visit and keep abreast,
Of latest creations to leave the nest,
Ideas alive with love and zest!

Sit and relax now, take a rest,
We’re pleased to have a special guest,
Company and conversation do attest:
Dangdai Dolls are truly blessed!

(July 2008)

The critically acclaimed art anthem dollonaise accompanies the twelve Dangdai Dolls: The Great Doll of China, based on the artist’s Dangdai serial works, in what some consider an underscoring of 30 years of China’s continuing reform and opening up policy initiated in December 1978.

Unlike the March of the Volunteers, China’s national anthem, the March of the Dolls is not a call to bear arms nor resistance against invading forces but an allegory for cross-cultural understanding, exchange and embrace, open-minded, tolerant, caring societies, and local, global and universal harmony.

Hua Koi Tie (2008) by Lee Shi-min

Hua Koi Tie is a strong, colourful, powerful work in celebration and respect of Tsang’s steadfast commitment, unwavering devotion and laudable stewardship of Hong Kong, an allegory of Tsang as a safe harbour for all, and a vibrant symbol representing his constant conviction and enduring dedication of over four decades of outstanding civil service at the auspicious, venerable age of 64 years — an appropriately impressive piece in honour of Tsang’s great contribution to the well-being, prosperity and development of the renowned port city.

In artistic terms, Hua Koi Tie is a fresh, innovative and original work of clarity and vision that draws upon both animist and secular imagery to realize an exemplary work of Chinese post-reunification art — a historically significant and important painting being the first and only modern visualization by a prominent contemporary artist of the leading living political head of China’s southern-most major coastal region.

Lee Shi-min on Donald Tsang
Tsang is a fine leader of stability, integrity and resiliency
Whose pivotal role in effecting the successful transfer of sovereignty of
Hong Kong to its Motherland, the People’s Republic of China,
A long-awaited reunion of father and son, is an undeniably great achievement.

Lee Shi-min
Chinese contemporary artist
(Beijing, January 2009)

[華錦呔] 獻給尊敬的行政長官曾蔭權

[華錦呔(2008) ] 油畫畫布 60 x 75 吋 ; 152.4 x 190.5 厘米。

中國當代藝術家李世民以當前香港特別行政區長官為題材，集合多種藍色并以各種動態的綠色波浪，構成576个與實物大小的煲呔，三十二種不同變化的錦鯉魚描繪成的剪影，均勻地編織成典雅的形象，十九朵大小不同的紫荊花，在畫布上任意自然地流動。

[華錦呔]
以燦爛的色彩表達對曾長官的尊敬及祝福，尊祟他在四十年的工作生涯上所表現的卓越，堅定和超凡才能， 於這港口繁榮發展中作出的巨大貢獻。

在藝術性上， [華錦呔]
這原作是集合清新，創意並清晰地表現如夢如幻的視覺效果，是中國後現代藝術的經典作品，更是一張給視覺藝術的突破創作，畫家不愧為後現代中國藝術的表表者。

畫家 李世民 :
” 曾是位有能力、穩重、廉正的好長官，
他在主權回歸祖國中成功擔任重要的角色。
香港回歸祖國，我們的中華人民共和國，
是父子期待已久的團聚，是一個不容置疑的巨大成就。”
李世民
中國當代藝術家
北京，二00九年一月

Dangdaier Logo

Further information may be found at the official Dangdaier website:
www.dangdaier.com