- The Beverly Arts
San Gabriel, California, USA. 26th January, 2021. TV host Joey Zhou takes a dance class with Rex Li (Li Xinyu), President of "Xinyu Dance & Music Performing Arts Academy" as a part of his 'Pandemic Fitness Program' to help inspire others to get exercise while staying safe during the COVID-19 pandemic at the New Universe Entertainment Academy in San Gabriel, California. Joey Zhou started with warm up exercises and was soon learning dance moves for a Mongolian folk dance.
Mr. Li has served as the stage director and choreographer for large-scale performances, including classical, folk, contemporary, and Hakka folk dances. He has also been a judge at the Chinese American Association Dance Competition, an organization that has been working with the overseas Chinese community to pass on the art of Chinese dance.
This was Joey Zhou's first dance class with Mr. Li, and he was able to learn the steps very quickly. Mr. Li has over 100 dance students and teaches students of all ages. Many of his students have won trophies and some are on display at his dance studio. Joey Zhou looks forward to his next dance class as another way to stay in shape during the pandemic.
Last year, artist Guixun Xu introduced his "Inkstone Cultivation - 2020 New Painting and Calligraphy Selection". Guixun Xu is a Chinese calligrapher and ink painting artist and this new collection contains over 120 works of both calligraphy and ink paintings. All of the artwork was created by Xu in the year 2020, an extraordinary year. Xu said that one winter afternoon, he walked into his Guixun Xu Painting and Calligraphy Art Studio in Suzhou City, China, and became inspired to create the new collection. His desk and surroundings became covered in art materials and the fragrance of ink filled the room. Xu said that as he worked, he became pleased with his new creations for this collection, "This can be regarded as a special harvest in 2020!"
When asked what it was like creating a collection during this difficult year, Xu said that frankly the past year in 2020 was not so easy. The pandemic brought normal life and order to a halt, but at the same time, it also allowed people to think more about their lives. "These works are not only records, but also a kind of self-motivation," Xu said, "under the pandemic, the mobilization of the whole people, and art workers cannot be ignored." As an art worker, although you cannot go to the front line of the fight against the pandemic like medical staff, you can still use the way of art to condense the immortal spiritual power for the fight against the pandemic through creation. During that time, I stayed at home every day, doing a lot of creation and artwork. Some works felt inspiring to create, others unsatisfactory, so I repeated until I was satisfied.
After hearing about medical supply shortages, Xu wanted to donate the urgently needed medical gloves and masks to hospitals. But he ran across problems as to buy the materials and how to transport them. Xu contacted manufacturers in Suzhou to purchase medical supplies, and when the other party responded that they could not produce the corresponding amount of supplies in a short time, he contacted other manufacturers in other cities in the province. Through repeated communication and communication, Xu solved the material and transportation problems. Xu said that in the end, 50 barrels of disinfectant, 50 barrels of alcohol, and 10,000 pairs of medical gloves arrived at their destination smoothly.
Xu Guixun gave more than 380 calligraphy works of his own meticulous creation to the Suzhou Rescue Medical Team and the doctors on the front line of fighting the pandemic in Suzhou through the Suzhou Volunteer Association. In face, since 2006, Xu has embarked on the road of charity to help others and in that year, provided 120,000 teaching aids to the school in Jinsha, Guizhou. After that, people familiar with Xu knew that he was a enthusiastic and generous person. Since then he has donated to the Wenchuan earthquake in 2008, the Yushu earthquake in 2010, and the Yancheng tornado in 2018, and every major disaster in China.
"All these experiences are the source of inspiration for my artistic creation!" Xu said. "Living in this great era, as an artist, we have the responsibility and obligation to contribute our strength to the bright future of this country. You must have a heart of innocence, and artists must have the heart a child."
"The art of calligraphy and painting should serve the people. Be kind to others, be respectful and considerate, and persuade others to be kind." On the wall Xu's painting and calligraphy studio, a small calligraphy work "Remembering Kindness" highly reflects his philosophy of being an artist.
The art of calligraphy and painting must serve the people!
Xu believes that painting and calligraphy are works of art conveying truth, goodness and beauty, and conveying upward socialist core values are an important form for art workers to serve and inherit a wide range of traditional culture. He donates calligraphy and painting works to help inherit and popularize the art of calligraphy and painting.
Xu Guixun studied with Professor Chen Dayu in his early years, and then studied at the Central Academy of Fine Arts, under the tutelage of Professor Wang Yong. His paintings are very few, but his deep thinking and compassion are reflected in them. He took the painting "Pan Er Gui" as an example. In daily life, there are too many such scenes, especially in today's rapid urbanization. The back of the rural left-behind elderly often jumps into his mind. The combination of the real existence of art and the imagination of art space is an excellent alternative to art. "
Art creation must serve the public, and it is the responsibility and mission of contemporary art workers to maintain integrity and innovation. Xu said that the art of calligraphy and painting is the quintessence of the country and the core of Chinese culture, "This art is endless!"
Artist Jiannan Huang with International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach, IOC Vice President Yu Zaiqing at the IOC headquarters in Lausanne, Switzerland
At the beginning of 2020, the novel coronavirus broke out in China and later became a global epidemic. At the same time, the "Cheers for the Olympics" organizing committee was preparing for preparing for the "Cheers for the Olympics" New Year event in Lausanne, Switzerland at the International Olympic Committee (IOC) headquarters. Jiannan Huang, the General Consultant of Overseas Art was there to guide the artwork for the event. Hearing of the outbreak of the coronavirus, Huang, who has studied medicine, advised the committee members to take extra care to protect themselves and to obtain personal protective equipment (PPE) before returning home.
"Warm Winter" - Jiannan Huang
For many years, Huang has been committed to charity work. He has donated dozens of paintings in the name of public welfare, and even set up charity auctions and donations. When the pandemic broke out, he was even more generous. As the overseas art consultant for the "Cheers for the Olympics", Huang participated in the launch of the "Cheers for the Olympics - Permanent Love Action". He not only created art work related to the war against the epidemic, but also coordinated social forces to help fight it, including arranging donations of personal protective clothing, goggles, and masks to help those in need and experiencing shortages.
"Awaiting for the Gospel" - Jiannan Huang
Huang was born and raised in China and has created paintings such as "Awaiting the Gospel" and "Spring Flowers" to express his love for his motherland. As a blessing for the pandemic and Wuhan, Huang said he looks forward to the coming of light as expressed in his painting "Awaiting for the Gospel". He said that bats have been painted since ancient times, and the words "bats" and "fu" are homonyms for blessings. Huang hopes to encourage everyone for the coming of light in the pandemic and to send his blessings to all those in suffering.
"Spring Flowers" - Jiannan Huang
Huang has many years of experience in overseas art exchanges, and was hired as the "Cheers for the Olympics" Overseas Art General Consultant in May 2019 to participate in the art direction of "Cheers for the Olympics" overseas activities. In September of the same year, Thomas Bach, President of the International Olympic Committee, visited China, and personally met with Huang, and accepted his oil painting "Olympic Flowers" specially created for the 2022 Winter Olympics. Chairman Bach spoke highly of this painting and thanked him for his contribution to spreading the Olympic spirit.
Jiannan Huang and Thomas Bach, President of the International Olympic Committee with his gift painting called "Olympic Flowers"
Jiannan Huang is compassionate about art and advocating peace. He hopes to bring the Olympic spirit to more people through the "Cheering for the Olympics" project, and to use his personal actions to make more contributions to to the Olympics and his motherland.