Monday 27 July 2015

Exhibition 23rd July...

The Exhibition was a great success as a result of all the hard work. I would like to thank Lilly and Yuping for all their help in the office and with setting up the show and the PV.  A thank you to Ziggy for his support, friendship and conversation. Also to May and Ineke for choosing me to come to CEAC and for their excellent support and of course. 

A big thank you too, to Professor Qin whom has kindly agreed to write a exhibition essay, which I am very excited about. 

Many people came to the show and there were lots of interesting conversation about the work, which was very useful for me in further understanding what the work means and its effect.

Lastly I would like to thank my great wife Dina, whom is an amazing person and is my brick. 

Enjoy the Photographs...

 










Saturday 18 July 2015

Dina's New Dresses...

What can make woman's mood just excellent? There is many things of course and one of them is a new fine dress.... So I've got two new ones. We found an amazing tailor in the Xiamen fabric market who made amazing dresses just in 10 days time and only for 360 yuan for both (+ fabric about 250 yuan) about 50 pounds for 2. So now I'm very excited and can't wait to wear them out. Contacts of the tailor (can't speak English): 禾祥西路古龙商城二楼686-2号, tel: 18965849260.

Что   Может можешь поднять женщине настроение? Конечно многое, но среди этого многого есть одна очень приятная вещь- новое платье! Я обзавелась сразу двумя! Мы нашли портного на рынке тканей в Сямыне и всего через 10 дней у меня появилось два прекрасных платьишка и всего за 360 юаней (+ ткань около 250 юаней). Так что теперь я не могу дождаться повода чтобы в них нарядиться:)

Dina

The fabric market has so many different beautiful fabric patterns and materials, and we spent some nice time choosing the perfect ones so Dina could get two traditional Chinese dresses made. One with a Chinese style pattern and the other with dragons! I was so Jealous that I also decided to get two traditional shirts made which I will pick up on 27th July... Here are some Pictures of the lovely Dina in her new Dresses...

James











Thursday 16 July 2015

Easing Back Problems in Xiamen...

Today the long struggle with my back pain came to its end. Believe it or not but few hours in a company of manual therapist Mr. Lee Xifeng can have amazing results. Also after the treatment the doctor in collaboration with his wife Helen, who is aromatherapist, gave me a massage named "Aroma touch" afterwards I felt as if I can fly... They use knowledge of western osteopathy, aroma therapy and Chinese point massage. It was great to meet this people, who told me a lots about how our bodies work from both, Western and Chinese, perspectives and they are just very good, warmhearted people. Helen can speak perfect English, so if you have problem with your back, or bones, or just don't sleep very well pay them a visit to them in Xiamen
 

Helens phone: 13505008653 and wechat: redbarley



Sunday 12 July 2015

Weekend in Quanzhou




We were very lucky to be invited by mutual friends to visit and stay in an ancient town called Quanzhou which is close to Xiamen. Our host were Linlin who teaches at Xiamen University and  her friend Helen, we were also travelling with Stephen a sound and multimedia Artist from Baltimore, USA.

Some information about Quanzhou,

Quanzhou was established in 718 during the Tang Dynasty (618–907). In those days, Guangzhou was China's greatest seaport. During the Song Dynasty (960–1279) and Yuan Dynasty (1279–1368), Quanzhou was one of the world's largest seaports, hosting a large community of foreign-born inhabitants from across the Eurasian world. Today, a number of relics related to that era are preserved and exhibited in the Quanzhou Overseas Relations Museum

Due to its reputation, Quanzhou has been called the starting point of the Maritime Silk Road. From the Arabic name of the city, Zayton زيتون (alternately spelt Zaitun or Zaytun), the word satin would be coined. Zayton is also the word for olive and the symbol of peace in the Arabic and Persian languages. Quanzhou may have been given this title by the Muslims in honour of fact that it was a cultural melting pot at the time due to the trade culture.

In The Travels of Marco Polo, Quanzhou (called Zayton, T'swan-Chau, or Chin-Cheu) was listed as the departure point for Marco Polo's expedition to escort the 17-year-old Mongol princess bride Kököchin to her new husband in the Mongol Ilkhanate.

Quanzhou is an amazing historical city. There are areas with very old dwellings and temples that are over a thousand years old...We visited different areas, A Budhist temple with famous towers, an Ancient Muslim Mosque (as there were Arabic people here during the great silk road period), we also went to a very nice Tea house and had food in two amazing vegetarian (all you can eat) restaurants. On Saturday night we saw a puppet show...as this area is famous area for puppetry. The next day we visited some puppet makers and I brought an amazing puppet head of The Monkey King, from the story Journey to the West. That I saw as a TV series as a kid, and that I am making a video work about...

Linlin, her son and Helen are such wonderful and friendly people to be around, and made us feel very at home and we felt lucky to see this special Chinese Region through their eyes, as they grew up here. Stephen is also great to be around and is a very good conversationalist. So we thank them all very much...















Thursday 9 July 2015

Pictures and highlights from the last coulple of weeks...

 Malevich Chilling
 Dina Eating one of her many fish dishes
 A Buddha I thought my mum would like to see..
 Good Good Eat
 Malevich Chiiling 2
 I Love Kiosks
 Giant Big Bird Cage in a Restaurant
Mango Miemie Bing

 Gate to the Old Harbour
 A New Shop Opening
 A lovely Bike

 The Two Skyscrpers on the Beach
 Dude Playing Chinese Violin
 Great Soup Restaurant Near Painting Village



 All the Menu's Confuse Me
A Truck Full of Stuff