Xintiandi Festival features Turkish marbling
Print Edition
SHANGHAI art lovers will soon have the opportunity to see Turkish artist Garip Ay’s recreation of Van Gogh’s painting on the surface of water during the 2017 Xintiandi Festival from May 25 to June 3.
A video gone viral online shows Ay starting his creative process by mixing black dye and carrageenan, a thickening agent, into a bowl of water.
He then adds various oil colors and uses a metal rod to manipulate the paint into Van Gogh’s “Starry Night,” using the ancient Turkish skill of Ebru, or marbling.
Once the piece is completed, he just swirls it away with the rod and starts from scratch on one of the Dutch artist’s best-known self-portraits.
What Ay uses is the ancient Ebru technique — which involves putting paint on water and then transferring the image to paper — and the outcome is impressive.
“We saw the video and were shocked by the great techniques he uses to make art, so we tried everything to reach the artist and here he will showcase this amazing work to Shanghai audiences,” says Crystal D, the art director of the 2nd Xintiandi Festival.
This time in Shanghai, Ay will not only do live performances creating his signature work of “Starry Night” and the artist’s self-portrait, but also another master piece “Sunflower.” Young Chinese artist Jing Yin will play background music to create a multi-layer artistic vibe.
As an inheritor of the Turkish traditional art Ebru, descried as painting on water, Ay revives the traditional Islamic art form with a contemporary touch, and has been invited to hold many exhibitions and seminars around the world.
The nature of Ebru means every design is unique.
People and nature is the theme of this festival which aims to increase public awareness of environmental protection. Giant Fish, an environmental installation by UK artist Ewan Allinson, will be shown by the Taiping Lake.
To encourage people to protect water resources and the environment, Allinson will create his work using plastic bottles, a major pollutant of the world’s seas and oceans, with the help of locals and festival volunteers.
The idea of Giant Fish stems from Fish of Banpo, a human-faced fish decorated bowl from the Yellow River Valley.
In Yangshao Culture, dating to 5,000-300 BC, the fish-and-net design not only represents fishing, but also prosperity and good fortune. Carp has an important place in Chinese culture as prosperous and safe.
As a sculptor, he has over recent years created public sculptures which have involved local people and which reflect their location.
During the 10-day festival, 16 works by artists from nine countries, such as China, the UK, France and Poland, will be shown at over 170 performances and events, such as audio-visual shows, concerts, mime, cafe plays and street performances in tent theater, cafes, bars, restaurants, museums and squares.
Many shows are free, such as “Environmental Dance: Bridge,” “Cafe Play: Listen•Reunion,” creative pingtan “Gao Bowen Storytelling: Blossoms” and “Environmental Magic Show: Paul Dabek’s Magic Show.”
Highlights of this year also include experimental Kunqu Opera, interactive Peking Opera and other performances highlighting China’s culture.
The festival is curated by “Edinburgh Fringe Showcase,” an award-winning arts festival curating team and co-organized by the Publicity Department of Huangpu District, and Shanghai Xintiandi.
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