Dinner with coworker Tang Wei after work
Jeremy
Shanghai upon the Sea
July 2, 2010
Saturday, July 24, 2010
Water Lilies: Summer in the City
When seeing water lilies, it signals the official arrival of summer. Water lilies blooms during summer.
Within the People’s Park, year after year, they are grown in the small ponds. This occasion, also displayed in small and huge planters, the water lily cultural festival is celebrated throughout
It’s always so exhilarating to see these charming beauties blooming ever silently in the middle of the ponds. They seem to regally stand tall amongst the large leaves, if not swaying along altogether when the wind starts blowing or the rain pounding on them.
Water lilies are especially more so the hot subject of Chinese arts, in paintings, poetry, dramas, religions and many others. At differently selected strategic locations, many professional or non-professional photographers or tourist passersby were aiming their cameras at their individual central focal points in search of their best of momentary memories.
Shown here, these are a few quick shots taken after visiting the Shanghai Gallery of Art, and when cutting through the People’s Park while on the way to see another art show at The Bund. These are a few glimpses of the very captivating beauties; they, I think, generally sum up the oozing beauty of water lilies. In days to come and before turning cooler and cold, they will bloom ever more. They are so beautiful.
Jeremy
Shanghai upon the Sea
July 18, 2010
Friday, July 23, 2010
记马来西亚画杰谢忝宋
谢忝宋，谢老师。亲切的谢佬。认识谢佬有许多年，我感到十分荣幸认识他。
2002年12月21日，一件荣幸的事情：联同几位好朋友协助谢佬于吉隆坡创价学会做《一生二、二生三：谢忝宋艺术回顾展》，并量身订做请柬：平面设计汲 取森森树木、百年树木的意象。将其中一个r英文字母镜相后结合处理，形成一棵独立的树木，表示枝桠纷繁的树木，一生二的孤立个体以及二生三的众多树木。也 有一个故意被颠覆的艺字，简单表示观众各以不同角度观看绘画艺术——谢佬以不同的艺术形式表达绘画。
展画须要策展，布展需要模型。联同谢佬和几位学生们一同测量了会展中心的空间尺寸，后化成微型模型，同时每一幅行将展出的画作也同样变成了微小模式。画作 因此得以在模型的虚拟墙上悬挂展出，表示实景状况。布展时刻，众多的义务员工按照模样，悬挂正式展出的真实画作。当天展会一楼的开幕典礼，人头攒动。
2007年4月17日，谢佬约了两位朋友到杭州做展览，回吉隆坡前经过上海我家小住并悠游两日。
谢忝宋。张句摄于2008年10月6日2010年5月5日下午吉隆坡，我又有幸得机会与谢佬碰面，并造访谢宅。那天下午，欣赏谢佬近期展览的画册，发现他的画作于中国传统水彩画色彩中贯注的现代西方绘画等等形式——其笔墨下的荷花、竹叶青、芭蕉或山水花鸟与诸如抽象、表现、拼贴、极简、超现实等画派水乳交融。热带雨林、胶园、芒草等各种散发南洋风情或东南亚环境的景象和元素，也任由谢佬惬意地挥洒不尽，余韵无穷。
上海初夏的一个夜晚，我再度翻看几本相关谢佬的画册。众多的绘画中不乏勇于尝试从一点到多点透视角度、色彩采样的重彩或轻描、电影蒙太奇的复制影像、百叶窗虚实相间的穿透视野、独立仰望苍穹的极度欲望、太极仙界窥探人间的疏离围合感、鱼眼浮现的鼓胀状态、昆虫复眼的扫描瞭望……画如其人，谢佬赏识的智慧，宽容的心态尽现其中，其不断变化的新理念、新形式抑或新方法与途径等，其真诚的做画态度及孜孜不倦的学习精神，令人感动至深。
观赏画册间无意中看到展览照片里的一幅画，从其中可以洞见绘画对儒释道的诠释。其它作品的意境犹如佛陀坐姿的肃穆、热带雨林的荫翳树林、放大数倍的透明荷叶、无止境辽阔的苍穹……再聚焦那些小巧可人的秧鸡——大小不一、成双形单、结队成群、依序排队、漩涡潮流、隐隐约约——是众生的化身？空间的粒子？抑或彩笔之随机而定？答案无言可喻，领悟尽在禅宗……虽由人作，宛若天成！
谢佬在于使用线条或线性形成绘画结构等基础元素，其效果会出现令人疑虑的讶异和成就的喜悦。他的画作不拘泥于传统水墨画的形式，局面时常轻松地借助了现代建筑设计的固有几何，包括现代建筑主义大行其道使用纯净玻璃的透明感，都可以直接转移到他画作有张力地绽现。
这些年来，谢佬陆续赠送予我画册，收藏共四开本，包含掌上尺寸的《重造自然》。这些画册的其中作品，个人挺喜爱的几幅包括《蓝色的韵律》、《顶天》、《树语》、《游于方外》、《任我行》，期间的浓郁禪味是我偏爱的意境。那是每一回与他见面时候他不变的举止行为，也是谢佬徜徉于自然的心境。还有洒脱发挥在画作上的蓝色和棕褐色：秀雅的蓝色似乎是但有别于青花瓷的蓝色、混沌的棕褐色应是泥土的原色但又呈现在天空甚至字里行间。
处于谢佬身边，可以感觉到一种来自内心的温馨祥和。和他聊天，总是和颜悦色，悠然的境界里从容不迫。听他说话，天南地北，无所不谈，娓娓道来。偶尔，我建议他在绘画里注入我认为的现代绘画形式，他会张大眼睛细细聆听，微微顿首。来来往往、似有似无的交流中，时常弥漫着心照不宣的默然感应。微妙关系，不言而喻；或者认识他的人们都曾经有过相似细腻微妙之感受。
曾经听过谢佬述说他名字的来源和意义；那个年代的称呼，充满神奇和意境。他的名字，活灵活现道家天人合一的理念。他也怀旧孩提，稻田的景物和胶园的景象，如今都是他绘画中表达的常见主题和真实依据。又看到一张合照：洁白头巾、天蓝套装的马来学童群体挤着胸前挂着圆玉坠的谢佬。他们一起对着镜头绽现笑容，竞相比对国际和平意义的手势，童趣十足，其乐无穷。
突然记不住时间确凿的那一年，仅是这几年以内的事件，谢佬送我一幅画。从珍藏书画等艺术作品的箱子，我又将那幅画取出，珍重地摊开来欣赏。工整并排的屋瓦相对黑白相间的对角墙体，配合墙体外界的六棵茁壮生长竹子；两只细致安逸的鸟儿被置于画面左下角，强烈地对比画面最上端掠过远处天空的纷飞鸟群——谢佬谆谆善教于我上海从事建筑时刻——画里表态的诚挚真情箴言，无遗地流露其隐喻内容。
祝福谢忝宋，深深地祝福谢佬。
张句Jeremy Tew
于上海2010年5月12日
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Dad and Mom’s Hard Days Work but Leisure As Well
These are some true stories of my mom and dad…
My dad and mom enjoyed their leisure moments after his hard day’s work and her day rounding up homemaking. Over the years, they built up their recreational hobbies revolving around sports, television shows, food, cars, music and gardening, etc.
After Dad’s laborious fish market activities usually beginning before dawn, he would occasionally round up all the children for a day of leisure trip to the island of Penang. There was much shopping for practical daily needs to do while visiting relatives residing in the island at the same time.
At the height of fruit season, dad would bring home bamboo crates full of durians, mangosteens, rambutans and many other tropical fruits. Gathering around the feast, there was always more than plenty to offer for all.
Like many who worked hard and saved to afford a little pampered extravagance, dad enjoyed cars very much. Over the years, he drove many different kinds of automobiles and usually sedans. Every now and then he would timely trade in for another new one. A part of his hobby, his leisure moment was reflected in the way he enjoyed watching international circuits that usually aired in the afternoon and before the arrival of colored televisions.
During Chinese New Years, we would have our very special way of recreations. We would gather around on the floor and play cards usually Blackjack. My dad being a skillful card player, he would always be the dealer. We would all get into endless rounds of high intensity uproarious thrills and joy of playing the card games.
Dad and mom kept birds, animals or fish at home as hobbies. Dad tended towards rearing dog while cats were rare at home. Dad could possibly have many dogs to keep; however, there was one that he had for many years. Dad had that very special dog the dog for many years and Ah Log was its name. The name could have been suggestive of an utterance from the term dog. Ah Log had always been a good dog for it knew its home and hardly strayed away. One day, Ah Log disappeared into nowhere and never returned. Dad had gone out for several consecutive days looking out for it all over. This was very apparent in how dad had Ah Log a very significant part of his life; later, he seldom had any other dogs for long.
As for mom being a homemaker all her life, she was able to do many different types of delicacies, desserts, cakes, drinks, etc. and in local, ethnic or Chinese flavors. Much anticipated for all during related traditional or festive celebrations, mom with her culinary skills would always deliver a table full of food or drinks, enough for all and that could possibly last for several days.
Mom also learned how to drive. Either mom or dad would drive us all to schools at different locations in town when we were in junior and high schools. It was always much anticipated to see either mom or dad at the gateway of the school picking us up while at that time many peers alike still had to rely on school buses or other means of transportation.
Though rarely seeing dad playing any kind of physical sports, on the other hand, mom was good in rowing boats and able to play tops and fly kites. Mom was able to make tops carving from a piece of wood; she was able to make kites as well. Dad and mom would only to join in briefly playing badminton and for participating interest to the moments. When we were small, dad bought us a ping pong table. Now recalling, the table seemed comparably larger at that time but we had great time playing for many years.
Dad and mom were sure buffs for Teochew or Caozhou Opera. Born in China, dad was from Caozhou, Guangdong; therefore, dad, likewise for mom, spoke Caozhou dialect. They had collected hundreds of black or red vinyl records, either imports from China or Hong Kong then. Years later, mom and dad also picked up trends while their children growing up listening to pops from Taiwan or Hong Kong.
Ever since having televisions from black and white to colored, they would watch all kinds of TV programming and in various languages such as Chinese, English, Indian, Malays as well as numerous other international productions. With few other entertainment, like many households in Malaysia largely relying on foreign productions, my parent was also captivated about following some hugely popular and successful Hong Kong TV serial production made in 1983, e.g. The Bund or Shanghai Tan. They would stay up real late to track episode after episode of dramatic plots. Like many who loved hilarious animations, my parent engagingly enjoyed watching the American comedy The Three Stooges and cartoon Tom and Jerry.
Gardening had always been a part of mom’s life. She tended to many types of cacti and nearly an equal garden area devoted to growing different species of roses. Orchids were something mom enjoyed all the time. Mom was also good at growing fruit tree such as rambutans, mango, guava, etc.
Guess it was because mom grew up in a village while she could keep chickens or ducks for special occasions. Mom was also good in rearing fishes. There was for quite sometime she reared those colorful parakeets.
All in all, it was seldom lacking whenever there was time proper for dad and mom to furnish the growing home with necessary recreational needs or activities.
Jeremy Tew
Shanghai upon the Sea
April 26, 2009; edited June 22, 2010
These are some true stories of my mom and dad…
My dad and mom enjoyed their leisure moments after his hard day’s work and her day rounding up homemaking. Over the years, they built up their recreational hobbies revolving around sports, television shows, food, cars, music and gardening, etc.
After Dad’s laborious fish market activities usually beginning before dawn, he would occasionally round up all the children for a day of leisure trip to the island of Penang. There was much shopping for practical daily needs to do while visiting relatives residing in the island at the same time.
At the height of fruit season, dad would bring home bamboo crates full of durians, mangosteens, rambutans and many other tropical fruits. Gathering around the feast, there was always more than plenty to offer for all.
Like many who worked hard and saved to afford a little pampered extravagance, dad enjoyed cars very much. Over the years, he drove many different kinds of automobiles and usually sedans. Every now and then he would timely trade in for another new one. A part of his hobby, his leisure moment was reflected in the way he enjoyed watching international circuits that usually aired in the afternoon and before the arrival of colored televisions.
During Chinese New Years, we would have our very special way of recreations. We would gather around on the floor and play cards usually Blackjack. My dad being a skillful card player, he would always be the dealer. We would all get into endless rounds of high intensity uproarious thrills and joy of playing the card games.
Dad and mom kept birds, animals or fish at home as hobbies. Dad tended towards rearing dog while cats were rare at home. Dad could possibly have many dogs to keep; however, there was one that he had for many years. Dad had that very special dog the dog for many years and Ah Log was its name. The name could have been suggestive of an utterance from the term dog. Ah Log had always been a good dog for it knew its home and hardly strayed away. One day, Ah Log disappeared into nowhere and never returned. Dad had gone out for several consecutive days looking out for it all over. This was very apparent in how dad had Ah Log a very significant part of his life; later, he seldom had any other dogs for long.
As for mom being a homemaker all her life, she was able to do many different types of delicacies, desserts, cakes, drinks, etc. and in local, ethnic or Chinese flavors. Much anticipated for all during related traditional or festive celebrations, mom with her culinary skills would always deliver a table full of food or drinks, enough for all and that could possibly last for several days.
Mom also learned how to drive. Either mom or dad would drive us all to schools at different locations in town when we were in junior and high schools. It was always much anticipated to see either mom or dad at the gateway of the school picking us up while at that time many peers alike still had to rely on school buses or other means of transportation.
Though rarely seeing dad playing any kind of physical sports, on the other hand, mom was good in rowing boats and able to play tops and fly kites. Mom was able to make tops carving from a piece of wood; she was able to make kites as well. Dad and mom would only to join in briefly playing badminton and for participating interest to the moments. When we were small, dad bought us a ping pong table. Now recalling, the table seemed comparably larger at that time but we had great time playing for many years.
Dad and mom were sure buffs for Teochew or Caozhou Opera. Born in China, dad was from Caozhou, Guangdong; therefore, dad, likewise for mom, spoke Caozhou dialect. They had collected hundreds of black or red vinyl records, either imports from China or Hong Kong then. Years later, mom and dad also picked up trends while their children growing up listening to pops from Taiwan or Hong Kong.
Ever since having televisions from black and white to colored, they would watch all kinds of TV programming and in various languages such as Chinese, English, Indian, Malays as well as numerous other international productions. With few other entertainment, like many households in Malaysia largely relying on foreign productions, my parent was also captivated about following some hugely popular and successful Hong Kong TV serial production made in 1983, e.g. The Bund or Shanghai Tan. They would stay up real late to track episode after episode of dramatic plots. Like many who loved hilarious animations, my parent engagingly enjoyed watching the American comedy The Three Stooges and cartoon Tom and Jerry.
Gardening had always been a part of mom’s life. She tended to many types of cacti and nearly an equal garden area devoted to growing different species of roses. Orchids were something mom enjoyed all the time. Mom was also good at growing fruit tree such as rambutans, mango, guava, etc.
Guess it was because mom grew up in a village while she could keep chickens or ducks for special occasions. Mom was also good in rearing fishes. There was for quite sometime she reared those colorful parakeets.
All in all, it was seldom lacking whenever there was time proper for dad and mom to furnish the growing home with necessary recreational needs or activities.
Jeremy Tew
Shanghai upon the Sea
April 26, 2009; edited June 22, 2010
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