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Recently opened in the Friends Gallery at Kendal is an
exhibit by Chinese artist, Jingfei Li, titled “Beyond the
Walls…Dian-style Kites and Oil Paintings.” Jingfei is particularly
aware of what kites have meant in Chinese culture through many
centuries.
In traditional Chinese civilization, women were not allowed to
travel freely. This, of course, left them with a strong desire to
discover what was out there in that large and unknown world. They
started creating kites as a way to express this wish to see beyond
the walls of their enclosed homes, a way to let their imaginations
fly free. On top of the thick walls that surrounded these houses,
and therefore blocked the outside world, were earthenware tiles
called wa. Each wa’s front section included a ceramic representation
of an animal. This design is called wadang. Some of the oil
paintings you see in this exhibit are Jingfei’s interpretations of
traditional wadang. Others are views of that world out there beyond
the walls.
Born in the town of Kunming , China , as a teenager, Li had the
opportunity to study with one of the few remaining Yunnan-style kite
makers. Yunnan kites are well known for their unique design.
Twenty-five of China ’s fifty-six recognized ethnic minority groups
reside in Yunnan Province . Using a variety of techniques, the
typical Yunnan kite is built up, layer upon layer, and the finished
product is seen as representing a unique cultural expression of
freedom which contrasts with existing repressive social structures.
Li has developed her own innovative creative processes through many
years of experimenting. Her art is a fusion of two traditions:
painting and kite making. This art form is combined in a powerful
form of expression through the beautiful and intricate kites she
produces.
Jingfei explains, “Three years ago, I chose wadang as my main focus
of painting because wadang is unique to Chinese history and culture,
as is Dian-style kite making. This exhibit is my attempt to bring
together the kite-making traditions of Yunnan with the painting
methods of the West, thus creating a bridge between two different
sides of our world.”
Jingfei Li is in this country as a resident artist at the Institute
for Chinese Studies at Ohio State University . This unique show
brings a rich, vibrant excitement to the gallery. The exhibit will
remain through November 16, 2009. The Friends Gallery is located at
Kendal at Oberlin ~ 600 Kendal Drive ~ Oberlin , Ohio .
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