Re-Ascending the Great Wall of China - Master Yun's Opening Speech

Master Yun created two “firsts” on the Great Wall of China. In December 2020, amidst the global pandemic's gloom, Master Yun held a unique art exhibition on this ancient world wonder, marking the first-ever painting exhibition on the Great Wall. Three years later, on 19 October 2023, with autumn in full swing, Master Yun once again met the world on the Simatai section of the Great Wall, this time with a calligraphy art form, marking another “first” – the first calligraphy exhibition in the 3500-year history of the Great Wall.

During the opening ceremony of the fengshui calligraphy exhibition, Master Yun, in his speech, used the profundity of Chinese characters as a starting point to explore the fundamental differences between calligraphy and painting. The pictographic nature of Chinese characters endows calligraphy with a deeper meaning. It is not only a visual art but also a representation of time-based art. Calligraphy works must be created in sequence and appreciated in a certain order, much like an irreversible performance.
 
In Master Yun's eyes, “the first time” is not just a moment; it represents innovation and creativity, the inheritance and rejuvenation of history. Holding an art exhibition on the Great Wall, an ancient military defence structure, Master Yun advocates for a cultural revival, infusing this “Yellow Dragon” with new vitality and transforming it into a bridge for global artistic and cultural exchange.

At Master Yun's calligraphy exhibition, all 69 works featured the characters for dragon and phoenix, not just for their symbolic meanings in fengshui. In Master Yun's view, the dragon and the phoenix represent extraordinary human spirit – the pursuit of excellence, courage, strength, great benevolence and love. Under his brush, the dragon and phoenix are not just mythical creatures in Chinese culture but symbols of leadership and hope.
 
It is this spirit of the dragon and phoenix that ensures that no matter how deep the night, no threat or destruction can bring us down. The light of hope and the joy of victory will repeatedly dispel the darkness and usher in the light, guided by the dragon and phoenix.
 
In Master Yun's blessings, we not only feel an artist's wishes for a beautiful life but also a powerful force – the positive energy of heaven, earth, and humanity, and the inner strength of the dragon and phoenix. With his art and wisdom, Master Yun continues the cultural legend on the Great Wall, a land that has witnessed history.
 
And when Master Yun concluded his speech with 'À votre santé' (a toast in French), it was undoubtedly a toast to all fellow pursuers of art, culture, and excellence – a toast to victory.
 
 
~~ Gibson (Translated)
 
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Prosperity with Elegance, Lotus on Water.
 

The Value of Art - Quality

How do the experts at Sotheby's define quality? Is it assessed by intuition or calculated through a formula? The method of appraising art varies with its category. Some artworks are evaluated based on craftsmanship, while others are judged on technical innovation or their ability to withstand the test of time.

Ian Kelleher of Sotheby's Auction House believes that all three points mentioned above are likely key to assessing quality.

 

He gives an example: The engine produced by Ferrari in 1929 is a spectacular demonstration just from its appearance. A beautiful Alfa Romeo 230 to 290, these cars were manufactured in the mid-1920s and endured races for up to 15 years after production. You wouldn't consider it just a racing car. What you see is a vehicle with about 180 horsepower that can exceed 100 miles per hour, a quality that can last a lifetime, and these cars are rarely resold.

 

Other experts also expressed their views:

 

Quality is the inherent merit of a piece of art.

 

Sometimes quality is just the skill of the artist.

 

Quality is the technical innovation in the work.

 

Can you take a closer look? Does it withstand scrutiny?

 

It's a special piece of art, a unique piece of art, an irreplaceable piece of art.

 

Quality might be something very simple, like a line, the way a person's back is drawn, or the thick texture on the surface of an oil painting.

 

A truly timeless work may be due to its evergreen beauty.

 

To practice fengshui, one must use the best quality, which has been one of Master Yun's principles since the establishment of Lotus on Water.

Julian Dawes, the co-head of Impressionist and Modern Art at Sotheby's New York, says that collectors and experts have seen many masterpieces. When they see different artworks, I mean very special artworks, that's when the true value of the artwork really takes off. But I think for us, and perhaps for collectors, quality is an intuitive feeling, perhaps the most subjective criterion of assessment.

 

Even facing such subjective criteria, I believe that placing Master Yun's fengshui art before you, you wouldn't question its quality. The golden visual effect, the shimmering brilliant colours, whether day or night, Master Yun's fengshui art always gives a sense of rich and elegant celebration. This 'expensive' quality impression is not an illusion but built up by Master Yun using top-quality materials, genuinely rich and elegant.

 

From Dongba paper, real gold and silver, products from Chinese pigment master Qiu Qingnian, gamboge gifted by the Cambodian royal family, Laurent-Perrier champagne, to specially made silk, etc., which one isn't a guarantee of quality? Which one isn't of the highest quality level? You already have a clear answer in your mind.

 

Master Yun says that to practice fengshui, one must use the best quality, which has been one of his principles since he founded Lotus on Water.

 

 

~~ Gibson (Translated)

 

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Prosperity with Elegance, Lotus on Water.

 

The Value of Art - Medium

Simon Stock, an expert in Impressionist and Modern Art at Sotheby's, says that when they evaluate a piece of art, they must understand the medium used to create it. 

Sotheby's also admits that their experts always check the medium of the artwork before appraising it. Although materials often have an unwritten hierarchy, such as canvases for oil paintings and marble for sculptures, some artists' ideas might be better expressed in other ways, like pastel drawings on paper.

 

Experts also believe that more and more artists are using creative and innovative media for painting, and the medium is an ever-changing factor. Different mediums are used in different parts of the world at different times. You can paint on canvas, on various metals, on stone, and almost any material.

 

Yessica Marks, the head of European Prints at Sotheby's, cites that in printmaking, common major techniques include lithography, screen printing, and intaglio, each producing completely different effects. Therefore, it ultimately depends on the effect the artist wants to achieve, such as Marc Chagall using lithography for his fluid brushstrokes.

Master Yun's fengshui art is both diverse and subversive in its choice of medium

Some artists' ideas actually translate better in other media, which is why Jean-Michel Basquiat's works on paper and on canvas are equally outstanding, and this is reflected in the prices of his works.

 

Julian Dawes, the co-head of Impressionist and Modern Art at Sotheby's New York, says there's a certain connection between sketches and works on paper, which you might think are conceived for oil paintings. For some artists, this is true, but for many, it's not. Edgar Degas is a perfect example, especially when using pastels and charcoal on paper, which is why Degas' works stand out.

 

He says that Degas' dynamics presented in pastels on paper are often better than those in oil, making them more valuable. People also realise that this is Degas' strength.

 

When I watched this episode, I felt that if all the examples the experts mentioned were replaced with Master Yun's fengshui art, there would be no sense of inconsistency.

 

Master Yun's fengshui art is both diverse and subversive in its choice of medium. Whether it's on millennia-enduring Dongba paper or on specially designed silk by French haute couture designer Eric Raisina, Master Yun's layering of champagne splashes, organic pigments, real gold and silver, acrylic paints, etc., is like a grand celebration of art, vividly displaying the spirit of celebration.

 

Just as Degas' quick sketches are more valuable than his oil paintings due to their unique presence, Master Yun's fengshui art also meets this criterion of value, even surpassing it.

 

It's not hard to understand why the medium becomes a focus in art appraisal. What surprises will the artist bring through the creativity of the medium? And will this surprise stand the test of time? And this test is not only physical but also metaphysical.

 

Master Yun's fengshui art creates multidimensional art through the use of rich mediums. Different angles, different times, different places, different people will see different images. This is also the most fascinating aspect of fengshui art.

 

 

~~ Gibson (Translated)

 

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Prosperity with Elegance, Lotus on Water.

 

The Value of Art - Subject Matter

Michael Macaulay, the head of Sotheby's Contemporary Art Evening Auction in New York, says that the greatness of contemporary art lies in its ability to challenge, and collectors are willing to “embrace” the “challenges” posed by artists. When I talk to people in life who don't like contemporary art, what they're really saying is that they just don't like the subjects of contemporary art.
 
When I heard this, I didn't quite understand the scope of contemporary art, but I'm willing to interpret the challenges referred to by Michael Macaulay as a dialogue between the content of the works and the times, which could be narratives, discourses, satire, or even protest. And collectors are happy to pay for these “stances”.
 
In contrast to this view, the example cited by Long Meixian, the vice-chairman of Sotheby's Chinese Art Department, is more pertinent to our main point of discussion. He says that Chinese people like peaches because they symbolize longevity, or some kind of fruit with many seeds, symbolising many descendants.
 
Qiu Guoshi, the international head of Sotheby's Chinese Art Department, says nothing beats the design of the dragon. It's a symbol of the emperor, a symbol of power, and it immediately gives off a high-end impression.
 

Master Yun's fengshui art’s theme is celebrationism.

The video actually mentioned many examples of Western art, which I won't list one by one, but these Western arts almost all have one thing in common: they are very critical. This is what I understand as the “challenge” referred to by Michael Macaulay. Compared to the examples of Chinese art mentioned in the video, the artistic view of the Chinese society seems to lean more towards beauty, even aspiring to a beautiful life.
 
Master Yun, in his discussion with his students about General History of China, mentioned that a nation's narrative method can affect the entire nation's way of thinking. For example, in the ancient flood event, the Chinese narrative is the very motivational Great Yu Controls the Waters, while the Western narrative often sees it as a punishment from heaven.
 
Therefore, in dealing with problems, the West tends to look for a “culprit” first, while Asian societies, especially China, focus more on exploring solutions. This contrast is also subtly shown in art, with the West's criticism contrasting strongly with the East's aspiration towards beauty.
 

Master Yun's fengshui art theme is not just aspiring towards beauty but also celebrating all the good in your life

 
What, then, is the theme of Master Yun's fengshui art? Many people would immediately answer “fengshui”.
 
It's not wrong to say fengshui, but personally, I think celebrationism is a more fitting theme for fengshui art. Why do I say this? I've introduced before that the core spirit of Master Yun's fengshui art is celebratory because all the good things in life are worth celebrating. Therefore, the aura exuded by fengshui art is one of anticipation, exhilaration, and joy.
 
Thus, the theme of Master Yun's fengshui art is not only aspiring towards beauty but also celebrating all the good in your life.
 
 
~~ Gibson (Translated)
 
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The Value of Art – Fashion

Contemporary art expert Meredith Kirk cites a great painting created by Andy Warhol in 1963, akin to a Chanel suit, as being timeless.

Experts at Sotheby's say that some works transcend their era; some quickly fall out of favour, while others may take a generation to be appreciated. Everyone tries to bet on who will emerge next, but how can you know?

 

Not long ago, dynamic pictures of sports, like those of dogs, horses, and hunting scenes, were very popular, but they have since cooled off. However, the horse paintings by equestrian artist George Stubbs remain in demand because Stubbs is a great artist.

 

Fashion is important to experts at Sotheby's, so they follow it closely, as the art market has a place for trends and fashion, as well as for works that stand the test of time.

 

When we talk about fashion, many people initially think it's only about dressing up or seeking attention, but in art, fashion, as I've understood from my years of interviewing, is easier to comprehend if interpreted as “trend”. However, since trend isn't the entirety of fashion, this episode will be divided into two parts.

Master Yun's fengshui art leads today's fengshui trend. This isn't self-praise but a fact.

The first part is about the trends in fashion, meaning the more variable tendencies of the wind, like the popularity of surrealism in this era. Works in this style command better prices due to their market value, making this type of fashion more understandable.

 

The second part is about fashion where the artist or artwork is the source of fashion, like Chanel's classic suit, timeless since its design in 1950. This is also a characteristic of Master Yun's fengshui art.

 

In a world of black and white calligraphy and painting, the colourful fengshui art is a breath of fresh air. As mentioned before, Master Yun's fengshui art has a high degree of recognizability. Its unique presentation reminds one of Master Yun, and its intriguing nature withstands long periods of contemplation, often revealing surprises, thus remaining timeless.

 

Therefore, I say, Master Yun's fengshui art leads today's fengshui trend, not out of self-praise, but as a matter of fact.

 

~~ Gibson (Translated)

 

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富贵华丽，云龙子旺财馆。

Prosperity with Elegance, Lotus on Water.