中 En
3:03
25 Years of Shared Radiance: A Contemporary Glass Art Exhibition
— Guan Donghai
From Liuli China Museum
Twenty-five years, one quarter of a century, have flown by in a blink of an eye.
In January of 2000, the Academy of Arts & Design at Tsinghua University took the lead in launching the contemporary Chinese glass art movement. It ignited the spark of something new and initiated creative development. As the saying goes, beginnings are the hardest. What was a godsend then, was the generous support from LIULIGONGFANG. With their sponsorship, a studio was built on the old campus of the Central Academy of Arts and Crafts. Maestros Chang Yi and Loretta H. Yang came to teach in person; Arnot (Lin Chih Ching) and Mr. Tseng (Tseng Chih Ming) were on hand for continued guidance. Though the conditions in those early years were extremely modest, the memories of working together remain vivid; we will never forget them.
During a lecture, Mr. Chang Yi once asked his students, “Think about it, how far will you go”? His voice still echoes in my ears. In the blink of an eye, we have come a quarter-century, and contemporary Chinese glass art has grown into a thriving scene. Along the way, many have embraced glass only to abandon it. Nevertheless, there are more and more young people who choose to devote themselves to their passion for glass these days. How far they will go in the future is no longer important! In the grand scheme, a life that has been enriched and made more radiant by glass, is already enough!
Over these two and a half dacades, I’ve lost count of the number of students I have taught. Like gold sifted from sand, those who persevere become true treasures. A great many of our graduates have continued their journey in glass after leaving Tsinghua some pursuing further study, others building or establishing studios of their own. Most of the artists in this exhibition are such nuggets of precious gold, forging the conditions for their work and further research through sheer tenacity. With an unquenchable flame within, they have forged and refined their art, achieving remarkable accomplishments.
Today, the glass studio at Tsinghua is far from what it once was. Equipped with advanced facilities for kiln casting, blowing, lampworking, decoration, and cold working, it is now fully modernized. The last hectic years have led to fewer exchanges with LIULIGONGFANG, but the road ahead for Chinese glass art is still long, with much more to be discovered. This exhibition offers a valuable opportunity for us all to explore the future of glass art together. We are deeply grateful to our colleagues at LIULIGONGFANG for their tremendous dedication to making this exhibition possible.
It is a deep sorrow to us that Mr. Chang Yi is no longer with us. We can only honour his memory through our works.
With profound remembrance and respect for Mr. Chang Yi！
Guan Donghai