from Guanlan
March 2nd- 24th 2015, I stayed Guanlan Printmaking Base in China, as an artist-in-residence.
2nd March Monday
I flied from Haneda to Hong Kong. It took about 5 hours. Actually yesterday it was really heavy wind, so some airplane were canceled or delayed. I worried about my flight. I got an email from Cathay Pacific in this morning. It said my flight will be delay.
Anyway I arrived Hong Kong international airport at about 5pm. I took a bus, then went to "Huang Gang custom". I finally passed the custom, then I went to the small coffee shop which stuff of the studio are waiting for me to pick up. But the coffee shop was already closed. I was really confused. I didn't have mobile phone, so I enter the small convenient store to barrow the telephone. I was be able to call to the organizer, then he called the stuffs. So finally I could meet the stuffs, a young women as an interpreter and a driver.
We reached the studio at about 8pm. Bowie, young woman showed me around my room and studio a little. I was surprised our guest rooms were historical building which were built 300 years ago. My room was also too big for me. Anyway I bought Tsingtao beers and some snacks at the convenient store next to the studio. I felt very tired, but one mosquito annoyed me a lot. It flied close to me for a long while. I could not have good sleep almost all night long.
3rd March Tuesday
I was still tired because I didn’t have a good sleep last night. I woke up at 7pm to take a breakfast. But I was not sure where I can eat it. I went outside, then I asked guard-man. A middle age woman looked like attendant brought me to the small canteen. I ate a coup of noodle and rice porridge. They were good.
I came back to my room. I asked an attendant to fix my room’s toilet because it didn’t flow immediately. When I ask something to Chinese people, it was better to write down by Chinese character. It’s true.
I went to the studio. I checked my internet connection. We could use Wi-Fi in the studio. I took a lunch with 2 women artists, Chinese and Garman, Wenjuan and Julia. I also met the organizer, Zhao, and Japanese woman artist Y-san and her student. The student said, (sorry I forgot her name), her father bought a few my big size works before. I remembered him, because she showed me a picture of us. Oh it’s a small world.
I spent the afternoon very lazy. I still couldn’t have a motivation to make new one. I just checked internet, Facebook or email. I went outside to take a walk. Actually Many visitors were walking around here to see traditional historical building or to see many ponds and flower garden. There were also huge strawberry field just next to the studio. Many Chinese visited to pick up the strawberries. It was really peaceful atmosphere.
I had a Skype with my wife for a short while after the dinner, then I returned my room early.
4th March Wednesday
Last night I slept well.
I felt vacantly also today. I don’t know why. I couldn’t concentrate to make new work. Although it was very good working condition for artist to make print in this studio. Many technical assistants are there. They will help to print a lot. I could use all art materials by free. I could have Chinese breakfast, lunch and dinner by free. I was just expected to work.
I took a lunch with Y-san and Zhao. The dished were almost nice, but too oily for me a little. Mr. Zhao kindly gave me “last emperor’s” postcards.
I tried to make test print. Haolun made new acid water for only me. I etched small copper plate, then print it by big press machine.
I took a dinner with Weujuan, Julia and Guo. Goo was a friendly.
I couldn’t have a good idea for new work yet. I bought beer and Chinese liquor, I drunk it them went to bed early also tonight.
5th March Thursday
I ate noodle as a breakfast as usual. I like rice vermicelli soup noodle very much. After that, I went to outside of the gate, took a walk just a few minutes. In side of the gate, we couldn’t feel the atmosphere of Chinese people’s daily routine. Peoples were not so many here. Some people took a motorbike which looked like a bicycle. I felt refresh a bit.
Bowie arranged for us to visit new printmaking museum. A driver brought Y-san and I to it, but it was closed today. We walk around the garden together, and took a few pictures of us. Then we came back to the studio soon.
I decided to start Viktor’s portrait. The idea sketch was not so good yet, but I start to etch finally. I barely took one step forward.
I went to canteen to take dinner, but it was empty today. Strange. I took a dinner with Viktor and his wife, so I asked Viktor why it was empty. Viktor asked waitress. She said it was a last day of the Chinese New Year Celebration week. And also full moon night from the first day of the New Year. People must celebrated with their family tonight. I understood we could often heard loudly sound of fire crackers near here. In the midnight, I heard the sound of the firework.
6th March Friday
I took a breakfast with Kiki & her friend Kiki. They had same English name. We talked about English name of Chinese People. I didn’t know how they got it. She said my class mate game me “Kiki”. People was given from English teacher, friends, co-worker or foreign artist, etc. For example, 亮 Liang →Leo, because of the similar sound. I was surprised their English name was a kind of nickname. That was almost same as my new series of work “friends”. I gave Chinese character name to my foreign friend. I gave 三願 to Megan.
I scratched the copper plate all day long. Actually my chair didn’t have a support for the back. I have a backache all the time. In the evening, I tried to print Viktor’s portrait. It was not so bad.
7th March Saturday
It was week end, so almost stuffs were off today. Only George worked in the studio.
I made Viktor’s portrait all day long. I almost finished it at the end of the day.
We, all guest artists went to the Chinese restaurant together in the evening. We had a small party with Chinese foods. We used round table like a Chinese style, but actually it was too big for us. We, except Viktor and Wenjuan, drunk Tsingtao beers. All dishes were very delicious, that made me happy. We talked a lot, had very nice time each other, I thought. There was Mahjong automatic table machine in our room. We just tried to play Mahjong. Wenjuan didn’t play it before, neither do Vikotor, Victor’s wife and Julia. Y-san and I have played it before, but we almost forget how to play. But we tried to play 3 times. It was very funny. I explained a lot about the rule. Finally Y-san won 2 times. It was very nice evening for me. I will never forget that.
8th March Sunday
On Sunday, a lot of people walk around near here. The studio was included in the large park of historical building area or strawberry field. Long time no see I saw such a crowed by the people. I felt Chinese people were more energetic than Japanese. I thought Japanese preferred to stay inside to take a rest on the weekend.
It was warmer than yesterday. The daytime also getting longer recently.
I worked all day long. I finished Viktor’s portrait. I will ask to George to print it 8 sheet for donation tomorrow. I started to make Bowie & Wenjuan’s portrait. Bowie’s portrait became too scary, so I should to make again or retouch it.
I felt nice today. My condition was best until today.
9th March Monday
Today was warm. The temperature was over 20. But it was cloudy also today. Every day was cloudy.
I just worked all day long. I could concentrate my work. I made new Bowie’s portrait by flower design. It was almost finished at the end of the day. I handed my small present work for Wenjuen, because she will leave here tomorrow. She also gave me her middle size work.
I heard singing of many frogs from the ponds on the way to home. A mosquito bothered me a lot at the midnight. I burned a mosquito coil inside of the net.
10th March Tuesday
After the lunch, Wenjuen left the studio. We said good-bye to her in front of the studio. The studio was getting empty. Viktor and Krasi will leave the day after tomorrow. Y-san also will leave 18th. After that, guest artists are only Julia and I.
I finished Bowie’s portrait at the end of today.
I had a good news after the dinner. I got an email from Varna. It said they invite me to the next competition as one of the jury, and my solo exhibition. I was really excited to join it. I will visit to Bulgaria at about the beginning of August.
11th March Wednesday
It was also cloudy, then small shower. I missed blue sky in Tokyo.
I asked George how to use exposer machine. I moved old small heater to the darkroom. It was hard to pick it up because of too heavy. I was afraid of my backache.
Viktor was busy to prepare to go to Hong Kong tomorrow. Krasi and he visit Hong Kong Art Basel. I didn’t have the information about it before I came here. So I got a visa which I could enter to China only one time. If I went out from China to go to Hong Kong now, I had to worry about it was hard to come back here again. Anyway I will drop in Hong Kong for one night on the way to Tokyo.
Viktor kindly gave me his middle size work which he made here. He said he finally succeeded to make mono-print last night. He showed me them, they were excellent black & white print. I asked Julia, “How is your work going?” She said,” I am pretty happy!”
12th March Thursday
It was coldest day until today. Cloudy and rain.
I checked how to return to Hong Kong on the website all day long. I got some information about famous galleries from Viktor before. I found cheap & maybe clean hotel. I wondered how long I should stay there.
Last night we couldn’t take a hot shower in the guest room. Y-san complained to attendant almost midnight, but she wasted for one hour to tell that. Thanks to her, we will take a hot shower tomorrow.
13th March Friday
We went to the Printmaking museum to join opening ceremony of the new exhibition. It took only 3 minutes by car. A lot of visitors, printmaking artists were still there. It was nice opening event. I met Hu who loved my work.
Mr. Hu, professor of the art university, came to my studio’s working room in the afternoon. I showed my some works for him. We talked a lot about Japanese artists who came here. I asked him, “Why do you know my work?” He said, “ Your work is in the studio.” I noticed my big size work hanged on the studio’s wall. I donated it at the last Guanlan Competition.
16th March Monday
My condition was not so good.
Viktor returned studio, then left hear after 2 hours later. It was getting empty. He bought coffee for me at Hong Kong. Krasi handed me some magazines about Hong Kong Art Basel. I thought these were useful when I drop to Hong Kong.
I ate a pieces of bread, but I didn’t have appetite so much. I was back to the residency earlier.
17th March Tuesday
My condition was getting better, but still tired a bit.
It was warm day today. I went to the canteen to eat a rice porridge in the morning. It was good for my weak stomach. I went outside to eat noodle for lunch at the small restaurant. It was popular noodle, ramen with roasted beef. It was not bad. I started to make Zhao’s portrait. I tried to draw the details of it by a lot of fine etching lines. I can finish it tomorrow.
I went back to my residency earlier also today.
18th March Wednesday
Really warm day. It was a little blue sky in the morning. It getting warmer recently.
Y-san almost finished her work. She already packed her baggage, because she will leave here tomorrow. So we had a kind of farewell party at the near the restaurant which we took a dinner together last time. Juria really wanted to try playing Mah-jong again. So we, Haolun, Kiki and I went there together. Haolun was an etching print supporter. He could play Mah-jong, but he didn’t speak English. Kiki was his close friend, she spoke English. We were a group for playing Mah-jong. Anyway we talked a lot, ate delicious Chinese dishes, drunk beers, and then played Mah-jong. Kiki supported Juria, so Juria won many times. It was a kind of beginner’s luck. I sang Teresa-Teng’s song,”Toki-no-nagare-ni..” by myself. I satisfied very much.
19th March Thursday
It was really hot day. The temperature maybe reached 30 degree. I took a lunch at the noodle shop as usual. I sweated a lot. Unfortunately I didn’t bring even T-shirts. But I couldn’t find the cloth shop near here.
I checked Teresa-Teng’s song on u-tube for a long while. I didn’t hurry to make new work. I thought I was in really fantastic environment now. I could concentrate to my work. There was big great studio. Many stuffs and printers were there. They could support me a lot. I was a guest. I was a guest. That was perfect! I had to appreciate to everything.
I had a good idea of design of Juria’s portrait.
Y-san left here in the afternoon.
20th March Friday.
It was hot day. I ate rice porridge at the canteen as usual in the morning. And then I sweated a lot. I asked Leo where I could buy T-shirt. It took 15 minutes by walk to reach the small cloth shop. I already soaked under the strong sun. I bought 15 Yuan T-shirt.
Today was Friday. I still had 3days for working, but tomorrow and day after tomorrow staff will be off. So I had to put my signature on my donation works today. Although they were not dry yet. I had finished 4 small portraits. Not enough!
We had to donate a little our edition print to Guanlan. But superior assistant printer printed all donation works instead of me. Their printing technique were good. I always asked George to print my work. He seemed a leader of etching area, and understood English. So we were getting closer a bit recently. We took a picture of us. Leo, George and Haolun. We could become friend easy, right.
I started Julia’s portrait. I decided to use mezzotint technique for it. I borrowed locker from Leo. I made a mezzotint surface on the copper by locker all day long. I thought this situation was perfect. I cloud just concentrate to make my work. I didn’t need to think about other annoying things. There was big studio beside me. Many printer supported me and printed my work. I felt pretty happy.
21st March Saturday
In the studio, artist were Julia and me, printer were 2 person. Very empty.
Julia and I went to the Chinese restaurant to take a dinner together. We talked a lot. She complained that translator was not in the studio today. She started work here one month ago, but she still couldn’t control the lithograph machine or other equipment well. Because she always try to make new work, new technique. She was a challenger.
On the way to my guest room, I found a lot of frog’s pink eggs everywhere in the pond. And then I saw a lot of tadpoles! I remembered Julia saw a lot of frogs copulating beside of the pond one month ago.
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22nd March Sunday
It was almost last working day. I will leave here tomorrow morning.
I worried if I could finish Juria’s portrait. But at the second test print, it looked very good.
I printed it 8 sheets for donation, one sheet for Julia. And then I printed all 5 portraits into the one sheet. Finally I finished all of my work. I felt really tired. I was always exhausted when I finished all my work. Maybe I could not move well tomorrow.
I cleaned my studio room. Julia gave me her 2 sheets of works. They were very nice. I will give her portrait work to her tomorrow.