Li Baofeng was apprehensive when she started her Phoenix
paper-cut art center two years ago.
She was 33 and had a big family to take care -- her husband,
son, parents-in-law and her own parents.
She wondered if she could handle the challenge, and if her
family would accept the new situation.
Now, two years later, her company has grown into one of the
well-known producers of paper cuts in China, and some countries in
Southeast Asia have begun placing orders for her products. She
herself has been invited to demonstrate the art of
paper-cutting.
"I dream that one day my paper-cuts will travel around the
world. And I am confident that there is a bright future for the
traditional folk arts, as the market is so promising," said Li at
the ongoing second China Changchun Folk Art Expo.
The expo, with the aim of helping bridge the gap between folk
art and market, opened on Thursday in Changchun, capital of
northeast China's Jilin Province, and is on for one week. Folk
artists, dealers and visitors from around the country crowded into
the two-kilometer-long, 15-meter-wide, exhibition street.
"Folk artists create their works due in large part out of
personal interest, and they had no idea about how to market their
works. This to some extent hinders the continuance and
popularization of these arts," said Yin Lilong, a senior official
from Changchun municipal government.
"It is urgent to bridge the gap between our rich folk art forms
and the booming cultural product market to meet customers' demand,"
said Yin.
With the rapid speed of globalization and modernization, Chinese
folk culture is being impacted on all sides by western culture,
said Zhang Shouzhi, vice-chairman of the Jilin Folk Artists'
Association.
"I think that popularizing our folk arts, which are endangered
by the influx of Western art forms, will help protect them," Zhang
added.
Further than this, systematically marketing folk arts will also
help breathe fresh life into them and push forward their
development and diversity, according to Wang Chunxin, a professor
from a local art institution.
"The old folk arts tend to stick to their centuries-old designs
and inspiration due to limited vision and technology.
Take paper cutting as an example, its subject matter is confined
largely to animals and heroes of ancient historical stories. Entry
into the market will force them to renovate and develop the old art
forms if they are to become competitive," said Wang.
He Qinhong, another famous paper-cut artist in Changchun, could
not afford to take part in the exhibition, as he didn't have enough
money for a booth.
"I am good at cutting traditional figures such as animals and
heroes. But people are too familiar with them and have no desire to
buy," said He, also a farmer. "It is time to change now."
Experts say the government should give folk-art more help and
support, and that intellectuals should get actively involved in the
project.
(China Daily September 1, 2003)