Children’s Art from Shandong, China on Display at Library
editor’s note: The art will be leaving this week. They are huge, colorful, originals and should be seen in person to be fully appreciated. Some of the photos below are close-ups of small sections of the work because of the size of the art.
by Anne Buckalew
On loan to the Manchester District Library from the Michigan 4-H Children’s Art Exchange project are several pieces of art created by Chinese students from Michigan 4-H’s partner province of Shandong, of the People’s Republic of China. One of the goals of this art exchange is to help children better understand and appreciate one another’s culture.
Displayed on the library’s main floor are modern and traditional paintings by children of Shandong between the ages of 4 and 12. Each titled piece has a short narrative about the depiction and how it is relevant to the artist’s life.
Next time you visit the Manchester District Library, take some time to contemplate these paintings. If you have children, invite them to talk about what they see in the paintings, what they feel when looking at the paintings, and discuss how the art shows that life in China is similar to life in the United States and how our lives differ. What is the artist “telling” the viewer with the painting? Do we need to speak the same language to communicate? Let your child explore these thoughts.
Art can provide a barrier free communication tool between languages and cultures. We hope that you make time to explore the impressive work of these children, and perhaps follow your library visit with some painting of your own.
Rescued Pandas by Li Yun Fan age 5, traditional Chinese brush painting showing two small pandas getting rides on helpful giraffes on a hot sunny day.
Vigilant by Li Ting, age 5, modern style Chinese painting showing a little girl happy because her families crops are being guarded through the night from small animals by owls.
Grandmother Makes Toys for Me by Zhangke, age 6, traditional and modern style Chinese brush painting showing a grandmother and all of the fabric toys she has made for her granddaughter.
Peace is a Mutual Language by Zhang Cao, age 7, modern style Chinese painting showing kindergarten children from 5 countries including the US putting on a play and in their own languages expressing their desire for world peace.
excerpt from Fragrance by Yu Yutao, age 5, traditional Chinese brush painting showing sweet smelling oleander blossoms, a common flower in Chengdu, the capital city of the province of Sichuan, home to all of these artists.
photo of Yu Yutao, male, age 5, artist who painted Fragrance (above)
excerpt of Peacock by Liang Shu, age 5, modern style Chinese painting showing a large peacock acting as a slide for children.
excerpt from Good Harvest, by Bai Yingshu, age 4, traditional Chinese brush painting showing a panda busy harvesting loquats, a sweet tasting fruit grown in China and given frequently as a gift.
excerpt from Rice Husking by Li Ji, age 12, modern style Chinese painting showing a traditional method of rice husking, the removal of the outer, inedible part of the rice. The father steps up and down on a long pole which has a hammer attached to it and pounds the rice inside a big hole and breaks the husk loose.
excerpt from Acrobatic Performance by Jiang Fen, age 8, traditional Chinese brush painting showing clown and animal acts performing for happy children.
another excerpt from Acrobatic Performance
Jiang Fen, male, age 8, artist who painted Acrobatic Performance (above)
excerpt of Watching Dragonflies by Chen Lishu, age 5, traditional Chinese brush painting showing a kitten who can’t sleep because of a playful dragonfly.
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