Chinese Experience no. 7
Tayshang and Changchun Symposiums, Summer 2010

Last summer was a very busy one for me.ֲ  In July I was in Croatia and Macedonia and by the end of August, I flew to China to attend two Symposiums.
The first one was at Tayshang where I spent only several days

After leaving instructions for the building of my sculpture, Fowl

Constructing Fowl

I proceeded on to Changchun.ֲ  In Changchun, for the third time, I was commissioned to build two sculptures for the Automotive Park that was under construction.

I spent the first two days in the factory where my designs were translated into a CAD computer program that tells the cutting machine how to cut the iron parts of the two sculptures.

I had to wait more than 14 days for these iron parts to arrive so that we could start putting them together.ֲ  This was frustrating, but there was nothing I could do but wait.
At last the material arrived and we started to work.

The first sculpture was Natural Movement or Birds Car, made especially for the Automotive Park.
A silhouette of a car on four modern shaped wheels.ֲ  The work is built from two parallel shapes of a car, with an empty space in between them.ֲ  Four different birds, symbolizing the four races, are connecting the two parts of the car's sides.ֲ  All the elements ג€“ wheels, car silhouette and birds ג€“ symbolize two contrasting ideas: movement towards development, success and the liberating flight to heaven and infinity

The second sculpture was Rolling Birds

The composition shows five different types of birds resting on five wheels.ֲ  They represent the contrast between earth and heaven, and the desire for movement and flight. The two works were finished in about two weeks.ֲ  Now the exciting moment arrived.ֲ  The work was to be transported to the enormous Automotive Park

Before and after work I used to walk in a beautiful green park situated opposite our hotel.ֲ  This activity was always refreshing and interesting.ֲ  The park was always crowded with people, day and night, either walking or exercising, Tai Chi being one of the most popular form of exercise

The symposium was reaching its end and the organizers, workers and artists were very busy with the preparations.ֲ  At last the great day arrived.ֲ  All of us were excited.

The Group of Artists

We spent the last days walking through the huge park, taking photographs of other artist's sculptures.

Andrey Novicov, Russia	Catherine Lamacque, France
Chinese Sculptor	Chinese Sculptor
Barry Wonenberg, Northern Marianas	Chinese Sculptor

The time to say goodbye to new friends arrived. I was very happy to return home after such an interesting, long and challenging experience.
Dina Merhav
October 2010