2012 - From Lausanne to Beijing, 7th International Fiber Art Biennale
Return and Transcendence
From Lausanne to Beijing, 7th International Fiber Art Biennale Catalogue
Return and Transcendence
The origin of fiber art is a line, but then they break new ground.
This line stretched across thousands of years of Chinese civilization, shuttle in a new era of art and culture, as well as inherited "the spirit of Lausanne" and high praise of the "Peking Declaration". This line also links the traditional with contemporary, the communication of the Orient and the West.
Nowadays, "From Lausanne to Beijing" has gone through 12 years already. And now at a new starting point, the regression of fiber art raises as a serious question, which needs immediate consideration. However, where are the meeting points of the materials of fiber art and ideas, material and spiritual, the East and the West, traditional and modern?
Our answer is regression and forwarding. We are not only respecting the substance and process of the fiber, but inject the spirit of art and ideas; not only to undertake the splendid tradition, but also carryon the characteristics of the times of the "Peking Declaration". "Why is the water so clear in the dyke, for the fresh water comes from the springhead", this is the true meaning of return. At the same time, we need to be creative, dare to go beyond and to create our traditional of this era.
That is the reason why we hold the Seventh International Fiber Art Biennial "From Lausanne to Beijing" which has a century textile cultural traditions in Jiangsu Nantong. Here is the convergence of rivers and links up the South and the North. It owns beautiful scenery and rich land fostering more talents. Otherwise, the first factory of cotton mill and textile school is born here in Modern China, also takes the lead in this fiber industry since then. More than 300 artists from across 37 countries and regions gather here, and turn Nantong a place to reveal their talent and creativities, which is another show and evidence of the tradition-rooted and future-oriented fiber art.
For the past twelve years, we marched hand in hand, exploring ourselves and others. At this moment, we are opening arms once again to greet our friends, with sincerity and beautiful ideals, to break new ground of fiber art.
Feng Yuan
Chairman of "From Lausanne to Beijing" International Fiber Art Biennale Organizing Committee Vice -president of China Federation of Literary and Art Circles Honorary Dean of Academy of Arts&Design Tsinghua University Nov.8,2012