September 2019 Grand opening of YANG ERMIN’s double exhibition : ShuiMo painting and collection of
About the exhibition
The city museum of Volvic (France), Musée Marcel Sahut, is inviting Dr. YANG Ermin, one of the most influential Chinese ShuiMo (ink wash) painter in the world, to inaugurate his double exhibition at Volvic city museum: “The return of colors – YANG Ermin’s ShuiMo painting” and the “ Ink stone and other treasures of the literates” on 9 September 2019 in France. This will be the first time in Europe that a collection of ancient Chinese ink stones and contemporary ShuiMo paintings are presented simultaneously at one place, in an excellent combination of classic and modernity, as well as a significant encounter between Chinese and occidental cultures.
Exposition “Ink stone and the other treasures of the literates” at the Museum of Asia Art of the Municipal of Toulon ( Musée municipal des arts asiatiques de Toulon)
Exposition “Espirit Harmony” at the Departmental Museum of Asia Art in Nice（Musée départemental des Arts asiatiques de Nice）
Oval fossil ink stone 12.4X11.4X3.3cm
Polypod monster ink stone 14X6.3cm
Horned fossil ink stone 25.7x16.2x4.8cm
Ink stone and other treasures of the literates,Collection YANG Ermin
YAN砚, also known as the ink stone, is considered as a traditional treasure in China, together with brush pen, ink and silk paper, the so-called “Four Treasures of the literates”. From dynasty to dynasty, Chinese intellects collected and cherished them as the jewel of their study. SU Shi, the great poet of the Song dynasty, an enthusiast of Yan, once described one of his favorite Yan in a poem: Thus was born this treasure, neither stone nor jade. From the material reveals its own form, saturated with water to keep it alive. Like a laborious famer, restlessly I sow the seeds in my precious land (“是生斯珍，非石非玉。因材制用，璧水环复。耕予中洲，蓺我元粟”). There is a long history of Yan in China. The earliest forms can be traced to Neolithic grinders; it has been widely used ever since the Song Dynasty. Carrying various information on Chinese culture, economy and aesthetics throughout the dynasties, for modern people, Yan is no longer a practical object, but rather an object of curiosity and of great collection value, in either the choice of material, the design and the craving skill. Since the middle of 20th century, Yan is no longer utensil, but becomes an object of artistic collection. This exhibition of the Collection YANG Ermin will provide us an overview of the historical development of Yan, revealing the memory of the ink stone and other treasures of the literates, as deeply rooted in the long history and traditions of Chinese culture. These precious items have been displayed in the Museum of Asia Art of the Municipal of Toulon (Musée municipal des arts asiatiques de Toulon) in April 2018, then in the Departmental Museum of Asia Art in Nice (Musée départemental des Arts asiatiques de Nice), before arriving at Volvic, the third stop in France.
The Voyage, 136x69cm, 2014, colored ink on paper.
The return of colors –ShuiMo Painting of YANG Ermin
The distant place, 138x68cm, 2018, collection of Vatican Museum.
Chinese ShuiMo (Ink wash) painting enjoys a long history of more than thousand years. Masters from different dynasties have bestowed us with countless chef-d’oeuvre of this peculiar art of “water and ink’ that contributes to the world cultural legacy. YANG Ermin devoted himself to the art of ShuiMo since a very early age. Immersed in the world of water and ink, he had well mastered the secrets of the traditional ShuiMo painting. However, he understands the importance and necessity of innovation and modernization for a traditional art —— for him, the responsibility of an artist is to find the voice of his own epoch, to contribute to the history of art the unique expression of the 21th century. Art could never be a spring without its origin in the earth, and ShuiMo could not be an art immobile throughout a thousand years. YANG Ermin calls for innovation in the ShuiMo painting, and created his own artistic language, a system that combines the traditional and modern, oriental and occidental arts. He invented a new regime of color for ink wash painting, leading ShuiMo into its own modernity: a new colorful vision and a system of brand new painting skills, that neither oriental nor occidental arts would have ever seen in their traditions. A discovery that opens a new age for Chinese ShuiMo painting, with whole new possibilities. His artwork, between the self-reflection and convergence of oriental-occidental cultures, wins broad praises from the international art world. Rooted in the Chinese culture, he projected his vision into the western world with fusion, boldness and creativity. He crossed the gap between East and West, got rid of the traditional perspectives that confine peoples’ eyes, opening a much wider vision of art. “The color”, YANG Ermin says, “is not an exclusive property of Western art. As a basic element of painting, it can certainly be a part of Chinese ShuiMo painting. We integrate the world to create our own new language, to express the spirit of Oriental, the spirit of Chinese people”.
Weekend, 32.2x56.4cm, 2002.
YANG Ermin and French writer Marie-Christina in Rome
About the artist
YANG Ermin was born in Quyang, China. An artist, poet, Doctor in literature and collector of ancient Yan. He received the Colombia Award of Great Contribution to World Painting in 2003 in the United States. He was listed in the National Treasure Young Artists by HuRun Art List 2014 and was awarded Top 10 Artist Poets on Chinese Poetry List 2017. He also received “Ordre des arts et des lettres” of Toulon City in 2018 in France.
He has held solo exhibitions in many museums all over the world, such as the Gallery of Music Hall of Beijing, Chinese National Museum of Fine Arts, International Art Museum of Beijing, YanHuang Art Museum (Beijing), Haruhi Art Museum (Japan), Pasco Arts Council & Center (USA), the Museum of Qingdao, the Museum of Dalian, the Museum of Shanxi, the Museum of Hebei Province, the Museum of Weifang, the City Hall of Paris (France), the Museum of Nanjing Institute of Fine Arts, the Museum of Baoding, the Hongchuan Museum of Modern Art in Weifang, the Museum of Linyi, the Chinese National Academy of Arts, etc.
And his artworks are collected by many museums and institutes in the world, including Chinese National Museum of Fine Arts, Pasco Arts Council & Center (USA), Kawasaki Heavy Industries Collection (Japan), Beijing HuangZhou Art Foundation (China), Departmental Museum of Asia Art in Nice (France), French National Museum of Drawing and Engraving, Vatican Museum, etc.
About the Marcel Sahut Museum
Marcel Sahut Museum
Publicity of Volvic Mineral Water in Japan
City of Volvic
Church of Volvic
Marcel Sahut Museum (Musée Marcel Sahut), the city museum of Volvic, is situated in a castle of 18th century. During many centuries this castle has been the private property of the Noble Sahut Family, donated to the city of Volvic by the collector Marcel Sahut in the middle of 20th century.
Volvic is a commune in the Puy-de-Dôme department in central France. The city is famous for its volcanoes and natural mineral water. The rest of the world knows about this city mainly by the mineral water that carries the same name as its origin - - Volvic.
September 2019, Volvic is going to treat its distinguished guests with various attractions such as the Oriental Art, hiking on the volcanoes, thermal spring, etc.
Address of museum: Musée Marcel Sahut. 2, rue des écoles. 63530 Volvic