China's Van Goghs

One of the films in the inaugural Painting With Light series at National Gallery Singapore
13 Oct 2017 Friday the Thirteen

Through the lens of Zhao Xiaoyong, a peasant who moved to Dafen, Shenzhen, China, to reproduce Van Goghs as his means of livelihood, this film explores the nature of consumerist art market, celebrates the tenacity of the human spirit and documents the loss of innocence with the revelation of the market system.

We see the claustrophobic room where Zhao and his fellow workers replicates Van Gogh's self portrait, Sunflowers, the cafe, the fields, and how they work tirelessly to meet the demands for 500, 800 pieces of paintings in a few months. They sleep, make love, eat in the same space and rush to finish the job. The scene pans out and we see just how many display of artworks there are in Dafen. How many people have abandoned agricultural skills to pick up art skills. The place is packed with craftsmen.

They are paid so little that only his wife, brother in law and family are the only ones left working for him. They truly admire Van Gogh's art for art sake spirit and tear up when they watch this rare film on the life of Van Gogh. Zhao dreams of going Amsterdam to see Van Gogh's original and manages to after 20 years of barely getting by with this means of work.

He meets his "collector" in Amsterdam and is disappointed to find out they're selling his works in a souvenir store for 500 euros which is 9x the amount he was paid. He is only paid 450 rmb. He treats his collector like god but he's merely a businessman.

Zhao recounts his excitement in seeing Van Gogh's paintings. How different they were from his. He described how well protected the museum is - three layers of doors with a final bullet proof door. He finally realises how he is merely a craftsman and his entire 20 years worth of paintings is never going to be worth Van Gogh's one painting. He starts painting the scene from Van Gogh's Cafe and when passers-by asked if he has any of his own, he couldn't answer. Stun like vegetable.

I like how he expresses his emotions without inhibitions. He cried after seeing Van Gogh's paintings, how little his works are sold for, how his friends encourage him to stay in Amsterdam. They drink a lot and smoke damn a lot. They bring their cultures of Joss sticks over by offering oranges and cigarettes for Vincent Van Gogh and Theodore his brother.

He is truly a teacher if not an artist. He is optimistic that with the opening of China market, he is capable of painting his own originals. Even if they do not get recognition now they may get it after death just like Van Gogh. He begins the first painting of his studio. He paints his grandma when he visited his hometown Hubei (I think). That's a moving picture. He painted the street scenes of his hometown and someone told him to take a picture instead. Art vs those who can't appreciate art.

Although his wife discouraged him from traveling to Amsterdam due to finances he still went for passion sake. They're definitely better off now. He didn't even finish first grade due to poverty. But now his daughter goes to boarding school in Shenzhen and complains that she doesn't understand and may not go into Uni. His son in elementary school is constantly oblivious to their family's plight.

They work hard, drink a lot, have celebrations like group dinners and ktv, find love and he remains true to Art even if he does not sell. Not so with the younger generation.