|
|
|
|
Portraits
of China: Artist’s Statement
Each portrait was painted from life. This is important to me. The interaction between me and the sitter is fundamental for my acquiring a sense of what is authentic in the sitter. That is one of the satisfactions of painting from life; to establish rapport with each person, and somehow try to present the whole presence of the living individual for the viewer. So, the viewer of the portrait can contemplate that the person in the painting was actually in the presence of the painting itself as it developed, and that the painting was a cooperative effort between the sitter and the painter. This is what is so fascinating in the finest portraits of the past. When I view a portrait by Frans Hals, I enjoy thinking that that actual person and the artist worked together to produce the painting. Generally, each portrait required three 2 hour visits by the subject to my studio. During each sitting, the subject is not only free to talk and rest, but is encouraged to converse. I want my models to be relaxed and comfortable with me--the artist--and the process. In the summer, the conditions were terribly hot. In the winter, the conditions were bitter cold. After the portrait was basically laid out, the finishing details of the face, hair, clothes, and background, were added from memory. "A Student Wearing Hunan Normal University Freshman Uniform”: This is the portrait of a young student dressed in the uniform worn by all Hunan Normal University first year (freshmen) students for the first month of school. Throughout Hunan, University and College freshmen--male and female--undergo mandatory indoctrination by P.L.A. (People's Liberation Army) drill instructors. This training includes rigorous marching practice and singing patriotic anthems of the "Motherland". This training occurs during sweltering Hunan heat. In the Universities and Colleges where I taught, each freshmen class will bond very tightly together during this initiation period. Furthermore, throughout their four years, the original freshmen class will take every course together until graduation. The result is an extremely strong sense of identity with their group within the larger group of the school. The military appearance of the female subject is in keeping with media emphasis of women serving in the Chinese military and police forces. Movies, Television Action Dramas, Magazines, and Billboards, feature women officers in the police and military. In fact, such women soldiers and police officers are not only visible on government run media, but are also quite visible in daily life. "Profile of a six year old Hunan girl", also entitled "Young Pioneer": I love this simple little painting. It is not very detailed. This is most clearly seen in the simplicity of the hair clip this child wears. I suppose I painted that clip in about twenty seconds. Also, the collar of her dress is painted simply and thickly with white lead paint. I did not attempt to cover the brush strokes of much of this portrait. She was painted in exactly what she wore when she came to my little apartment studio in the dormitory where foreigner teachers resided. I believe this child sat no more than two hours total. Note the red kerchief. This is a uniform accessory for elementary school children, male and female, throughout China. It signifies allegiance to the "Motherland," and the children who wear such kerchiefs are called "Young Pioneers". Interestingly, these kerchiefs originally intended to foster allegiance to the Party have recently appeared in Television commercials as adorably fresh-faced child actors perform for Western companies marketing their products in China. Perhaps two things that the United States and China have in common are that patriotism and enthusiastic children have marketable appeal. "A Hunan Girl Named 'Apple'": The subject of this portrait was about eighteen years old. She was an English language major in Hunan. Her English name was "Apple". Why she chose that name I do not know. I do know that she was not as shy as other girls. (Note, in Chinese culture, though she is in university she is referred to as a "girl" rather than a "young lady" or a "woman". Generally, it seems to me that as long as a female remains a single student in university she would prefer to be called a "girl".) This painting only began to take shape after a preceding day of frustrating starts. And interesting to me, is the tilt of Apple's head. As I recall, she would tilt her head according to which of her legs was crossed over the other. So, once she determined what was most comfortable for her, I asked her to stay seated in the same position, except during breaks. I remember Apple as an impish character. I believe that her confidence, intelligence, and energy are somewhat conveyed in this portrait. Note the layers of clothes: A dark jacket, a gray knit sweater with a collar, and a black turtle neck sweater. This layered fashion was rather prudent--if not necessary--for staying healthy during Hunan winters where the temperature sometimes drops to about freezing and few buildings--including dormitories and classrooms--have any heating systems. This portrait is perhaps the most French in style despite its Asian subject. Gerhardt Miller Curator’s Statement A graduate of Wesley Theological Seminary, and now a United Methodist minister with a small church in Maine, Gerhardt Miller lived for six years in China. There, he taught courses in English language, American culture, and Western literature at various Chinese universities and colleges, all the while painting portraits of many of the people he encountered. After Miller left Wesley, he studied classical painting techniques at the Schuler School of Fine Arts. He has been exhibiting his work in the US and Canada since 1990, and has earned many national and regional honors. Except for the “Portrait of the Artist,” the works in this exhibition depict Chinese women and children, often wearing traditional clothing or school uniforms. In the background of each is some artifact—a note pinned to a wall, a pot, a hand-painted sign—that both further underscores the Chinese locale and, often, serves as a halo around the head of the sitter. The people in these paintings are not conventionally beautiful by either Chinese or Western standards. However, Miller’s skill at portraiture and clear love for his sitters, as individuals and as carriers of their culture, reveals a strength and dignity beyond notions of ordinary beauty.
Deborah Sokolove send comments or questions about the gallery to
the curator at: the copyright of individual works of art belongs to the
relevant artist
|
