Art blossoms with 'Dandelion Action'
For most Chinese, creativity is almost a synonym for art. Thus, while China is attaching more importance to "chuangyi" (creativity) in order to restructure its economy, many parents, educators and government officers have turned to art education for support.
Incorporating art education into a school's curriculum, however, won't suffice. Reform in the traditional approach to art education is necessary and, above all, the cultivation of creativity should be based on one's own culture, according to He Yunlan, a veteran artist and art educator.
"The aim of art education has changed dramatically over the past 50 years. In my generation, people turned to art education to become an artist. Today, however, we've reached what is called 'the era of reading pictures,'" the 70-year-old says.
"Creativity has become a ubiquitous element incorporated in every aspect of one's daily life. People are turning to art education for the cultivation of creativity."
This means, she suggested, many art classes have to transform themselves from a training base of professionals to workshops where appreciation of creativity and aesthetics is a major priority.
From her experience as a lecturer on stage design at the Central Academy of Drama since 1979 and as former director of the Commission for Children's Art Education under the Chinese Artists' Association, He says this was becoming a reality, but there was still a long way to go.
"Many people are criticizing China's traditional educational approach, that is, traditional in its best sense, when the teacher will teach holding a student's hand," she says.
"I don't totally agree. It is different from the Western approach, which does not necessarily mean it is bad."
He says that while each has its strengths, the Western approach has an edge in terms of the cultivation of creativity. That explains why many educators in China are calling for more flexibility in art education.
"But this doesn't mean we have to Westernize in every aspect," He says. "Above all, creativity should be based on one's own culture."
Over the years, He has attended various children's art exhibitions and has been disappointed at the lack of traditional Chinese culture on display.
Public neglect of traditional culture has led He and other like-minded artists and educators to initiate the "Dandelion Action," a three-year program financed mainly by the Ford Foundation of the United States.
"Through the project, we aim to integrate folk and ethnic art and the most creative fine art education, while preserving our intangible cultural heritage," she says.
The Dandelion Action program has helped educators offer an easy-to-follow teaching style for fine art education in these regions and ethnic areas.
(China Daily 01/10/2008 page18)
