Art beat ... finger on the pulse

Beijing

Solo crosstalk

The baldheaded xiangsheng, or cross-talk, performer Fang Qingping will perform in Beijing and talk about ordinary people's daily lives in his heavy Beijing dialect. A traditional cross-talk show has two comedians onstage. Fang, in the tradition of the late xiangsheng master Ma Sanli, presents a solo cross-talk show, which is considered the hardest form of xiangsheng. After studying with renowned xiangsheng comedian Li Jindou, Fang's won huge fan base in China with his own style, in which he chats humorously with the audience.

7:30 pm. Jan 2, 2013. Poly Theater, Poly Plaza, Dongcheng district, Beijing. 010-6506-5345; 6506-5343; 400-610-3721.

Musical bridge

Conductor, composer and pianist Yaron Gottfried will conduct the Israel Sinfonietta Beer Sheva to perform classic pieces, including Capriol Jazz Suite, Swing Pictures at an Exhibition and The Man I Love by George Gershwin. His baroque jazz project, which was written for a jazz trio and orchestra, has been performed more than 40 times, receiving rave reviews all over the world. The Israeli musician, who bridges classical, contemporary and jazz music, made his performance debut in China in 2008.

7:30 pm, Nov 25. Forbidden City Concert Hall, inside Zhongshan Park, Chang'an Avenue, Xicheng district, Beijing. 010-6551-3348.

Venezuelan art

A display of 20 paintings under way at the National Art Museum of China offers a glimpse of Venezuela's art tradition and its diverse contemporary art landscape. Works on show range from that of a Classical style to Figurative, Abstract and Geometric styles. For instance, paintings of senior artist Octavio Russo and the younger Starsky Brines construct a dialogue between figurative language and Expressionism. In Gustavo Rugeles' works, one can see how cities have become geometric spaces and people feel trapped in the urban mazes.

9 am-5 pm, no admission after 4 pm, until Dec 29. National Art Museum of China, 1 Wusi Dajie, Dongcheng district, Beijing. 010-6400-1476.

Shanghai

Two US artists

American artists Ingrid Calame and Mark Strand will have a joint exhibition at James Cohan Gallery Shanghai. Calame has traced random marks she found in the world around her and combined them by overlaying one set of drawings with another. She uses this "representational" information to generate abstractions. Strand is an internationally acclaimed poet. During the past year, splitting his time between New York and Madrid, Strand started making a series of abstract collages using papers he makes and colors by hand.

10 am-6 pm, Tuesdays to Saturdays; 12 am-6 pm, Sundays; reservations on Mondays; Nov 24-Jan 24. James Cohan Gallery Shanghai, 1F Building 1, No 1 Lane, 170 Yueyang Road, Shanghai. 021-5466-0825.

Women's views

Singaporean artist Dayang van Wezel's works use mixed media to celebrate women's perspectives as powerful through the history of China, while Portuguese artist Mafi Espirito Santo's oil paintings depict ordinary women's daily lives in Shanghai. Their joint exhibition is held at Noeli Gallery.

10 am-6 pm, until Dec 16. Noeli Gallery, 150 Yueyang Road Shanghai. 021-6431-9442.

Guangzhou

Artful look at water quality

It's an interesting and inspiring exhibition when one theme - water - is presented in various art forms, including architecture, installation art, painting and photography, in the same exhibition hall. EMG Art Center is presenting the show in Guangzhou until Nov 25. He Jianxiang, an architect in Guangzhou, shares his fantasy of the city with waterways in a seminar on modern architecture on Nov 24 in the same exhibition hall, joining another architect from China and two from Italy. One of the two Italian speakers is Marino Folin, an advisor for Venice Biennale and the curator-in-chief of Venice's exhibition at the coming 2015 Expo in Milan.

3 pm for the seminar on Nov 24; 9 am-7 pm for the exhibition, until Nov 25. EMG Art Center, C5, Redtory, 128 Yuancun Siheng Lu, Tianhe district, Guangzhou. 020-3866-3122.

Chan back for retrospective

Hong Kong diva Priscilla Chan has returned to Guangzhou, inviting her fans to sing along to her classics from the past 30 years at a solo concert on Nov 24. Chan is known for her clear articulation and emotional singing. By 1997, 13 years after her debut, the best-selling singer had sold more than 10 million CDs. The stage of Chan's Guangzhou concert will be decorated as an airport terminal. Chan hopes that her fans can relive their memories of familiar melodies, such as Thousands of Songs.

8 pm, Nov 24. Guangzhou International Sports Arena, 2666 Kaichuang Avenue, Luogang district, Guangzhou. 020-3209-1000.

Bookstore with layers

Fangsuo Commune, Guangzhou's new cultural landmark, will mark its first anniversary this weekend. It is a bookstore where visitors are able to browse thought-provoking exhibitions and share ideas with writers, artists and scholars. Over the weekend, the bookstore is hosting three lectures and one exhibition, all with the theme of "city and culture". On Nov 24, Chen Danqing, artist, writer and cultural critic known for sharp insights about education, will discuss the relationship between literature and reading. On Nov 25, the founders of Fangsuo Commune will tell stories behind the establishment of the bookstore. On Nov 26, artists from Hong Kong and the Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts will elaborate the concept of their joint exhibition, titled 15+1. These artists have placed installation art in 15 old shops across the city to stimulate people's memories and arouse their awareness of protecting old brands. The "1" refers to the exhibition with heating kettles as the main subject to convey the idea that people's connections with the city are warm.

Lectures: 7:30 pm, Nov 24 and 26; 3 pm, Nov 25. Exhibition: Nov 25-Dec 20. Fangsuo Commune, TaiKoo Hui Shopping Mall, 383 Tianhe Lu, Tianhe district, Guangzhou. 020-3868-2327.

Quick pick

Elton John

The English rock singer, songwriter and composer Elton John is in China to celebrate the 40th anniversary of his iconic album Rocket Man. He will be singing most of the hit songs from the album and many more. The pop icon has been active in the music scene since the 1960s and sold more than 250 million records. John has visited China many times since 1984, most recently touring in 2004.

8 pm, Nov 23. Mercedes-Benz Arena, 1200 Expo Avenue, Pudong New Area, Shanghai. 021-5150-9199. 7:30 pm, Nov 25. MasterCard Center, 69 Fuxing Lu, Haidian district, Beijing. 010-8597-9191. 4006-228-228. 7:30 pm, Dec 6. Haixinsha Plaza, Tianhe district, Guangzhou. Exit Haixinsha station of subway APM line. 020-2207-2111.

- Zhang Kun

(China Daily 11/23/2012 page20)