Non-Western – Xu Wei

Chrysanthemums and Bamboos

Xu Wei was born in 1521 in Shaoxing in the Zhejiang Provence. A Chinese painter of the Ming Dynasty, Xu Wei is considered by some to be the founder of modern painting in China. He was also a poet, playwright and dramatist.
Chrysanthemums and Bamboos was painted in the 16th century and can now be viewed at the Liaoning Museum. Grapes is a hanging scroll that can now be seen in the Palace Museum, Beijing. Both paintings have a very simple and clear beauty as ink is delicately articulated over silk.
This artist, who had such a steady hand and eye for beauty, sadly suffered from a severe mental illness (some suspect he was bipolar). He attempted suicide numerous times and in rather grotesque ways including axing himself in the head (yep, that’s right).  Though he was never successful in offing himself he did murder his third wife whom he suspected of having an affair.  He spent seven years in prison and eventually died in poverty.
As horrifying as his personal life was, his artistic expression did prove to be groundbreaking. He is considered as a bit of a woman’s advocate as many of his plays concentrated on women and their lives. Though indeed, a tormented human being Xu Wei’s aesthetic legacy still influences the art world today.

Sources:
1. Image retrieved on July 27, 2009 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Xu_Wei_Grapes.jpg
2. Image retrieved on July 27, 2009 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Chrysanthemums_and_Bamboos_by_Xu_Wei.jpg
3. Xu Wei. From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Retrieved on July 27, 2009 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xu_Wei.

Non-Western – Richard Onyango

Caution to Drivers 1992

Richard Onyango was born in 1960 in the western highlands of Kenya. Before he was an artist he tried out many occupations including but not limited to: sign-painter, bus-driver, carpenter, fashion designer, farmer and animal trainer. He now lives and works in Malindi, Kenya where he painted Caution to Drivers in 1992.
Caution to Drivers is an example of contemporary African art. Onyango’s style is very theatrical and psychologically tense. I think we can all agree that the message of this painting is obvious but while it might seem a little facetious for us here in America it is a very real problem in East Africa.
My husband and I spent over three months in Kenya and Uganda two years ago. I spent most of my time working with an orphanage in south Kenya, which was about a six to seven hour bus ride from Nairobi to a tiny little village at the base of Mt. Kilimanjaro. The road conditions are dreadful but everything is complicated by the bus drivers’ apparent need for speed. Over the course of out entire trip we passed several buses and large trucks that had tipped over completely on their side due to this zest for speediness. We were fortunate enough to avoid such a fate but we did have a few close calls (including almost rear ending a giraffe in the dark). One has not truly lived till their life has been threatened by the jostle and heat of Kenyan bus… or so some might say. I may sound like I’m complaining but I can’t wait to do it all again.
Visit Africa, it changes you.

Sources:
1. Retrieved on July 27, 2009 from http://www.caacart.com/html/onyango_bio_english.html
2. Image retrieved on July 27, 2009 from http://www.artnet.com/Artists/LotDetailPage.aspx?lot_id=FE1CDB5A5782B0EE