Han Meilin

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Han Meilin (Chinese: 韩美林/韓美林), was born 1936 in Jinan, Shandong province China.[1][2] He is a famous artist most recognized today for his creation of the Fuwa dolls for the 2008 Beijing olympics.[2][3] Han is also known to have lived through hard times during the Cultural revolution.[4]

[edit] Biography

In 1955 he was admitted to the Central Academy of arts and design (中央工艺美术学院), now part of Tsinghua University. In 1960 he graduated.[2]

Han is also known to have been tortured in the past. In a 2008 interview, Han admitted his tendon was cut during the Cultural revolution. His thumbs became useless until it was later repaired by doctors.[4]

[edit] Career

In 1979 he was elected to the China Artists Association (中国美术家协会). He has also published influential work such as (包过散文). In 1980 he was in the United States holding art exhibitions in 21 cities including Boston and New York. He was given the key to the city of San Diego as an honorary citizen and the city of Manhattan declared October 1, 1980 as Han Meilin Day. In 1983 six of his work were printed on Christmas cards issued by the United Nations. He also gave lectures at Harvard university.[1][2]

In 1986 he was selected as a delegate to the Sixth National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC).[1]

In 1989 he held three art exhibitions at the Crown Art Center in Taipei. From 1991 to 1994 he had solo art shows in Toronto, Canada followed by Malaysia, Hong Kong and India. He spoke at Yale university in 1999.[1]

He has also fought the sale of illegal art activities in Beijing, saying most of the paintings sold in auction fairs are not not real.[5]

Through out his career he has published painting albums as Meilin's Paintings, Art Works of Han Meilin, Mountain Flowers in Full Bloom, Still on the Earth, 100-chicken Paintings, Painting Collection of Han Meilin and Selection of Arts and Crafts Works of Han Meilin. He was once the art designer of paper-cutting cartoons such as Fox Capturing Hunter, Fox Sending Grapes and Hide-and-seek. He also designed the pig postal stamps for China in 1983, panda stamps for 1985 and the phoenix logo for Air China.[1]

He also designed the Five-Dragon Clock Tower sculpture for the 1996 Atlanta summer olympics. He also finished the Group Tiger for Dalian in Liaoning Province, No.1 Bull for Jinan and Cock Crows to Herald the Break of Day for Zibo in Shandong Province, Sacred Bull for Shekou, a bronze bull with luminous pearl and the King of Western Chu (Xiang Yu) made of stainless steel for Shenzhen in Guangdong Province.[1]

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b c d e f Hanban.edu. "Hanban.edu." Profile of the artist. Retrieved on 2008-04-27.
  2. ^ a b c d Xinhuanet. "Xinhuanet." 韓美林作品選(圖). Retrieved on 2008-04-27.
  3. ^ Chinadaily. "Chinadaily." Han Meilin, designer of the Fuwa. Retrieved on 2008-04-27.
  4. ^ a b ATV news interview with Han Meilin. 04-27-2008.
  5. ^ CCTV. "CCTV." Most Paintings Auctioned in Beijing Are Unreal. Retrieved on 2008-04-27.