Home from China, part 2

In Dalian we were escorted to the Museum by Scott Macintosh, Assistant Public Affairs Officer, and Li Zhuo, Cultural Assistant, from the U.S. Consulate in Shenyang; our interpreter was Ms. Teng Chaonan (Nancy) from the Museum staff. They took part in the ribbon cutting and setting up all the groups for talks.

Scott Macintosh and Li Zhuo

The next lecture was for 16-18-year-old students at the Bainian Vocational School, a school for children of migrant workers. Our concept of migrant workers is of people who follow the crops for work. In China, the rural people are called migrant; if they need a job and come to the city, their children are not eligible for school because they are not registered in the city. This school is a free school established as a two-year boarding school to prepare the young people with a trade so they can earn a living.
My emphasis in this talk was on creativity and originality, entitled Finding My Way, Following My Dream. The students were extremely interested and asked many questions.

 

The students were constantly reminded of ways toward a good life by the signs posted along the hallways, in English and Mandarin:

I am a slow walker, but I never walk backwards.

Knowledge makes humble, ignorance makes proud.

Action speak louder than words.

A thousand-li journey starts by taking the first step.

Do one thing at a time, and do well.

Home from China

My daughter Linda and I have just returned from a 12-day trip to China--what a marvelous experience! The first day (our rest day) we enjoyed seeing some of the sights of Dalian with a Dalian Museum staff member and a driver.  We attended the opening of The Sum of Many Parts: 25 Quiltmakers in 21st-Century America at the Dalian Modern Museum in Dalian, Liaoning Province.

Poster in front of Dalian Modern Museum

After the ribbon cutting ceremony, I gave a talk/demonstration for some very interested visitors. Walking through the exhibit answering questions and giving information about the variety of quilting styles was enjoyable to us all.  

The museum director hosted a dinner for our group from the U.S. Consulate office, who had organized the Dalian events. The next day we were taken for a tour of the Dalian Municipal Library, where Linda was able to ask and share information. (Linda is a catalog librarian at USM in Hattiesburg. On this trip, she was also my computer/PowerPoint specialist and the one helping me remember where we were and what day and time it was; I could not have managed without her!)

Museum visitors

That afternoon I presented a lecture to about 100 junior high students at the Dalian University of Technology. They listened politely, but when they were allowed to come close for photos and examination of the fiber art pieces, they really came alive.

 



Dalian University of Technology students





More report and pictures tomorrow.


Dalian Modern Museum in Dalian, China

Dalian Modern Museum

An exhibit at the museum

Opened on March 22, 2002 Dalian Modern Museum is the first museum building in Dalian which follows the modern western style. The exhibition is organized in a clean, transparent way, and the information is presented with a bit of luxury and big space providing good visibility. Black and white, the dominant colors of the interior correspond with yin-yang theory, traditional in Chinese culture. The impressive building with total space of 21 600 square metres soon became the 21st century cultural landmark of Dalian.
What a beautiful place for the display of The Sum of Many Parts: 25 Quiltmakers in 21st-Century America. How exciting it will be to see some of the history and culture of China and share our quilt story with the people there.

Dalian, Liaoning Province, China

Dalian is a major city and seaport in the south of Liaoning province, Northeast China. It is surrounded by the waters of the Yellow Sea to the east and the Bohai Sea to the west and south.

Map with Dalian marked

Larger map showing proximity to North and South Korea and Japan



Dalian is a city of 6 million people

Dalian is the southernmost city of Northeast China and China's northernmost warm water port. The second largest city in Liaoning province, next only to the capital (Shenyang), the city has a significant history of being used by foreign powers for its ports (Dalian's port and Lüshun's port). Today it serves as a regional financial base and an important international shipping centre and logistics hub in Northeast Asia. (Source: Wikipedia)

I'm Going to China

I thought having my Rise and Shine, Inner City quilt on the cover of the catalog for The Sum of Many Parts: 25 Quiltmakers in 21st-Century America was about as big a thrill as I could have. . . until I got the phone call saying SouthArts and ArtsMidwest were sending me to the opening at the Dalian Modern Museum in Dalian, China. Here are a few pictures from the first venue in Shanghai:

 

I am excited about being a quilt representative and sharing my passion with the Chinese people, as well as learning more about their interest in quilting and the arts. My daughter Linda (an academic librarian at USM) will go with me, and we hope to visit some libraries also. I've been so busy preparing my lecture/demo/presentations that I have neglected to post on my blog for others to enjoy. I promise to post more!