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Lalan (artist)

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Lalan,bornXie Jing-lan(Chinese:Tạ cảnh lan;1921–1995), was aChinese-Frenchmultidisciplinary artist.[1]Lalan was among the early practitioners of integrated arts, incorporating painting, music, dance, and poetry into her performances.

Lalan was born inGuizhou,China. She received professional vocal training at the Shanghai Music Academy, and then studied composition and modern dance after relocating to Paris in 1948[2]with her then husband, painterZao Wou-ki.[3]

Lalan did not startpaintinguntil the age of 37. She began her independent artistic career in painting, composingelectronic musicand choreography inmodern dance.In 1975, she received the Chevalier medal for theOrdre des Arts et des Lettres(Order of Arts and Letters) by the FrenchMinistry of Culture.[4]Lalan spent majority of her time in France with her husband French artistMarcel Van Thienen.She died in a car accident in 1995.

Biography

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Xie Jinglan, nickname Lan-lan, who later changed her name to Lalan, was born on September 14, 1921, in Guiyang, Guizhou Provence, China. Grew up in a scholarly family under the influence of theNew Culture Movement,Lalan received Western education in Hongdao Girls' Middle School, an American missionary school in Hang Zhou. At a young age, Lalan had a gift formusicanddanceand was able to cultivate her talent thanks to her father Xie Meigen, who was a great flute musician and a scholar.[5]In 1935, Lalan was introduced toZao Wou-Ki,who was studied at the Hangzhou School of Art. In 1941, they got married in Hong Kong. The following year their son Zhao Jialing was born.[5]

At the time, the headmaster of Hangzhou School of art was artistLin Fengmian,who studied in France before coming back to China to teach. Lalan and Zao Wou-ki were motivated by their teachers. In 1948, after 36 days of travelling, Lalan and Zao arrived in France and settled down onRue du Moulin-VertDistrict 14Paris,and became neighbours of the sculptorAlberto Giacometti.[2]Lalan later entered theConservatoire de Parisand studied composition underDarius Mihaud.Inspired by a documentary about American Modern dancerMartha Graham,she received theGraham Techniquetraining fromKarin Waehnerat Le Centre American. A dear friend of the coupleHenri Michauxintroduced Zao and Lalan to the "Father of Electronic Music" French composerEdgard Varèsewho introduced Electronic Music to Lalan. To commemorate her mentor, Lalan paintedA Edgard Varesein 1985. Through Michaux, Lalan met the violinist Marcel Van Thienen in 1952, who later became her second husband in 1957.

In 1956, Lalan and Zao Wou-ki decided to divorce after being together for over twenty years. Without the title of "the artist's wife", Lalan started her independent art career and ventured into the realms of painting, composing andchoreography.In her practices, she incorporate the Chinese traditionalTaoismphilosophy, and theLyrical Abstractionat the time, finding her unique voice in the Integrated art that she created since the 1970s.[5]

Artistic Development

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Calligraphic abstraction (1957–1969)

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Lalan was introduced to theArt Informelmovement after moving to France. As a self-taught painter, she learnt about the language of modern painting throughLyrical Abstraction,started by artists likeGeorges Mathieu,Pierre Soulages,joined by Zao Wou-ki. The artists shared artistic characteristics such as explosive gestural lines, calligraphic signs and the improvisational way of creating.[6]

The training in music and dance enabled Lalan's brushstrokes to express a dancer-like quality and musical rhythms. The canvases are larger than life, providing a dance stage for her paintbrush. From 1957 to 1959 she created a series of abstract paintings that were dark and meditative. She had her first solo exhibition in 1960 at the Creuze Gallery in Paris.[1]

The tranquil landscapes (1970–1983)

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Facing a plateau in the mid-1965s, Lalan looked back to her root culture to look for inspiration. She carefully studied the paintings by Song masters such asMa YuanandXia Gui,as well as Taoist philosophy. Different from the early works, the paintings from this period appeared much in tranquil: the color palette became lighter and softer while the rhythmic lines became more refined, depicting natural elements such as mountains, rocks and the moon. The compositions are referencing the Song landscape paintings where the subjects are placed in a corner, leaving the blank space for imagination and harmony.[1]

Integrated Art (L'art Synthèse)

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In the 1960s and 1970s, Lalan focused on composing music and choreography. The Graham technique of "expressing inner feelings through bodily movement" was inspirational to Lalan. With her paintings as the backdrop, Lalan performed her own choreographed modern dance accompanied by her original electronic music at the Galerie Jacques Desbrières, and the Galerie Iris Clert. She incorporated painting, music and dance into her Integrated Art, "Spectacle". In 1973, Lalan received an award from the Culture Ministry of France for her parallel research of painting, music and dance.[7]One of her three paneled painting,Sudden Blue(Soudain Bleu) staged for her choreography show "Le Cycle", was in the permanent collection of the Culture Ministry of France.[8]

Return to abstraction (1984–1995)

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In the 1980s, Lalan focused on painting. Her artistic style replaced the images of landscapes with abstraction. Lalan was experimenting with new techniques such as painting ultra-fine intuitive lines and dripping to create harmonious yet explosive works. In the late 1980s, Lalan and her husband moved toBormes-les-Mimosas,southern France, where the beauty of nature became inspirational to the artists. Early in 1995, Lalan produced a film of solo dance titled "Dance of Qigong" (Danse du Qigong), introducing the traditional Chinese culture into modern dance, uniting intuitive dance movements with meditation and breathing exercises.[9]This innovative and introspective dance was the last dance of Lalan. She died in a car accident a week after.[10]

Museum collections

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  • Culture Ministry of France[11]
  • Paris Modern Art Museum (Musée d'Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris)[12]
  • Frac Île-de-France, Paris, France[13]
  • Centre Pompidou - Musée National d'art Moderne, Paris, France[14]
  • Centre National des Arts Plastiques, Paris, France[15]
  • Macao Museum of Art, Macau, China
  • Shanghai Art Museum, Shanghai, China
  • Zhe gian g Art Museum, Hangzhou, China

Solo exhibitions

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  • 2021,Asia Society Hong Kong Centre,Extended Figure: The Art and Inspiration of Lalan[16]
  • 2020, Kwai Fung Hin Art Gallery, Hong Kong,Between Dream and Drama - Works of Lalan[17]
  • 2019,Sotheby’sS|2 Gallery, Hong Kong,Lalan: Endless Dance[10]
  • 2018, MAIIAM Contemporary Art Museum, Chiang Mai, Thailand,Lalan: The Cosmic Dance of the Paintbrush[18]
  • 2016, Kwai Fung Hin Art Gallery, Hong Kong,Singing in Colors and Dancing in Ink – Retrospective Exhibition of Lalan (Works of 1958-1994)[19]
  • 2011, University Museum and Art Gallery, The University of Hong Kong,Dance Melodies in Colours: Paintings by Lalan[20]
  • 2010, National Museum of History, Taipei,Fragrance of the Mind: A Retrospective of Lalan’s Work[21]
  • 2010, Macao Museum of Art, Macau,Fragrance of the Mind: A Retrospective of Lalan’s Work[22]
  • 2009, Zhe gian g Art Museum, Hangzhou,Echoes of Paradise: Retrospective Lalan’s Art[23]
  • 2009, Shanghai Art Museum,My Vision of Paradise—Retrospective of Lalan's Art[24]
  • 2005, Espace Culturel du Lavandou, Le Lavandou, France,Lalan, Le Vent du Dernier Hiver[25]
  • 1990,Espace Pierre Cardin,Paris, France,Peintures de Lalan[26]
  • 1983, Maison pour tous, Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, France,LALAN(Exhibition and Art Synthèse)[27]
  • 1982, Galerie Bellint, Paris, France,LALAN[28]
  • 1976, Maison Heinrich Heine, Paris, France,Réve non réve(Art synthèse, music, painting and scenography by Lalan)[29]
  • 1975, Galerie du Centre Culturel Pablo Neruda; Maison des jeunes et de la culture Fernand Léger, Corbeil-Essonnes, France,LALAN[30]
  • 1973, Petit Palais, Paris, France,Trivalence(Art synthèse; Organized by GalerieIris Clert,performance in the "5000 ans d’art chinois" exhibition, painting, music and choreography by Lalan)[31]
  • 1972, Maison des arts et loisirs de laon, Laon, France,Intérieur Externe(Exhibition and art synthèse, painting and music by Lalan)[32]
  • 1971, Galerie Moderne, Silkeborg, Denmark,LALAN[33]
  • 1966, Galerie 7, Paris,LALAN[30]
  • 1963, Galerie Mouffe, Paris, Paperback Gallery, Edinburgh,LALAN[34]
  • 1960, Galerie R. Creuze, Paris,LALAN[35]

Selected group exhibitions

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  • 2021, Kwai Fung Hin Art Gallery, Hong Kong,The Cornerstone[36]
  • 2020, Kwai Fung Hin Art Gallery, Hong Kong,Signifiants de l’informel 2020—Serge Poliakoff, Nicolas de Staël, Pierre Soulages, Georges Mathieu, Karel Appel, Zao Wou-Ki, and Lalan[37]
  • 2019, Musée Soulages, Rodez, France,Femmes années 50. Au fil de l’abstraction, peinture et sculpture[38]
  • 2018, Kwai Fung Hin Art Gallery, Hong Kong,Rue du Moulin Vert – Zao Wou-Ki, Lalan, Pierre Soulages, Nicolas de Staël, Sam Francis and Georges Mathieu[39]
  • 2014, Eslite Gallery, Taipei,Breeze From Paris—Lalan, T'ang Haywen, Hsiung Ping-Ming, Pan Yu-Lin and Sanyu[40]
  • 2010, Espace Culturel du Lavandou, Le Lavandou, France,Lalan-Van Thienen Collection of Lavandou[41]
  • 1994, Musée de l’Hotel de Ville, Le Lavandou, France,3 Femmes, 3 Recherches – Lalan, Roberta González, Yann Piat
  • 1992, Musée National des Arts Asiatiques - Guimet, Paris, France,Journées Pour la Poésie (Days of Poetry)
  • 1991, Musée des Hôpitaux de Paris, Paris, France,Le Sang (The Blood)
  • 1988, Grand Palais, Paris, France,Hommage à Iris Clert
  • 1983, Mairie du 6e arrondissement, Paris, France,Artistes Chinois de Paris (Chinese Artists in Paris)
  • 1981, Espace Pierre Cardin, Paris, France,37e Salon de Mai
  • 1981, Organized by the Centre culturel de I’Yonne, Abbaye Saint-Germain, Auxerre, France,Lalan Paintings – Van Thienen Kinetic Sculptures
  • 1974, Galerie Iris Clert, Paris, France,Grandes femmes, petits formats (Great Females, Small Formats)
  • 1971, Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian, Lisbon, Portugal,Arte francesa depois de 1950 (French Art after 1950)
  • 1970, Palais des Beaux-Arts, Brussels, Belgium,Trois tendances de l’art contemporain en France (Three Trends in Contemporary French Art)
  • 1968, Musée d’Art Modern, Rijeka, Yugoslavia,Exposition internationale de dessins originaux (International Exhibition of Original Drawings)
  • 1966, Musée d’Art Moderne de Paris, Paris, France,22e Salon de Mai

Monograph

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LALANis a comprehensive monograph jointly published by Kwai Fung Art Publishing House and Rizzoli International Publications in 2022. It showcases 160 of Lalan's works, encapsulating three crucial phases of her career from the 1950s until her untimely passing in 1995. Compiled from meticulous two-year research in collaboration with the artist's estate, the monograph offers an in-depth exploration of Lalan's artistic journey.

The monograph features a scholarly essay on Lalan's multidisciplinary practices by Dr. Véronique Bergen, alongside contributions from notable individuals associated with Lalan, including her son Zhao Jia-Ling, Jean-Michel Beurdeley of the Lalan Estate, Catherine Kwai from the Lalan Archive, and Raphaël Dupouy from Réseau Lalan. It also presents excerpts of critiques by art historianVadime Elisseeffand playwrightEugene Ionesco.[42][43]

References

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  1. ^abcLalan.Rizzoli. 2021.ISBN978-88-918330-2-0.Archivedfrom the original on 2021-07-21.Retrieved2021-07-21.
  2. ^ab"Zao Wou-ki1921 - 2013".Archivedfrom the original on 2021-07-21.Retrieved2021-07-21.
  3. ^"Le peintre franco-chinois Zao Wou-ki est mort [The Franco-Chinese painter Zao Wou-ki is dead] Le Monde.fr (in French).Le Monde, 9 April 2013".Le Monde.fr.9 April 2013.Archivedfrom the original on 21 July 2021.Retrieved21 July2021.
  4. ^BEURDELEY, Jean-Michel."Chinese and contemporary".Lalan Network - Réseau Lalan Var cultural association.Archivedfrom the original on 2021-07-24.Retrieved2021-09-20.
  5. ^abcThompson, Sophy (1996).Lalan.Antoine Chen Yen Fon, Lalan. Bangkok.ISBN957-97332-3-6.OCLC1075270070.{{cite book}}:CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  6. ^"The Story of Lalan: From Zao Wou-Ki's First Wife to Female Pioneer of Chinese Abstract Art".Archivedfrom the original on 2021-07-22.Retrieved2021-07-22.
  7. ^Lok, Kate (2021)."In Celebration of Her Centennial, Asia Society Hong Kong Traces the Overlooked Legacy of Lalan in a Major Retrospective".Archivedfrom the original on 2021-07-21.Retrieved2021-07-21.
  8. ^Curator: Wu Qinrui (2009)."A VIEW OF OPEN-ENDEDNESS: THE ART OF LALAN"(PDF).Archived(PDF)from the original on 2021-07-22.Retrieved2021-07-22.
  9. ^"The Moving Art, The Chinese touch".China Daily.2021.Archivedfrom the original on 2021-07-22.Retrieved2021-07-22.
  10. ^ab"Interview. Lalan: The Dance of Paint, Music and Motherhood".Sotheby's.2019.Archivedfrom the original on 2021-07-19.Retrieved2021-07-19.
  11. ^"LALAN BIOGRAPHY".3 August 2021.
  12. ^"Musée d'art Moderne de Paris".Archivedfrom the original on 2023-07-19.Retrieved2023-07-19.
  13. ^"Frac Île-de-france".Archivedfrom the original on 2023-07-19.Retrieved2023-07-19.
  14. ^"Centre Pompidou - Musée National d'art Moderne".Archivedfrom the original on 2023-07-19.Retrieved2023-07-19.
  15. ^"Centre Pompidou - Musée National d'art Moderne".Archivedfrom the original on 2023-07-19.Retrieved2023-07-19.
  16. ^"Extended Figure: The Art and Inspiration of Lalan | kéo dài chi khu: Tạ cảnh lan nghệ thuật triển".Archivedfrom the original on 2021-07-21.Retrieved2021-07-19.
  17. ^"Past Exhibition: BETWEEN DREAM AND DRAMA - WORKS OF LALAN".Kwai Fung Hin Art Gallery.Archivedfrom the original on 2021-07-24.Retrieved2021-09-20.
  18. ^"MAIIAM Contemporary Art Museum in Chiang Mai exhibits works by Chinese artist Lalan, a famed Chinese Artist with his base in Paris. The exhibition is called" The Cosmic Dance of the Paintbrush. "".Archivedfrom the original on 2021-07-24.Retrieved2021-09-20.
  19. ^"SINGING IN COLOURS AND DANCING IN INK - RETROSPECTIVE EXHIBITION OF LALAN (WORKS OF 1958-1994)".Archivedfrom the original on 2023-05-29.Retrieved2021-09-20.
  20. ^""Dance Melodies in Colours – Paintings by Lalan" with Zhao Jialing and Jean-Michel Beurdeley ".Archivedfrom the original on 2021-07-19.Retrieved2021-07-19.
  21. ^"Fragrance of the Mind: A Retrospective of Lalan's Work".Archivedfrom the original on 2023-07-18.Retrieved2023-07-18.
  22. ^"Fragrance of the Mind: A Retrospective of Lalan's Work".Archivedfrom the original on 2023-07-18.Retrieved2023-07-18.
  23. ^"Echoes Of Paradise: Retrospective OF Lalan's Art".Archivedfrom the original on 2023-07-18.Retrieved2023-07-18.
  24. ^"Catalogue published on the occasion of the exhibition 'My Vision of Paradise—Retrospective of Lalan's Art' organized by the Shanghai Art Museum in 2009".Archivedfrom the original on 2021-07-21.Retrieved2021-07-21.
  25. ^"Lalan, Le Vent Du Dernier Hiver".Archivedfrom the original on 2023-07-18.Retrieved2023-07-18.
  26. ^"Peintures De Lalan".Archivedfrom the original on 2023-07-18.Retrieved2023-07-18.
  27. ^"Exhibition and Art Synthèse".Archivedfrom the original on 2023-07-18.Retrieved2023-07-18.
  28. ^"LALAN".Archivedfrom the original on 2023-07-18.Retrieved2023-07-18.
  29. ^"Réve Non Réve".Archivedfrom the original on 2023-07-18.Retrieved2023-07-18.
  30. ^ab"LALAN".Archivedfrom the original on 2023-07-18.Retrieved2023-07-18.
  31. ^"Trivalence".Archivedfrom the original on 2023-07-18.Retrieved2023-07-18.
  32. ^"Intérieur Externe".Archivedfrom the original on 2023-07-18.Retrieved2023-07-18.
  33. ^"LALAN".Archivedfrom the original on 2023-07-18.Retrieved2023-07-18.
  34. ^"LALAN".Archivedfrom the original on 2023-07-18.Retrieved2023-07-18.
  35. ^"LALAN".Archivedfrom the original on 2023-07-18.Retrieved2023-07-18.
  36. ^"The Cornerstone".Archivedfrom the original on 2023-07-25.Retrieved2023-07-25.
  37. ^"Signifiants de l'informel 2020—Serge Poliakoff, Nicolas de Staël, Pierre Soulages, Georges Mathieu, Karel Appel, Zao Wou-Ki, and Lalan".Archivedfrom the original on 2023-07-25.Retrieved2023-07-25.
  38. ^"Femmes années 50. Au fil de l'abstraction, peinture et sculpture".Archivedfrom the original on 2023-07-25.Retrieved2023-07-25.
  39. ^"Rue du Moulin Vert – Zao Wou-Ki, Lalan, Pierre Soulages, Nicolas de Staël, Sam Francis And Georges Mathieu".Archivedfrom the original on 2023-07-25.Retrieved2023-07-25.
  40. ^"Breeze From Paris—Lalan, T'ang Haywen, Hsiung Ping-Ming, Pan Yu-Lin And Sanyu".Archivedfrom the original on 2023-07-25.Retrieved2023-07-25.
  41. ^"Lalan-Van Thienen Collection of Lavandou".Archivedfrom the original on 2023-07-25.Retrieved2023-07-25.
  42. ^"Lalan Monograph(Kwai Fung Art Publishing House)".Archivedfrom the original on 2023-07-19.Retrieved2023-07-19.
  43. ^"Lalan Monograph(Rizzoli International publication)".Archivedfrom the original on 2023-07-19.Retrieved2023-07-19.
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