In this week's Voices from Other Lands, Charles tells about his new painting and his bond with China's Terra Cotta Warriors...
Hello, and welcome to CRI's Voices from Other Lands. I'm LPC. For the past several years, one Australian artist has developed a close relationship with Chinese Olympic events. In 2001, he produced a large oil painting called Beijing Millennium Cityscape, one used to promote Beijing's image during its bid for the 2008 Olympic Games. Well, the artist is Charles Billich, who immigrated to Australia from Croatia. Charles pays particular attention to the athletic spirit. He's been designated as "Olympic Painter" by 28 countries and has produced major cityscapes for the likes of Atlanta, Sydney, Salt Lake City and Paris. Works he created in Switzerland are equally treasured at the IOC's headquarters in Lausanne. Now, 68-year-old Charles is back in Beijing, working on another large-scale painting that he had promised to do should Beijing won the Olympic bid. He wants to depict Chinese people celebrating their successful bid for the 2008 games. The painting's temporary title is "Victory". Earlier this week, I met Charles in his studio in Eastern Beijing. I took a preview of his "Victory" sketch and talked with him about his connection with China's Terra Cotta warriors, or bing ma yong .
1. This is a nice studio. Is it temporary ?
2. Let's talk about your painting you're working on. What prompted you to do it? Exactly what you paint on the picture? How different is it from Beijing Millennium Cityscape?
3. What's its name? Collecting names? If entry chosen, what do they expect in return?
4. What will become of it? Send it as a gift to Beijing？
5. Your career as an artist spans about 4 decades. But it was just 10 years
ago that you started your contact with China. Tell us about your first trips to China?
6. Beijing Millennium Cityscape. The 3 meter wide painting was shown in the hotel which accommodated delegates of the IOC who were in Beijing to evaluate Beijing's competence in hosting the Olympics.
The Beijing Millennium Cityscape" is an oil painting on canvas. It's about 3 meters wide and 2 meters high. It includes several of Beijing's prominent landmarks as well as Chinese people participating in athletic events and joyous festivities. The main focus of the work is the combination of ancient and modern architecture - structures like the Summer Palace and the Temple of Heaven are juxtaposed with modern skyscrapers. In the picture, the famed Bing Ma Yong warriors are brought to life, performing modern Olympic sports under the walls of the Forbidden City. You're listening to China Radio International. This is our weekly feature program Voices From Other Lands. I'm LPC, and our guest is Australian sports artist Charles Billich.
In the summer of 2001, Charles held an exhibition and a fashion show in Moscow, where members of the International Olympic Committee were deciding which city would host the 2008 Olympic Games. The events were again themed around the Terra Cotta warriors and designed to introduce Chinese culture outside of China.
7. Next, let's talk about the Terra Cotta Warriors. Have you been to Xi'an and visited the clay figures that were buried with China's first emperor more than 2,000 years ago? How did they strike you when you first view them?
8. You know why I'm interested in the warriors. During the exhibition you held in Moscow, where the IOC were choosing which city would host the 2008 Olympics, you displayed 20 paintings with Terra Cotta warriors engaging in a sports game. What do you want to convey to viewers through the paintings?
9. There are so many distinct cities in China. How many cityscapes have you finished for China? There seems to be a huge potential demand for your works?
10. Looking back to your connection with China, what makes the bonds between you and the country?
Well, that's all the time we have for this week's Voices From Other Lands. I've been talking with Charles Billich, the Australian artist who's working on an oil painting showing several Chinese regions and designed to reflect people's excitement in welcoming world athletes to the Beijing Olympics in 2008. Remember, Charles is looking for a name for his work. If you have one, whether it's in English or Chinese, you can email it to us. Our address is voices@cri.com.cn. Thank you for listening. I'm Li Peichun. I'm come back with more Voices from Other Lands. Goodbye.
(CRI March 26, 2004)
