***  Haus der Kulturen der Welt: Forum1 Archive  ***
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
   [Date]: Wed, 17 Nov 1999 13:37:21 -0800 (PST)
   [From]: The Spanish Canadian Web <nclassic@vcn.bc.ca>
     [To]: Cultural Exchange via Internet <forum1@hkw.kbx.de>
[Subject]: Re: [forum1] Marginalization of women



Hi Britta:


I am not so sure about this. I am not presenting numbers here, therefore
what I should not be seen as evidence. But in my long years of Chinese
culture watching ( am not so old :-) I think there is plenty of Chinese
woman in the art (but never enough, however). As I said before, I have no
evidence presented here, but in some of the anthologies of the Chinese art
(made in China) I found a good number of women. I live now in Vancouver
BC, and here there is the BC Federation of Chinese Artists (the director
is Yuk Man Lai, I think) and there is something else like the Canadian
federation of Chinese Artists and I found there maybe as many women as
men. But still I have no numbers. 

The Artistic director of the Chinese Cultural Center and gallery
here is a woman, and she is quite capable. In Mexico, my country, of the
Chinese artists that visited us I recall above all a lady, she was all you
(well... I) could want: a great traditional painting artist, an artist
with knowledge of contemporary art, a beautiful lady (she was star of the
Shangai Opera too!)... and she had the quality of compassion... she was
Tanh Hong.
I agree with you that in some places seems to be as you said. And maybe it
can be more in the West controlled galleries... but I feel that in the
Chinese associations of art the equilibrium is better... this is a
feeling, not a compelling evidence, however.

As some may know, Vancouver BC is maybe the biggest Asian city outside
Asia. And here lives some of the great artists from China, that is what
the Chinese people say... And I just conclude that in Mexico in the events
promoted for many years (40? 30? ) by the Sociedad Mexicana de Amistad con
China Popular, under the direction of the allways smart and nice teacher
Elena Torres was shown a lot of material containing artwork from women.
And that I see the same in Vancouver. But I agree with you that in the New
York, Chicago, LA and maybe Germany ( I do not know so much about Germany
galleries) what you say is true. And is possible that the discrimination
comes from the western curators, not from the Chinese artists and
organizations.

The URL for the Chinese Cultural center is

http://www.cccvan.com

The artist societies I mentioned I do not know if they have a website...
But if I find it (no promises) I will send it to you, as well as the list
of members who have participated in the last 3 yearly great shows... (I
should have them somewhere). Maybe you would like to contact with some
Chinese woman that are painting and making art here...

Regarding to females Chinese collectors I do not know... I have seen that
many small female collectors purchase the artwork in the Chinese shows I
said, but also I know that here there are many very very rich Chinese that
may purchase art... but they are in the super-rich category and I have no
contacts with that circle.


Best regards


Jose Tlatelpas


------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------

     * La Guirnalda Polar * 
  Redvista cultural en Canada
http://www.vcn.bc.ca/spcw/guirnald.htm

    * The Spanish Canadian Web * 
  Informacion relevante en Canada
 http://www.vcn.bc.ca/spcw/welcome.htm

------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------