"What the Olympics Means to Me!"

Four years ago, Beijing threw out most of its public art as "not good enough" and, instead, asked a whole pile of famous Chinese artists to create art which represented what the Olympics meant to them personally. The result has been a range of sculptures now scattered all around Beijing for the Olympics.

Until today, I'd only seen photographs of this one ...

... which normally I'd find quite crass but here, unexpectedly, thought was simple and lovely, and this one ...

... which I thought was stupidly romantic but still beautifully rendered, and this one ...

... which I found kinda "too Nike" for my taste, and this one ...


... which was all sorts of "YAWN!!!"

But, as you can see, the range of ideas expressed was so wide and all were so beautifully fabricated, they made me wish so badly to see the others.

Well, guess what I saw today? YES!!! The little scale models for all 50 of these statues! Yup, China is currently touring them around the provinces. Want to see them too?

Love the asymmetrical balance
(All apologies to Lady R.
who hates me using that phrase!)

Mmmm, I was planning to upload the lot, but the computer is running so slow tonight I'll only do it until I get bored.

OK, let's divide them into sections:

ONES I TOTALLY LOVE

(And I'm sure it's only a co-incidence that they're based on the post-Modernist subversions of the pre-existing Classical Chinese sculptural traditions)

The Gate Guardians
as Classical Greek Gods
but in boxing gloves

The Beauty of Jia-lin
gets active

Classical Greece
meets
Classical China

ONES I GET, LOVE, BUT FIND VAGUELY INEXCUSEABLE

#1 "Then, after the Olympics, I'll sell it on to the Bruce Lee Museum"




#2 "What makes you think I got the idea from the figurehead on my Jaguar?"


#3 "Why, yes, I did go to the Botero Exhibition. Why do you ask?"


ONES I JUST FIND INEXCUSABLE!

#1 What Olympics?
I just needed an excuse to get her clothes off!





ONES I JUST LIKED FOR NO GOOD REASON

ONES I LOVE BUT DON'T QUITE GET

ONES I GET BUT DON'T QUITE LOVE

ONES I GET BUT DON'T LIKE

ONES I NEITHER GET NOR LIKE

However, just remember these are all giant statues so would impress by scale alone, so I deeply envy anyone who gets to see them all "in the flesh!"

And if you're one of those lucky, lucky devils, pretty please, I'd soooo love to see photos so if you're up there in Beijing in the next month, and get yourself any, please please please send them to me.