Laraine Armenti

student of painting

Houhai Hutong

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ARTIST RESIDENCY CHINA — BEIJING, no. 24 Beihai North subway station entrance was the first place I stepped outside in the city the first week in Beijing on my way to art openings further down the line. Across the street an imposing antique building made me wonder what it was. Plastic wrapped young women sold tours in the rain. Identically hatted tourist teams disappeared into worryingly … [Read more...]

Beijing Fashion

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ARTIST RESIDENCY CHINA — BEIJING, no. 23 China has had a developing market economy since reforms led by Deng Xiaoping in 1978 following the death of Mao Zedong in 1976. There is a wide variety of individual color and style in women's fashion. Clothing is plentiful and inexpensive. There are several trends in the city. Formal occasion dresses show up at all times of day in unlikely public … [Read more...]

Beihai Northwest

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ARTIST RESIDENCY CHINA — BEIJING, no. 22 Still with a lengthy list of unseen places in Beijing despite a month in the city, on my last day I returned to Beihai Park to be outside in a garden. The northwest section contains temples, pavilions, memorials, and a large lake-front walkway. Restoration produces a deceptive blend of ancient and contemporary sensibilities. Real people sing and dance … [Read more...]

Beihai Park

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ARTIST RESIDENCY CHINA — BEIJING, no. 21 Imperial gardens, temples, and pavilions of the 171 acre Beihai Park began to be built in 1163 AD. Located on one of three interconnected lakes adjacent to Imperial City in the center of Beijing, it has been a public park since 1925. People spend summer afternoons playing music, reading newspapers, strolling, and boating. The earthquake ravaged but … [Read more...]

Tian’anmen

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ARTIST RESIDENCY CHINA — BEIJING, no. 20 The front entrance to the Imperial City in Beijing is called Tian'anmen, or Gate of Heavenly Peacemaking. First built in 1415 during the Ming Dynasty, it is where Mao Zedong's portrait is centrally hung. Forbidden city is within the Imperial City north of Tian'anmen. The immense open area called Tian'anmen Square is on the opposite side of a busy … [Read more...]

Mutianyu

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ARTIST RESIDENCY CHINA — BEIJING, no. 19 Begun in 500 BCE, the great wall is actually many walls built at different times with different materials depending on the era and region. (See Peter Hessler and David Spindler). An archaeological survey by China's State Administration of Cultural Heritage announced in June 2012 the completion of a five year measurement of the wall at 21,196.18 km … [Read more...]

IOAM Ink Art

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ARTIST RESIDENCY CHINA — BEIJING, no. 18 The exhibition In Riotous Profusion — The New Possibilities of Ink Art opened at Inside Out Art Museum, Haidian, Beijing with a symposium of distinguished speakers. President Fan Di'an of China Academy of Fine Art, CAFA toured the show. The collection highlights cultural roots of ink art in China with a contemporary lineage dating to 1960s Taiwan and … [Read more...]

CAFA & Red Gate Open Studios

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ARTIST RESIDENCY CHINA — BEIJING, no. 17 Central Academy of Fine Arts, CAFA is a world class university with many distinguished faculty and alumni. It is located in the northeast Chaoyang section of Beijing. In 2008, on the 90th anniversary, the school opened a major museum designed by Japanese architect Arata Isozaki. There is a well-stocked art supply store on campus. Red Gate Gallery, … [Read more...]