Thin Line Film Fest - “New Artists in a New China”

Dir: Quin Mathews

TRT: 54 min

Quin Mathews was sent to China to film a musical festival. The festival is highly disorganized and Quin realizes he will not have enough footage to give the festival justice. He is informed about a new but rapidly developing art community located in an abondoned warehouse in the Dashanzi Art District. Quin finds a graduate student who quickly becomes his traveling buddy/translater, and is able to view the art and speak one on one with the artists. These youthful artists create thier art based upon the political and social distresses in China and worldwide. One artist is hired by the military and used to create propaganda posters. Now, his military art reflects his feelings as a 'war/peace' man and not just a war man. A couple also works together and as the husband works on sculptures reflecting China's individual isolation, the wife works on paintings reflecting the sadness in most Chinese marraiges. The artists explain to Quin that this art has just begun due to China's government becoming more 'open' than previously in it's history; therefore, this art is unique to the world.

This film is included in: Arts Compilation 1