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Alexandru Epuran  Country: Romania Artist: Alexandru, Andu EPURAN Email: alexandruepuran@gmail.com Statement: I'm slowly grinding my ink, pleasantly absorbing its flavor. I'm watching again the fingerprints of the artisan on the stick and I suddenly realize this is a handshake over half the world, over time and over culture, race, language, habits... It is the newly discovered fifth treasure of Chinese Calligraphy and Painting: it unites people - like all arts do.
I'm used to that. I work in Olympic sports.
Ten years ago, my Chinese friends in Beijing - with my more than voluntary assistance, of course - gave me my (first) Chinese name, one that I am proud of years later because it made both them and me happy. And this is precious. Some years later, new friends in Nanjing embraced this with a good lough. And this was lovely again.
So, Maomao Xiong is the name or maybe An Du - which comes from my very Romanian / European name, Andu. I use them both, following my inspiration, I don't want to start a fight over this. I told you I work in sports. I do this for more than twenty years. The athletes' act is like a brush stroke - you need 100.000 to make it better and you are better if you repeated it 100.001 times.
I am still playing with food, making wine, growing grapes, carving leather, oil, painting, did some fishing and hunting...
I do play with colors, I do love the colors of what we call a non-color: black. I love the white on a painting with black ink. I like the surprise of color on a painting with black ink. I like scarcity and richness. I like a powerful rule when I am invited to break it. I like to learn this rule while breaking it. Is this what makes me an artist? Not too long ago I was asked to display one of my writings on May Pan's Facebook page. I was gobsmacked. I was so honored. I felt bad, really, internally, felt sick for a good couple of hours... I still feel this every time I remember that particular minute. One of my writings, hah!
Later I dared send her another one. I really can't explain this. She invited me here with people who's name I don't even dare to pronounce loudly, like Virgina Lloyd-Davies and Nan Rae, two wonderful ladies that are not even aware I exist and follow their exceptional art through the miracles of youtube, www and social media. I do have other role models like Henry Li and Stephen Cassetari but I am really absorbing everything (scratching the surface really; by the way, Chinese TV is a treasure) I can get my eyes on (books are important too) and there is some really valuable information around us - hard to discerne unfortunately - but somehow I was lucky enough to chose the right one.
The subjects I love is the four gentlemen. Especially when there is a bird, or koy, or bug around. And I think ink and watercolor landscapes rock! Honored? It's an understatement. Thankful? Much much more than that.
Western or Chinese? I don't know now... I do regret that paper, brush and ink stone can not preserve the fingerprints of their makers like ink stick does. Time is not recorded on it either. It's a pity. Somehow, my ink-stick-maker is visiting Romania and shaking my hand every day. The same way I am visiting China, An Hui, Shanghai and so on every day... I have only one more wish, like a concentrated bucket list: I wish one day I deserve all this, the honor, the four treasures, the modest representatives of the four treasures that I own and make my life so beautiful that I feel the NEED to write every day... Told you what I am, opened my heart fully. What I am is not an artist. Or I don't want to be categorized like so. I just want to be a man on this planet, like so many, enjoying things beautiful to see, smell, taste, hear, touch... contemplate. I am not writing calligraphy, that's true, I am writing modest little paintings that I hope somebody, one day, will like a bit.
Until then, take care of you and your loved ones...
Hmay Art Supply is a xuan paper manufacturer from Jing county Xuan city Anhui province - the birthplace of xuan paper. We produce top grade xuan paper (shuen paper, rice paper) and provide superior quality paper crafts and other art items for Japanese calligraphy, Chinese brush calligraphy & Chinese sumi-e painting, etc.
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