In Chen Clan Academy, there hang some vivid clay sculptures presenting Guangzhou Xiguan's traditional customs. All tourists were arrested by them and wanted to take photos with these unique craftworks. Believe it or not, all these works of art are from Wan Zhaoquan, a craftman who hasn’t got any specialized colleges and universities experience.
(photo by Chen An)
When referring to these vivid clay sculptures, Wan told us with great pride that he drew the inspiration from his childhood in Xiguan. Wan lived in Xiguan since he was a little boy. In his memory, at that time Xiguan people's life style hadn't difference to those who lived in the initial period of Republic of China. Many people still lived in Xiguan Dawu (a kind of grand mansions of Guangzhou). On the street there were vendors selling clogs and snails (a kind of food). Barbers held a cartoon book in one hand to amused the little ones who didn't want to have their hair cut. Wan said, when I was young, we didn’t have many different kinds of lessons as now. I was glad that I have so much time to play with my little buddies. Folk custom, wagoners, vendors, naughty children, those wonderful memories left me great impression.
Wan Zhaoquan was born in a literate family. His father was a teacher who graduated from a normal school. His grandfather had once run a well-know book store in Xiguan. Wan"s mother also know many Chinese characters. Having been influenced by his parents, Wan could show others his handsome writing when he was young. "At that time, I liked drawing very much. And drawing seemed as if a kind of basic skill for my future sculpture career."
Wan's art career didn't turn to be a smooth one after his senior middle school graduation. He had been a builder, a cargador and he even sold vegetables in the market. At the age of 19, Wan became a technical worker in Guangzhou Electroplating Factory. For the following 20 years, he turned into a technical elite of the factory by self-learning and got the title of "master of technical innovations". He even invented 3 automation product lines for electroplating product. "I was sent to Chen Clan Academy in 1985 to do some exhibit jobs," Wan said with a smile, “to tell the truth, I didn't really like it at first for I was vary interested in technique at that time."
As a worker in the electroplating factory, Wan was busy every day, but he still had much enthusiasm for some publicity activities. He carried the extra job to decorat a wall of the factory which reached more than 10 meters. He drew and wrote, all by himself. “I often represented our factory to go to the Guangzhou Trade Fair and gave my help to the exhibition. So that I got the chance to appreciate many art works and meet new friends who became famous artists later."
Wan stated that, it was Liu Baodong, teacher of Guangzhou Academy of Fine Art, who brought him to the palace of sculpture. In the year 1963, Wan joined a training course held by Liu, which was set for workers in their off-hours in Shisangong (an entertainment facility of Guangzhou). Later years, Wan assisted Liu with many sculpture exhibitions, which marked the beginning of his sculpture career. In order to enrich his creative art career, he often went to some coal cellars and countryside in Conghua and Zengcheng counties to spend time with workers and villages and experienced their lives. As his craftworks turned more mature and meaningful, Wan became well-know in the field of Guangzhou sculpture gradually.
The Chen Clan Academy began a large-scale of reparation in 1982. Wan Zhaoquan was sent temporarily to take part in the job for he knew something about decoration. Because of his excellent work, later Wan was sent to Guangdong Museum of Folk Art to do jobs about display and exhibition. At first, he made sculpture models of plaster toy for his friends to make ends meet. Then the marvelous sculptures on the roof of the Chen Clan Academy inspired him. He planned to make craftworks to memorize the good old days of Guangzhouese. In 1999, Wan tried to make his Xiguan-style sculpture with pottery. He combined the traditional skills with western ones and used embossment and round technique. With the creative and bold ideas, he brought out his vivid Xiguan sculptures successfully.
He remarked that he had made ten or more works at first, which was said high of by his friends and they advised him to keep on. Then he brought another three of his works to the Sculpture Park for exhibition. They had stole people's attention at once. The then "Guangzhou Daily" took it as big news. Now Wan's Xiguan clay sculptures are displayed everywhere including Chen Clan Academy, Shangxiajiu commercial pedestrian street and Guangzhou Sculpture Park. He is also the first one to introduce this Guangzhou-style sculpture to Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan and even countries outside China. Though Wan have got many good names, he doesn't like to show off. He had turned down some people who called to ask for his wroks with a high price. "I own myself more than 100 piece of works. I didn't sell one of them." Wan said, "Every time when I finish my works, I will design my next one.. If I sell them and redo them, my level of skills would never make any further progress.
Wan said he's deciding to build an exhibition garden that let the Guangzhou-style feelings reappear. When referring to his many-year sculptor experience, Wan remarked that, you won’t make it, without understanding of the true life.
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