Arts and Crafts of Modern Art in China

While the traditional arts and crafts declined, some new arts and crafts appeared. The change of lifestyle and aesthetic taste brought by modern urban consciousness and social structure, the introduction and influence of western culture, the understanding and preliminary application of new materials and technologies, and the rise of modern art education have all played a profound role in promoting the emergence of modern arts and crafts. China emphasized the ethical and spiritual significance of arts and crafts in ancient times, while the modern arts and crafts thought influenced by the West emphasized the economic and practical functions of arts and crafts. Cai Yuanpei, Yan, Feng Zikai and many other arts and crafts artists have expressed similar views, which have influenced arts and crafts. The new arts and crafts are highlighted in the rise of pattern design, book binding and commercial art. Although pattern design is still limited to the scope of theory and desk, it has not become an industrial design for mass production, but it is undoubtedly its forerunner and foundation. Famous designers include Lei Guiyuan and Chen Zhifo. The art of book binding rose on the basis of modern printing and new culture movement, and made outstanding achievements in modern arts and crafts. Tao, Wen Yiduo, Feng Zikai, Sun Fuxi, Zheng Chuangu, Mo Zhiheng,,, and Cao Xinzhi are all or used to be influential book binding designers. In the 1920s and 1930s, the book binding style experienced a process from pursuing western flavor to pursuing national style. Realism, abstraction, borrowing cartoons and prints are all very popular, and most of them have a distinct sense of the times. Commercial art was born with the production and sales of modern capitalism. Both patriotic painters who advocate saving the country by industry and artists who serve foreign businessmen and comprador attach importance to commercial art. Advertising, packaging and decoration, trademark design, etc. , has gradually developed and formed a professional and semi-professional team in Shanghai, Tianjin, Guangzhou, Hong Kong and other cities. However, due to the influence of China's traditional thought of restraining business, painters engaged in commercial art often can't last long, and always think that pure spiritual art is the ideal destination. 1926, China Advertising Association was established in Shanghai. 1936, China Commercial Art Writers Association was established in Shanghai. The following year, the first national commercial art exhibition was held in Nanjing Road, Shanghai.

With the decline of traditional arts and crafts and the development of new arts and crafts, traditional folk arts and crafts are relatively prosperous. They are popular in villages and towns and handed down from generation to generation. They are always full of strong local flavor. Such as weaving-bamboo, willow, rattan, grass, brown silk, straw and so on. As materials, such as toys-dolls, cloth tigers, clay molds, such as clay and surface color sculptures, as well as paper-cuts, kites, lanterns, puppets, shadow puppets, decorative carved bricks and so on. There are famous folk artists everywhere, such as clay figurine Zhang in Tianjin, noodle soup in Beijing, puppet sculptor Jiang in Fujian, paper-cut artist, pottery sculptor Liu Chuan and jade sculptor Pan Bingheng. Some folk crafts won prizes at international fairs, which won honor for China. However, during the war years, these folk arts were severely damaged, and some of them gradually disappeared. Their rise and fall are mostly ignored by elegant intellectuals and government departments.

In modern arts and crafts, arts and crafts education has been playing a huge role. The earliest modern art education institution in China, such as the Painting and Handicraft Department of Nanjing Normal University, included courses such as handicrafts and patterns. Chen Zhifo, Yan, Li Youxing, Shen, Pang Xunqin, Zhang Ding, Deng Bai, etc. All of them have contributed their talents and strength to the arts and crafts education in China, and some even devoted their lives. In 1950s, the Central Academy of Arts and Crafts was established, and arts colleges all over the country set up arts and crafts departments. In some areas, such as Suzhou, Jingdezhen and Tangshan, silk, printing and dyeing or ceramics colleges have also been established. In the process of how to modernize art education and even the whole art discipline, the Academy of Arts and Crafts has taken the lead.