Interview Yang Zhigang

[George]

"I came into the Art Factory at the end of 1981. In March or April of 1982, I became a student of my master. It has been 29 years to date."

Yang's teacher is Liu Shouben, a master craftsman of Chinese contemporary art and representative of Beijing inner painting. It was one of his snuff bottles that Queen Elizabeth II received during her visit to China in 1986. During China's first Olympic bid in 1993, Liu gave a live performance as the representative of Chinese folk artists in Monte Carlo.

Interview：Yang Zhigang，folk artist

"My master has given me a lot of things that exert subtle influences on me, which I need to try to comprehend. In the past when I was young, in the factory, to accomplish the production task for a living, I failed to understand a lot of things. But in recent years, when I was really exposed to the application of the intangible cultural heritage, I came to fully understand my master, and now I have special respect for him from the bottom of my heart. He has been practicing this art for 50 years, and is still making new creations. He hopes I can carry this forward, which I am very willing to do. I find humility and sought-after spirit in him, and I hope I could do the same, thus to truly inherit these things and pass it down."

Link with video interview...