Yanchuan Primary School Papercutting Art Curriculum |
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The Long March Project is a large scale art and cultural project with a strong social mandate. Since being initiated in 2002, the Long March has continuously been engaged with examining the social possibilities of contemporary Chinese art focusing on the local and the international, and searching for possibilities through which folk culture and art can effectively express and continue its tradition. Through programming and action that explores the resources and power of art, the Long March works to ensure the continual development of Chinese culture and the idealistic realization of a new cultural and social construction of the countryside.
Yanchuan County is located to the northeast of the city of Yan’an. It is comprised of 8 township, 9 districts, and 346 administrative villages. The total population is approximately 180,000, of which those who engage in farming comprise 144,000. Total area is 1,941 square kilometers. Economically, it is a county in western China wracked by poverty. However, it continues to preserve a complete system of Yellow River folk culture.
From 2003-2004, after one year of preparation and research and through with the support and consultation of renowned folk culture research Jin Zhilin, the Long March team traveled to Yanchuan County and worked with the county government to conduct a half year investigation entitled, the “Great Survey of Papercuttings in Yanchuan County”, creating a large scale archive of papercuttings for folk art history. At the same time, through continual promotion and exhibition of the project, the papercuttings of Yanchuan County are already well renowned in 20 countries throughout the world, effectively opening up a door for Chinese folk art internationally, as well as achieving an effective promotion and development for folk art industry in Yanchuan County. |
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Artists: Cai Guoqiang and Fei Dawei |
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Artist: Chen Shaofeng |
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Artist: Shu Yong |
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Based upon the results of the 2004 survey, the Long March Project will continue to promote Chinese folk art through the initiation of the Long March Project – Yanchuan County Primary School Papercutting Art Curriculum. If “The Great Survey of Papercuttings in Yanchuan County” is a large scale investigatory social project, then “The Yanchuan County Primary School Papercutting Art Curriculum” is a pilot art education project whose purpose is to research how ethnic culture and customs are transmitted through the generations, and how folk art can effectively return to people’s everyday lives. The education initiative is not simply about training to produce a specific papercutting pattern. Rather it is that these seemingly simple papercutting patterns contain ethnic cultural values. A myth, a story, they are all linked with Chinese traditional culture. This transmission is effected through a visual method (papercutting) and passed down to the next generation. This is an invaluable resource to the future development of Chinese culture. A concern for the art education of traditional art forms is particularly important in our commercialized and material society. Through the practice of papercuttings it is possible to teach the long history of Chinese aesthetics, as well as its ethical and social values.
For these reasons, the Long March Project will carryout the “The Yanchuan County Primary School Papercutting Art Curriculum” Project. The project will be carried out for three years, from 2006-2009. A pilot program will be initiated in four to six schools in the region. Utilizing the powerful culture of papercuttings in Sha’anbei and especially Yanchuan, the Long March will organize a papercutting art curriculum as well as youth activities. Through training primary school students and youths, and their contact and learning of papercuttings, the project will develop their understanding and interest for traditional culture. Over the course of these three years, we plan to invite leading folk culture researchers and artists to act as consultants and board members for the project who will annually evaluate and give suggestions regarding the project. The final curriculum will include: An overall outline for primary school papercutting art curriculum, a set of CD’s for teaching papercuttings, video and photography records of process, and a catalog which will be presented to the National Education Department and the Cultural Ministry for their consultation and use in developing national education policy. Aside from this, the Long March project will promote this project through exhibition and lectures throughout China and internationally, enabling more people to understand Yanchuan County’s papercutting education policy, the papercuttings of Yanchuan and Yanchuan County. |
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Project dates: September 2006 – September 2009
Project Initiator: Long March Space (Beijing)
Co-organizer: Long March Foundation (New York)
Sponsors: Ford Foundation
Project Organizer: Yanchuan County, Sha’anxi Province |
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Project Phase 1
Dates: June 2006 – February 2007
1. Carryout investigations and site visits. Present proposal to local government and gain their support of the project
2. Visit the Central Academy of Fine Arts, Xi’an Academy of Fine Arts, and the Sha’anxi Immaterial Cultural Heritage Research Center and other professionals, scholars, folk culture educators to gain an understanding of this project through consultation and review of previous experiences and models for folk art education. This will also include field investigation to understand and summarize the unique cultural ecology of Sha’anbei region, obtaining first hand material for papercutting curriculum, and development of the curriculum outline.
3. Investigating the possible schools for pilot projects and programs, including the teaching resources, the support and strength of support by the local cultural ministry and education bureau, as well as the acceptance of folk art and its education by local students and population.
4. Discussion with Yanchuan County Government and contents:
a. Decide upon the schools for pilot projects
b. Art teacher training time tables
c. Determine the organization structure for this project, the Advisory Committee, as well as have Yanchuan County government notify all lower departments involved with this project of the project’s implementation
d. Placing signs at each of the project sites
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Beijing: Project launch press conference:
People invited: professionals, scholars and other folk culture educators. Representatives from the Cultural Ministry, National Education Department, Central Academy of Fine Arts and related governmental agencies, as well as the Long March Project, Ford Foundation, Yanchuan County representatives and the Beijing media will be invited. |
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Phase Two:
February 2007 – December 2007
A. Yanchuan County:
1. Organize board to review the first draft of the curriculum and complete its final version.
2. Define structure and organization of review and oversight committee
B. Ground Work
Dates February 2007 – June 2007
a. Creation of curriculum (including the selection of papercutting materials, the writing of curriculum, and the production of CD’s) through consultation with Advisory Board
b. First phase of art teacher training is initiated
c. Pilot programs introduced to primary schools and folk art education centers are established
C. Overall project implementation
Dates: September 2007 (fall semester)
1. Teachers and curriculum arrive and enter into places
2. Begin project oversight program
3. Hold regular meetings from all parties involved in this project to discuss problems and proposals to address them.
4. September – December 2007, organize and work with media to have them travel to site and initiate interviews
5. End of 2007: Hold the first exhibition reporting the results of the project. At the same time, organize scholars, local artists, as well as local government to give a review of the project and to suggest revisions to the curriculum. |
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Project Phase 3:
Dates: February 2008 – August 2009
1. Implement the new revised curriculum through consultation with Advisory Board
2. Begin to collect information and records on all people who have taken part in the project
3. Improve and strengthen education system and local interest in papercuttings
4. Improve and strengthen project management and oversight
5. Continue to organize media to travel to Yanchuan to conduct stories and interviews
6. Organize meetings between all parties to discuss project issues, as well as proposals and solutions
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August 2008, hold a second report exhibition. At the same time, organize scholars, local artists, as well as local government to give a review of the project and to suggest revisions to the curriculum. |
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Project Phase 4:
Dates: September 2008 – July 2009
1. Continue following second curriculum outline revision
2. Focus on developing and strengthening the sustainability of this project
3. Hold large scale exhibition about art education, and invite media
4. Invite scholars to review
5. Complete revisions to curriculum, completely review of papercutting art curriculum by Advisory Board
6. Create a DVD of the three year process
7. Create a catalog of the exhibition
8. Exhibition in Beijing about the project
9. Provide national departments and bureaus with copies of all curriculum materials |
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Editor: Wu Di |
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