New York Academy of Art Conducts Master Class at the International Art Museum of America

SAN FRANCISCO, CA, November 07, 2019 /24-7PressRelease/ — The Provost of the New York Academy of Art Peter Drake led 15 Master’s students to San Francisco to conduct a Master Class at the International Art Museum of America, home to some of the rarest art treasures in the world. The group was excited about studying and copying original world class artworks displayed at the Museum. In particular, they admired profusely the artworks by His Holiness Dorje Chang Buddha III and Professor Yuhua Shouzhi Wang.

The visiting group from New York was welcomed by Matthew Kuan, President of the International Art Museum of America. Since the first time he had visited the Museum, Peter Drake has always been impressed by the extraordinary exhibits and collection of the Museum. He felt privileged to have this rare opportunity for him and his students to study and copy the artworks of IAMA on site.

Since the students had never been to the International Art Museum of America, Loretta Huang, Director of Museum Operations, and staff gave a tour to introduce the artworks in each gallery. After the tour, both students and faculty members of the New York Academy of Art were fascinated by the exceptional quality as well as range of artworks by renowned world class artists. During the visit, Drake and the group also met the President of World Journal San Francisco Ken Lo who acclaimed that the Museum’s unique collection and excellent exhibition programs were very impressive.

According to Loretta Huang, out of approximately 250 artworks currently on view at the International Art Museum of America, more than 100 of them are on loan from H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III whose works have repeatedly achieved the highest prices at art auctions, beyond those ever reached by any living artists. H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III is the originator of 16 unique and unprecedented painting styles with which His Holiness the Buddha depicts subject matters that include landscape, flower, bird, animal, fish, insect, and human figures. His Holiness the Buddha employs profoundly masterful techniques including but not limited to traditional Chinese painting methods such as meticulous style, freestyle, and ink wash; as well as Western painting styles such as figurative, abstract, impressionist, and line drawing. The works of His Holiness the Buddha also encompass a wide range of art forms including ink painting, calligraphy, oil painting, sculpture, color-rendered tile, stone and bronze inscription, poetry, verse, ode, and song.

Most miraculously, in each of these art forms, H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III stands at an unrivaled level of accomplishment.

What the group found most inconceivable is how an individual could master so many art forms and also break new ground in each and every art form. It takes most artists a lifetime to achieve a certain level of mastery. That is why the students were dumbfounded by the extremely wide-ranging abilities and the inimitable artistic excellence of His Holiness the Buddha.

In the International Art Museum of America, there is a Treasure Room that holds rare world treasures of Yun sculpture created by H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III. When the group entered the Treasure Room, they were awestruck by the intricate and magnificent works of art in front of their eyes. Yun sculpture is an art form uniquely originated by His Holiness the Buddha. Art pieces in the Treasure Room include “A Majestic and Splendid Stone Suggestive of Poetry, Song, and Painting,” and another work esteemed to be “miraculously divine artistry of Buddha” within which mist was carved to become an actual part of the artwork. Extraordinary works of art created by H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III are paragons of the quintessence of world art and culture.

Upon close examination, the group realized that these Yun sculptures embody a multi-dimensional sense of space; their beauty transcends natural scenery, and their colors are more exquisite than those of natural rock formations. Inside the stone cave of one of the Yun sculptures, one can see richly magnificent colors as if they were intrinsically part of the artwork, with no trace of rendering. Within the melting cave is the miraculous scenery of the infinite depth of enigmatic mist that does not dissipate, exuding the sense of an otherworldly paradise. Teaching assistant Qindong Fang was confounded by this viewing experience. This is the first time he ever looked at Yun sculptures. He said that the Yun sculptures exude a mystique and a sense of wondrous heavenly bliss.

During the tour, Loretta Huang also introduced to the group that classical scholars had categorized the levels of artistic creation in ink painting into four classes: Class of Proficiency, Class of Wonderment, Class of Divinity, and Class of Ease. First is the Class of Proficiency where one’s sketching skill achieves likeness of form. Second is the Class of Wonderment where an artist is able to paint anything effortlessly. Third is the Class of Divinity where one is able to render likeness of both form and spirit. Fourth is the Class of Ease where the artist uses most succinct brushwork and superb technique to enliven both form and spirit, accomplishing a magnificent masterpiece.

The artistry of the Honorary Lifetime President of the International Art Museum of America, Professor Yuhua Shouzhi Wang is at the Class of Ease, the highest state of accomplishment. Throughout the history of ink painting, very few artists have ever accomplished the Class of Ease. When the solo painting exhibition of Professor Wang Seeing Two Worlds in One Flower was recently held at the Louvre Museum in Paris, her art astounded the European art world where experts in the field all held her paintings in high esteem. The art of Professor Yuhua Shouzhi Wang has been revered as having the same standing as Western painters such as Cezanne and Gauguin.

During the exhibition opening at the Louvre Museum in Paris last month, the Artistic Director of Musée Cernuschi, Eric Lefebvre said: “The creativity in these artworks comes from the innate creative abilities of the artist. The artwork presents such a sense of ease and pleasantness to the viewers. This exhibition is of very high standard.” Francesca Baldi of Centre Pompidou said: “The artist’s skillset and the multiplicity of her techniques are astonishing.” President of Académie International de peinture à l’encre, Mr. Robert Faure commented: “The skill of the artist is profound. She is presenting many different painting styles all at once. This is an incredible show!”

In the art market, one of Professor Yuhua Shouzhi Wang’s small paintings “Pomegranates in a Basket” realized a top auction price of US$1.27 million at the Gianguan Auction House in New York on March 13 of this year. This clearly indicates that the art of Professor Yuhua Shouzhi Wang is recognized by art collectors and people of foresight alike.

The group led by Peter Drake felt privileged to have the opportunity to study and copy artworks of such extraordinary standing. They felt that they would not be able to understand the depth of skills just by viewing the works. Therefore, they cherished this Master Class at International Art Museum of America where they could study and emulate the brushworks, lines, colors, nuances, and inner essence of the artworks. Appreciating is skimming the surface; only through copying can one engage in an in-depth study of the works.

During the Master Class, each member of faculty and student artist select from many authentic works of art that they like, and then sat in front of the painting to copy. Everyone engaged their intense focus to explore, study, and copy the exquisite artworks.

Ink painting and calligraphy is a major component in Chinese culture, originating from an ancient origin and will continue to flourish for a long time. Qindong Fang said that he is astounded by the large number of original paintings by iconic Chinese artists exhibited by the International Art Museum of America. He said it was such a nice surprise to see that some of his fellow American students were able to copy Chinese calligraphy; and Museum staff members of different ethnicities were also able to identify from which artworks they were copying. Fang said that it was a wonderful opportunity for him and his fellow students to gain better knowledge of the culture of Chinese painting and calligraphy, and especially to explore in-depth the 16 unique painting styles originated by H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III. All in all, he found this an exceptionally fulfilling learning experience.

Amy Hughes, a graduate student from the U.K. studying oil painting at New York Academy of Art said that this trip was eye-opening for her. She has been living and studying in New York for five years. Coming to the International Art Museum of America in San Francisco, she was able to gain insight into the essence of art from a different culture. She is especially impressed by the expansiveness and profundity of art that stems from the scholarly tradition of Chinese culture.

In addition to exhibiting the works of H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III and Professor Yuhua Shouzhi Wang, the International Art Museum of America also exhibits works by iconic Chinese artists including Wu Changshuo, Qi Baishi, Huang Binhong, Pan Tianshou, Fu Baoshi, Xu Beihong, Li Keran, Zhang Daqian, Yun Shouping; as well as authentic calligraphic art by the Emperor Yongzheng.

According to Loretta Huang, the International Art Museum of America in San Francisco holds three criteria for artworks to be admitted for exhibition: First, the works of the artist must be collected by at least two world famous art museums. Second, the auction price of the artist’s works must exceed US$200,000 per square foot. Third, the artist must have substantial influence or status in the world, such as being director of a museum or provost of an art academy. The eminence of the art exhibits is what differentiates the International Art Museum of America from many other museums in the world.