During the "May Day" holiday, the Bai'etan Great Bay Area Art Center officially opened to the public, attracting many visitors. Inside the Guangdong Intangible Cultural Heritage Exhibition Center, a bone-carved bicycle, which once sailed across the ocean and was exhibited in the United States, caught people's attention.
The former mainstream means of transportation has transformed into a work of art, becoming a unique exhibit in the museum. The artist, Su Zhongyang, expressed that it features the resonance between the people and the era, serving as a lingering masterpiece of intangible cultural heritage in bone carving craftsmanship.
The "Phoenix" bone-carved bicycle is meticulously crafted from ox and camel bones in proportion to a 28-inch bicycle. Measuring 2.11 meters in length, 0.81 meters in width, and 1.42 meters in height, it took over a year to complete, finished in September 2013. Weighing twice as much as a real bicycle, it stands as an artwork depicting the transition of Chinese society and the iconic mode of transportation, the 28-inch bicycle, used by Chinese people in the 1970s and 1980s.
This artistic bicycle was designed and created by Su Zhongyang, a renowned folk bone carving artist from Guangdong, along with his team. By reassembling the materials to create sculptures and installations, the artist incorporated intricate details into the design, such as intricately carved tires using complex etching techniques, aiming to present the classic and nostalgic bicycle prototype vividly to the viewers.
Su Zhongyang told reporters that China was a country of bicycles. From the mid-1950s to the late 1980s, the simple-colored and old-fashioned bicycles accompanied their growth, witnessing significant events and joyous occasions in their lives, leaving an unforgettable memory. Many people, from studying to falling in love to getting married,reliedon a bicycle to get around.
It is reported that the artwork participated in an art exhibition in the United States in 2014 and won awards, causing a sensation. Foreigners admired the exquisite craftsmanship of the carving in this piece and glimpsed into the life of the Chinese people in the 1980s.
Su Zhongyang stated that the difficulty of inheriting intangible cultural heritage far exceeds what outsiders imagine. Currently, the number of artisans inheriting bone carving art is declining, leaving behind numerous treasures as solitary examples. For instance, this bicycle is priced at 3.8 million yuan, but it is not only the world's only piece but also irreplaceable. Its true value goes beyond monetary terms. For Chinese people, the bicycle represents a symbol of life in the last century. For the inheritance of bone carving intangible cultural heritage, it is a comprehensive summary. If it can evoke society's recognition and inheritance of bone carving, its value is immeasurable.
Source: Yangcheng Evening News
