Reading Chinese Avant-garde Art and Independent Cinema in Context

Response Paper
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Reading Title: Reading Chinese Avant-garde Art and Independent Cinema in Context
Critique of the Article: In this article, it has been mentioned that Chinese art and cinema have seen various ups and downs in recent years. Centuries ago, Chinese artists, just like the artists and painters of other parts of the world, used to convey their emotions through paintings, sculptures and other forms of art. However, as time passed, things changed to an extent, and China began producing films in a large number. I feel that this text does not provide enough details regarding how Chinese filmmakers changed the way they used to make movies. The fact is that from the 1930s to the new wave and modern era, many filmmaking techniques have been developed. For instance, the ancient Chinese movies used to contain only a couple of characters and their stories were not as impressive and powerful as are the stories of modern-day filmmakers. Chinese cinema and art have been through various transformations. From the golden age to the modern time, everything has been changed; it looks like in the future, a lot of new methods of filmmaking will be brought to our attention. I feel that the Chinese cinema is closely linked to the culture of the country. It is because, via Chinese movies, filmmakers show to the world how their men and women wear their outfits, what kinds of beliefs they have, and what are their lifestyles. The body of movies and artworks examined in this text spans from 1998 to 2008, and it does not talk much about the history of filmmaking and art in China. I think that if the writer had mentioned those things too, it would have been easy for us to see how the culture of China has transformed with time.
Reading Title: Noble and Ignoble (Ai Weiwei: Wonderful Dissident, Terrible Artist)
Critique of the Article: For nearly a decade or two, the western art has been dominating the world in one way or the other, but it does not mean the eastern art has been forgotten or is ignored. A large number of Asian artists and painters have made their name worldwide. Ai Weiwei is one such name who has played his important role in strengthening the economic and political systems of China, as well as its culture. After reading this text, I got to realize that Ai Weiwei is not only an artist but also a social media sensation and political activist. In response to the world’s conflicts and cultural problems, Ai Weiwei came forward along with other nationalists, media persons, and artists. The purpose was to slam the western art and culture that were trying to dominate the eastern art and culture to an extent. I want to take this opportunity to admire the ...