Zhong’ao: Art Village

Ying Lei Sun Jianjun

Situated in Xiangshan， in the middle point of the long coastline of Zhejiang Province， Zhongao village is well known as a producer of orange. Since 2018， the traditional village has been conducting an experimental project to combine art as a key factor into its economic and social growth.

From April 28th to May 20， 2018， the village hosted Orange Bloom Art Festival， an unprecedented event which put the village on the map of art and media. On the day the festival started， nearly 10，000 people visited the village. The six village restaurants enjoyed brisk business.

With a history of over 700 years， Zhongao is a village with a population of 1，200 where most of the villagers are surnamed Chen. It is part of Xiaotang， a town where orange production is the major economic pillar. The town produces 25，000 tons of orange a year. Orange trees burst into bloom toward the last days of April.

Twenty-four domestic and international artists attended the festival. On April 28th and 29th， they decorated the village with 40 plus installations， sculptures， graffiti， paintings， and photos. While artists were transforming the village， villagers were fascinated. They gawked curiously， amazed by the transformation appearing bit by bit. Children followed the artists around and some children even tried their hands at adding a touch or two to the artworks. For some of them， it was their first direct contact with art.

日本藝术家吉元烨子在创作装置作品《苏醒》。A Japanese artist works an artistic installation at Zhongao Village.

“We chose some dilapidated walls in the public area for artists to paint， injecting art to the walls. If we get the approval of villagers， we plan to restore old houses in the village artistically. Art is meant to transform Zhongao，” remarks Chen Danyang， one of the three organizers of the festival.

Chen is a professional artist and a native of Zhongao. On the Spring Festival 2018， the village held a forum and invited some natives who had established themselves as celebrities in the outside world and who were back home visiting with their families and celebrating the Spring Festival. At the forum， the village elites discussed proposals submitted over the past few years and made a decision on art festivals. However， locals were uncertain about art and art events. But they were convinced when visitors flooded in.

Chen Danyang did not plan to turn the festival into a rural party for art celebrities from the outside world. He wanted to engage villagers and make them play the central role. At the Orange Bloom Art Festival， Zhongao assigned a special space as a market for villagers to sell their traditional crafts such as embroidery， paper-cuts and fish lanterns to visitors from the outside world. The art trade has brought cash into the village. Nowadays， crafts are flourishing in the village as villagers prepare for upcoming festivals.

Bringing art to villages aims to cultivate local village artists who stay and create. “Crafts connect artists and villagers. Introducing art into traditional crafts brings rural crafts to a new high level， remarks Su Bing， one of the three organizers of the village festivals.

“Craftspeople such as carpenters， tailors and rattan chair makers in the village have better potentials for art. We want to attract more young people to come back to their rural roots through art，” says Chen Danyang.

From October 28th to November 28， 2018， Zhongao hosted “Citrus： Public Art Season”， a one-month-long event that coincided with the fruit-ripening and harvesting time in the orange-producing village.

By this time， Zhongao looked more artistic. Some disused houses had been transformed into artist studios， galleries and public reading rooms. Like the festival that spanned April and May in 2018， this event also attracted 20 some domestic and international artists to create and install works of art in the village. In addition， eye-opening lectures were held. Over 40 villagers attended “How Art Comes to Rural Life”， a lecture given by Su Bing， one of the three organizes of the event.

At present， Zhongao has set up a base where international artists can stay and do sketching sessions around. The village also plans to offer art courses for children.

With modern art conspicuously displayed in the village， Zhongao has totally transformed itself. It is now a huge attraction for artists and tourists. Moreover， neighboring villages are following suit. Zhongao is now a phenomenal model for new-type cultural and economic development in rural areas. Experts say that they look forward to Zhongao for exploring a path for better rural development by means of art and setting up a good example of sustainable growth in rural Zhejiang.