Chi Shaoting is a Chinese artist, calligrapher, teacher of fine arts, and member of the Public Club of Chinese Culture (Weifang). In 2011, she graduated from Kyiv National Pedagogical University, the Faculty of Fine Arts and Design. She has studied with prominent Chinese artists such as Zhang Jun Gen, Zhang Huai Yong, and Liu Ju Gang. Chi Shaoting has lived in Ukraine since 1998. She maintains constant contact with her home country and promotes cultural exchange between the two nations. She has participated in collective exhibitions and has held personal exhibitions in Ukraine, China, the USA, and Spain. Her works are presented in museums and private collections in Ukraine and abroad.
The Voice of Ukraine project is named after the Ukrainian newspaper of the same name. Chi Shaotin made her first work for the project on an issue of this newspaper, while she was in Kyiv at the beginning of the war. The concept of the project is aimed at disseminating information through art. In the context of the globalization of society, art has no borders. Painting on newspapers from around the world is a means of transforming words into images that do not require knowledge of languages; the meaning is clear without words. And even when artists are without art materials, they don’t stop creating.
“The idea of the project arose because of the restriction of access to materials when we were fleeing at the outbreak of war. I didn’t have paint or rice paper, which are hard to find even in peacetime. If an artist has a passion for art, they can paint with anything: toothpaste, fingers. The first works of art were made in such conditions, in the conditions of war,” Chi Shaotin said.
While she was evacuating with her child on a long journey to Germany, she lost 2 works she made for the project. All the others were created in Dusseldorf on newspapers from around the world which describe the current situation in Ukraine. Each work is made with the soul and imbued with philosophical ideas that inspired the author during the war.
Drawing 1.
“Peace” 28.02.2022
Ukrainian newspaper, А-2, toothpaste, ink.
Drawing 2.
“Dove”
Ukrainian newspaper, А-2, ink, toothpaste.
Drawing 3.
“Children”
German newspaper, А-2, ink, toothpaste.
Drawing 4.
“Spring”
German newspaper, А-2, ink, paint.
Drawing 5.
“Ears”
Polish newspaper, А-2, ink, toothpaste.
Drawing 6.
“News”
Irish newspaper, А-3, ink, paint.
Drawing 7.
“Way”
Spanish newspaper, А-3, ink, toothpaste.
Drawing 8.
“50 days of the war”
American newspaper, A-2, ink, paint.
