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Brush Art and Bamboo
The bamboo tree is abundantly found in many Asian countries. It has been
a prominent part of the Chinese culture where the love of nature has drawn
them towards this unique tree which can be used for many different things.
Not only is the bamboo tree used to make weapons, homes and boats rather
it has been a popular material to work with in order to create different
works of art in China.
The Chinese artists have also taken the bamboo as a motif for their paintings,
pottery and scrolls. Such art work was most commonly displayed in the various
temples that dotted the landscape. The bamboo is still a popular theme amongst
the contemporary artists of today. Today’s artists seek to take this ancient
popular theme and experiment with them using the latest techniques and mediums
of artistic expression. This has created an interesting fusion between the ancient
Chinese art trend and modern traditions.
The abundance of bamboo in Asia has made it a sort of representative plant of
the continent. The bamboo grove along with the seven sages of Olden China have
long enchanted Asian arts and crafts for many years.
Bamboo art in various forms
Painting was not the only medium of artistic expression that made use of bamboo.
Rather bamboo art includes a wide range of art forms with sculpture being one
of the most popular forms through which the artists sought to express themselves.
Examples of ancient Chinese bamboo sculptures can be found that display a great
deal of artistic skill and craftsmanship as they feature detailed carvings into
bamboo tree trunks and branches
Bamboo was also a common material used in the building of homes. The multi-purpose
tree was used especially for creating the thatched roof of Chinese homes thereby
giving birth to a new architectural style. The Chinese would construct the roof
on highly complex grid systems that incorporated the use of bamboo poles that
were held in place using ropes that were made of rice straw.
The Chinese have been intrigued by the unique nature of the bamboo tree which
is considered to be a species of grass but possesses the characteristics of a
tree. The hollow interior is what makes it unique and one would consider it to
be fragile but it is incredibly strong. Along with these amazing qualities the
bamboo is also beautiful; this is the reason why it has been used as a popular
motif.
Excerpted and reprinted from Kwintissential.