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Q: Mobi: Art form or not?
Chinese calligraphy is one of the things that I most liked about Chinese culture. That is to say, until I started to study it.
It seems that it has been 'imprisoned' by rules, leaving no room for creativity. Without creativity it is no longer a form of art and I strongly believe that if the rules are learnt: it can be done by anyone. Likewise: Chinese finger painting can be done by anyone.
Another failing of Chinese culture?
Depends on how you want to define art. Anyone can follow the step by step rules of watch making and create a decent time piece. Now a true master of the craft can work within the exact rules a create a working piece of art to be treasured by its owner.
The rules can be seen as choking the art out of it. Then again, in a culture that has so strongly turned to the quick, short-term profit, being "imprisoned" by rules at least forces the Chinese to learn the rules instead of just hiring a cheapest labor to make as many as fast as possible.
Where is the individualism; the self-expression; the creativity?
When I start to use the paint brush 'artistically' and Chinese people watch: they are horrified that I do not follow the order of the strokes or I paint each stroke in a different way. I can see in their eyes that it is confusing to them and if they could self destruct, they would.
If they don't see me do it, however, they all seem to like it.
