Tuesday, March 07, 2006
The Hard Sell...
"I'm an art student I'm going to Europe with my university. I would like to know what European people think of my art. Please come to my gallery."
The man thinks we are art critics. We don't want to disappoint. I can't speak for Anna but I consider my self a type of artist?! (And I have GCSE Art. I can do this.) I'm very creative as my mother will tell you...
We've been hijacked near the forbidden city and now we are on our way to the gallery. We know what's coming but we have been caught off guard as we have recently done battle with the world's busiest train station in an attempt to get a train ticket. We were successful but it wasn't the most straight forward of tasks and we are slightly dazed.
Our new Chinese arts student friend has steered us to his gallery, which is a posh term for "very narrow shop with alot of lights"
We are showing great interest. I'm personally taking the approach of a lot of nodding, holding chin pensively, turning head and saying "uummm" a lot. I think he's fooled by my critiqueing skills. Anna is having a more sensible conversation with him...that is until asked whether the Europeans would like his Chinese calligraphy paintings. "Oh yes!" I reply. "Women in particular love chinese calligraphy. It's very popular to have it tattooed onto your body." His face drops and it suddenly dawns upon me what I have done. Only after the words have ushered from my mouth do I shamefully recall reading the passage in the Lonely Planet that states how tattoos cause great offence to Chinese people. Well done me.
In the end we get the hard sell. We tell him it's all wonderful and will kick up a storm in Europe. Unfortunately we break the news that we are only 2.5 weeks through a 10 month trip and couldn't possibly carry his beautiful art around the world without damaging it. His smart arse friend in the corner pipes up with "You can mail it home" Awkward bugger. Now we have to find a way of saying "Actually we don't want any and we will be leaving shortly" without causing too much offence. Turns out we just edged our way towards the door with random words flowing from us. Nice paintings, Europe will love them, thanks, sorry, bye. And we were gone off in the direction of Tiananmen Square dodging spit at every step.
The man thinks we are art critics. We don't want to disappoint. I can't speak for Anna but I consider my self a type of artist?! (And I have GCSE Art. I can do this.) I'm very creative as my mother will tell you...
We've been hijacked near the forbidden city and now we are on our way to the gallery. We know what's coming but we have been caught off guard as we have recently done battle with the world's busiest train station in an attempt to get a train ticket. We were successful but it wasn't the most straight forward of tasks and we are slightly dazed.
Our new Chinese arts student friend has steered us to his gallery, which is a posh term for "very narrow shop with alot of lights"
We are showing great interest. I'm personally taking the approach of a lot of nodding, holding chin pensively, turning head and saying "uummm" a lot. I think he's fooled by my critiqueing skills. Anna is having a more sensible conversation with him...that is until asked whether the Europeans would like his Chinese calligraphy paintings. "Oh yes!" I reply. "Women in particular love chinese calligraphy. It's very popular to have it tattooed onto your body." His face drops and it suddenly dawns upon me what I have done. Only after the words have ushered from my mouth do I shamefully recall reading the passage in the Lonely Planet that states how tattoos cause great offence to Chinese people. Well done me.
In the end we get the hard sell. We tell him it's all wonderful and will kick up a storm in Europe. Unfortunately we break the news that we are only 2.5 weeks through a 10 month trip and couldn't possibly carry his beautiful art around the world without damaging it. His smart arse friend in the corner pipes up with "You can mail it home" Awkward bugger. Now we have to find a way of saying "Actually we don't want any and we will be leaving shortly" without causing too much offence. Turns out we just edged our way towards the door with random words flowing from us. Nice paintings, Europe will love them, thanks, sorry, bye. And we were gone off in the direction of Tiananmen Square dodging spit at every step.
# posted by Rhodri @ 12:35 pm 
