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Epilog
Originally the plan to build a museum in Fuping for French ceramic art was planned
2-3 years later. It happened that I attended the Clay Modern in Gogong,
Australia in 2003 where I met a French couple ceramic artists Daphne Corregan
and Gilles Suffern. We had a dinner together and discussed the Fuping
FuLe International Ceramic Art Museums (FLICAM) project. They seemed very
much interested and willing to organizing French artists for me. We both
know 2004/2005 is Chinese France culture years. It would be easier to
seek financial assistances for our program during this period of time.
That evening I prepared a proposal for building a French Museum in Fuping
and inviting French artists come to Fuping and do the work for the museum.
After we returned to our country,
Daphne and Gilles started to contact artists and collect information and
I discuss the proposal with Fuping Pottery Art Village and we all like
the idea and start to plan for a French museum. By the autumn of 2004
Daphne and Gilles gave me a list of 28 artists shown interest. By the
end of 2004 they told me that at least 12 will come to China in 2005 and
the rest in 2006 and 2007. The project naturally grew into a 3 -year project.
Daphne and Gilles even organized a non-profit organization to promote
such culture exchange. In November of 2004, we were noticed that our museum
program was recognized by the China-French Culture years as an official
program. We immediately decided to hold a ground-breaking ceremony in
Fuping for the French Museum. Ms. Arrf, a project officer of the China
France culture year program from French Embassy came to Fuping for the
ceremony.
Although FLICAM committed
to build a museum and willing to pay all artists room and food while they
are in Fuping but the traveling cost must be covered by French side. I
was planned a trip to Europe and both Daphne and Jacques Kaufmann believed
if I could spend some time to visit some French organizations and they
may help for travel assistance. So, under their arrangement, I had a lunch
and afternoon meeting with Atelier deArt de France. It turned out to be
a very fruitful meeting. I welcome them to show French traditional ceramics
in China and they will support our program also. In Paris, I met quite
few French ceramic artists who intended to come to China. II also went
to south France to meet more French artists. It seemed that all of them
were excited to come to China.
In 2005 after the frozen
period is over, the architecture designs done and by May the construction
plan was layout and by the middle of June, construction of French Museum
started. By July 31st, the French Museum will be formally opened.
I Chi Hsu
July 31, 2005
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