Peking Opera Portraits

Peking Opera is an art form representative of the essence of Chinese culture. With a history of nearly 200 years, it embodies profound cultural traditions and artistic connotations. Those who have spent time at the theatre, amid the percussion, strings and woodwind, or indeed have put on make-up and gone on the stage, all understand the special beauty of Chinese Peking Opera. Pang Xiaowei, in his studio at the China National Centre for the Performing Arts, has not stinted in taking portraits of more than 100 classic Peking Opera role types in large format film, with the aim of making the most complete record of each Peking Opera character. Every fine line of the painted faces, every gold or silver thread on the costumes, he brings within reach. He not only focuses on classic scenes from classic plays, but also on the actors' posture and movements. With imagery and narrative full of modern sensibility, he depicts 'embroidered portraits' from the masterpieces of Peking Opera. Thus, he not only illustrates the historical heritage of contemporary Peking Opera, but also its current state, and gives expression to further possibilities for the future development of this quintessentially Chinese art form. So, he enables Peking Opera to take flight from the stage space out into the world.