Asia Art Weekly News Bulletin – ISSUE 10 Week of 14 April 2025
(1) After 95 minutes of bidding, long-unseen ancient Chinese scroll fetches record US$32m at Sotheby’s Hong Kong
A historic Chinese calligraphy scroll by Yuan dynasty calligrapher Rao Jie sold for a record HK$250 million (US$32 million) at Sotheby’s Hong Kong.
(2) Swire celebrates 10th anniversary of Taikoo Li Chengdu with art exhibition and documentary film
Swire Properties is celebrating the 10th anniversary of Taikoo Li Chengdu with an art exhibition titled “Your Incredible Moments,” featuring a 10-metre-tall pavilion.
(3) Celine celebrates traditional Japanese craftsmanship at the Osaka Kansai World Expo with an immersive exhibition
The Celine Maki-e exhibition, at the French Pavilion, features urushi lacquered Triomphe art pieces created with Hikoju Makie, and two films directed by Soshi Nakamura.
(4) Ghibli AI Art: Copyright Crossroads and Legal Clouds
OpenAI’s image generation software mimicking Studio Ghibli has sparked copyright concerns, raising questions about AI’s ability to replicate artistic styles.
(1) After 95 minutes of bidding, long-unseen ancient Chinese scroll fetches record US$32m at Sotheby’s Hong Kong
(Photo Credit: Sotheby’s)
A historic 10-metre Chinese calligraphy scroll by Yuan dynasty calligrapher Rao Jie sold for a record HK$250 million (US$32 million) at Sotheby’s Hong Kong after a 95-minute bidding war, the longest ever recorded at the auction house. The scroll, which achieved a price 21 times its pre-sale estimate, features over 100 collector’s seals and has a rich history, having previously belonged to the Qing imperial collection and documented in imperial catalogues.
The scroll contains a transcription of two literary classics from the Tang dynasty, reflecting Rao Jie’s artistic journey during a period of political and cultural transition. His calligraphy is noted for its bold and spontaneous style, transforming prose into a kinetic expression of thought. The work’s opening inscription by Emperor Qianlong captures its essence, describing it as “Divinely Transmitted Purity.”
The scroll’s provenance is extensive, tracing back to notable collectors throughout its seven-century history, including Prince Gong and the last emperor Puyi. After the Qing dynasty’s fall, it was sold in Japan to fund an unsuccessful restoration of the imperial court. The sale at Sotheby’s signals a revitalisation of the Chinese art market, despite recent economic challenges, highlighting the enduring value of historical artefacts.
News Source: https://en.thevalue.com/articles/sothebys-hong-kong-fine-classical-chinese-paintings-highlights-2025-spring-rao-jie-calligraphy
(2) Swire celebrates 10th anniversary of Taikoo Li Chengdu with art exhibition and documentary film
(Photo Credit: The Standard HK)
Swire Properties has unveiled an art exhibition and a documentary film to celebrate the 10th anniversary of Taikoo Li Chengdu, a significant mixed-use development in the heart of Chengdu’s Jinjiang District. Since its opening in 2015, Taikoo Li Chengdu has become a prominent landmark, attracting over 30 million visitors annually with its open-air retail mall and luxury hotel, The Temple House.
The art exhibition, titled “Your Incredible Moments,” honours the development’s decade of creativity and features a striking 10-metre-tall pavilion made from recycled wooden beams, symbolising the region’s architectural heritage. The pavilion and a heritage wall together form the number “10” when viewed from above, reinforcing the theme of celebration and remembrance.
Accompanying the exhibition is the documentary film “An Oral History Documentary for Taikoo Li Chengdu’s 10th Anniversary,” which includes interviews with over 50 colleagues and partners to document the project’s evolution from conception to its current status. Tim Blackburn, Chief Executive of Swire Properties, emphasised the development’s commitment to honouring local culture and creating world-class destinations that foster community engagement through retail, dining, and the arts.
News Source: https://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking-news/section/4/232424/Swire-celebrates-10th-anniversary-of-Taikoo-Li-Chengdu-with-art-exhibition-and-documentary-film
(3) Celine celebrates traditional Japanese craftsmanship at the Osaka Kansai World Expo with an immersive exhibition
(Photo Credit: The Triomphe room at the Maki-e exhibition/ Celine)
Celine is showcasing traditional craftsmanship at the France Pavilion during the Osaka-Kansai World Expo 2025 with an exhibition focused on lacquerware, titled the Celine Maki-e exhibition. This initiative reflects the brand’s longstanding engagement with Japanese culture over its 80-year history and highlights the intersection of art and history, epitomised by the collaboration with Hikoju Makie, who have reimagined Celine’s Triomphe logo through their unique artistic lens.
The exhibition features a range of urushi-lacquered Triomphe art pieces, exclusive Triomphe bags, and art installations, including a video work by Japanese artist Soshi Nakamura titled “Ten Landscapes of Dreams.” This installation is displayed on an LED screen wall and complements another film, “Hands at Work,” which explores the connections between Hikoju Makie’s craftsmanship and Celine’s artistic ethos, creating a rich cultural dialogue.
Through this exhibition, Celine hopes to share these deep philosophical insights with a global audience, inviting them to appreciate the significance of lacquer art and its relationship with the Triomphe logo.
News Source: https://www.wallpaper.com/art/exhibitions-shows/celine-celebrates-traditional-japanese-craftsmanship-at-the-osaka-kansai-world-expo-with-an-immersive-exhibition
(4) Ghibli AI Art: Copyright Crossroads and Legal Clouds
(Photo Credit: The Indian Express)
Studio Ghibli fans are captivated by OpenAI’s new image generation software, which transforms everyday photos into art reminiscent of the iconic Japanese animation studio. However, this innovative technology has sparked significant legal and ethical concerns surrounding copyright and the creative economy, as artists and lawyers voice worries about AI’s potential to exploit artistic legacies without proper consent or compensation.
At the heart of the controversy lies the question of whether an art style can be copyrighted. Although style itself typically isn’t copyrightable, complications arise when AI models are trained on copyrighted works without permission. This issue is further complicated by the views of Hayao Miyazaki, the co-founder of Studio Ghibli, who has openly criticised AI in animation, asserting that it undermines the value of human creativity and effort.
As legal frameworks struggle to keep pace with technological advancements, differing approaches to copyright are emerging globally. The European Union is enforcing stricter regulations requiring explicit consent for the use of copyrighted material in AI training, while the US emphasises the “fair use” doctrine. Critics argue that current measures, such as OpenAI’s restrictions on image generation, do not adequately protect artists’ rights. As the debate continues, it highlights the need for new legal and ethical standards to balance technological innovation with the preservation of human creativity and cultural heritage.
News Source: https://techstory.in/ghibli-ai-art-copyright-crossroads-and-legal-clouds/#google_vignette
