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A. delight B. moving C. displayed D. ultimately E. passion F. creativity G. convincing H. prosperously I. emotional J. originals K. questioned |
I had the opportunity to catch a movie on a recent flight, China's Van Gogh, about a painter , Zhao Xiaoyong, who made a living drawing replicas (复制品) of the work of the great Vincent Van Gogh, in Shenzhen's Dafen Village. The movie is more than just a documentary. It is but is in no way a "tear-jerker".
Zhao was originally from Hunan. After arriving in Dafen 20 years ago, he started a family business by making replicas of Van Gogh and has finished over 100, 000 copies. Now Zhao has developed a great for Van Gogh and has strict requirements on the quality of his staff's work, but he had never visited the Netherlands before, nor had he seen the real drawing by Van Gogh himself.
Zhao had always wanted to make the trip, but travel expenses put him off and off again. After a long strugglehis wife, Zhao eventually made the trip.
Zhao had a serious breakdown when he visited the Van Gogh museum. Amazed by the beauty of the real work, he his own talent: none of his replicas came close to capturing the moments in the. And he wondered whether he could continue painting after all knowing that he had none of the originality and of the Dutch master.
Zhao,recovered some of his confidence when he went to Provence, France, and drew a painting at the same spot where Van Gogh drew his The Cafe Terrace on the Place du Forum, to the of the audience.
Upon returning to China, Zhao began to produce original work. How Zhao would survive in his new pursuit is anybody's guess, but I am struck by the parallels between Zhao's story and China's recent economic development.
