OLYMP'ARTS 2023, the first presentation of OLYMP'ARTS, opened in October at the Zappeion in Athens, Greece. The location of the Zappeion, implies a profound metaphor of retrospection, remembrance, and inheritance and development, and the Olympics originated in this very land, which is a retrospection of the art of Ancient Greece, as well as a response to the spirit of the modern Olympics. The theme of OLYMP'ARTS 2023 is “environment, climate and energy”, which is closely related to Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations. OLYMP'ARTS is a world-class artistic festival and celebration organized every four years and opens to artists from all over the world. Artists from all over the world, representatives of art organizations, government dignitaries, entrepreneurs, and representatives of WOAC were invited to participate in the conference, which included the opening ceremony, themed exhibitions, themed forums, charity dinners, awards, etc. The video of holy spring collection ceremony at Delphi, Greece, and OLYMP'ARTS anthem were released for the first time.

Paul Thompson, the Vice Chancellor of Royal College of Art; Andre Zlattinger, Deputy Chairman of Sotheb's and Director of the Modern and Post-War British Art Department; Xikun Yuan, the first “Patron for Arts and Environmental “of UNEP and sculptor; Wallace Chan, jewellery artist and visual artist; and Francisco Córdoba, Italian famous artist; Marc Verrier, founding president of the WOAC; Rachel Qin, executive president of the WOAC and Michele Genovese, president of WOAC Advisory Committe shared their speeches at the Opening Ceremony, speeches at the Keynote Forum, and interviews. Focusing on the story of art, the development of art, the future of art, and the themes of art and culture, art and environment, art and science and technology, we will publish the main relevant content, welcome to pay attention. This issue brings jewellery artist and visual artist Wallace Chan's keynote forum speech.

Jewellery Artist and Visual Artist Wallace Chan Speaks at OLYMP'ARTS 2023 Keynote Forum

Wallace Chan, who came to Greece for the first time, said at the beginning of the keynote speech, “This is a place I longed for when I was young. If Chinese culture is my spiritual hometown, Greek mythology is the muse of my youth.” He began with the first innovation in his artistic life, the “Wallace Cut,” a method of carving that combines actuarial cutting with three-dimensionality. Although 36 years old, this innovation still plays a role in creation.

The most iconic of the Wallace Cut's works is the “Hollai”, a frontal view of the gemstone showing the five faces of the goddess, but only the center face is actually from the actual carving, while the others are reflections. “The name of this goddess, who turns me upside down day and night, is called the goddess Horeh, who in Greek mythology is in charge of the four seasons and time.” More interestingly, Chan explains, “It was as if destiny was in control, and I certainly didn't think that 36 years later I would come to Athens, to OLYMP'ARTS 2023, to tell the story of my sculpting method and the goddess of Hollai.”

“The Goddess of Hollai” by Wallace Chan

The focus of Chan's narrative shifts from the story of the artwork to the story of the artist, Wallace Chan, who has been sculpting since 1973 and whose artistic career spans more than half a century. There are two impressive points about the artist's personal experience. Firstly, Wallace Chan grew up in an environment where resources were relatively scarce, “so naturally I treasure them. I believe that dreams only stand a chance if the work at hand is done to perfection.” Secondly, he is a self-taught artist. With no formal education, he was only able to “practice creativity within creativity and craftsmanship within craftsmanship.” Thus he believes that “I create the work and the work creates me.”

Perhaps it is from such a path of artistic growth that Wallace Chan's unique understanding of the theme of OLYMP'ARTS 2023 came to be, “Live up to life, live up to all things, live up to history, and live up to the future, which is my interpretation of ‘sustainability’. This is my interpretation of 'sustainable development', and also what I feel today echoes the title 'Environment, Climate, Energy' of the OLYMP'ARTS 2023.” In his opinion, as an art creator, one of the ways to be responsible is to choose the good and be stubborn, “Choosing to be the most true, the most good, the most beautiful, the most eternal, this is my account to everything in the universe.” We can regard this idea as a precise expression of Wallace Chan's artistic methodology.

Jewellery Artist and Visual Artist Wallace Chan

The methodology of art is most directly and completely embodied in his representative work “Butterfly” series, which is also a story about art works. When he was a child, he was touched by “the butterfly lovers”, which could not be waved away in his heart for a long time; when he grew up, he dreamt of “Zhuangzi Dreaming of Becoming a Butterfly”, which can be regarded as inspiration lingering in his mind. Or as he said, “Every time I created a butterfly, it was as if I had once again fulfilled my emotional and rational aspirations.” More importantly, “In addition to the butterfly's metamorphosis that breaks through its own limitations, and in addition to the butterfly's ever-changing beauty, I am also deeply inspired by the butterfly's courage and perseverance.” In 2011, a large serpentine butterfly departed from Japan and traveled 83 days and 2,500 kilometers to Hong Kong for the winter, which is the second longest known flight distance in the world - if compared with the American monarch butterfly's flight of about 4,000 kilometers each way.

Wallace Chan Works “Butterfly” Series “I'm Still Fluttering - The Story of the Wind” Brooch

Yellow diamonds, diamonds, colored diamonds, morganite, emerald garnet, pink corundum, crystals, butterfly specimen, mother-of-pearl, Shiyoung ceramics, titanium

Wallace Chan Works “Butterfly” Series “Blossom See Joy” Brooch

Pink sapphire, sapphire, tsavorite, diamond, yellow diamond, pearl, titanium

“I seek art that belongs to the masses, to the universe.” This relies heavily on the synergy of ideas and technology, and Wallace Chan is largely responsible for this effort, concluding his speech by saying, “I imagine that gemstones are my musical notes, and that their colors, brilliance, and textures are my rhythms and cadences, and I can only hope that my work, like music, will become a language shared by the world and resonate across cultures. resonance between different cultures.” Just as OLYMP'ARTS practices letting art light up the world and connecting the world with art!

Wallace Chan's artistic methodology of choosing to be the truest, the best, the most beautiful, and the most timeless in choosing goodness and stubbornness fits, to a large extent, the OLYMP'ARTS values of universality, beauty, aesthetics, harmony, and non-violence. OLYMP'ARTS 2023 themed exhibition “RENEWAL: Journey through Time and Space” invited Wallace Chan to participate in the exhibition, the work “Wings” is like a flight, linking his childhood dream and artistic ideals, spiritual hometown and artistic muse, the artist's creation and the public's appreciation of ...... Given that Wallace Chan's creativity and impetus in the field of art, especially in jewelry creation and visual design, OLYMP'ARTS 2023 specially presents him with the “Artistic Design Master Award”, with the guest of honor Marc Verrière, in anticipation of more artistic creations for the public and the universe, like musical notes that communicate and connect the world.He is looking forward to more of his artistic creations for the public and the universe, like musical notes that communicate and connect the world.

Wallace Chan Works “Wings”

Jewellery Artist and Visual Artist Mr. Wallace Chan Won the Artistic Design Master Award

About Wallace Chan

Born in China in 1956, Wallace Chan started sculpting in 1973 at the age of 16. In an extraordinary artistic journey spanning more than half a century, he has drawn inspiration from nature, philosophy and spirituality to create works that combine traditional craftsmanship with innovative technology. Based in Hong Kong, the self-taught artist is known worldwide for pioneering the use of titanium in his works of art. Focusing on the material, Chan's creations range from jewelry to sculpture and engraving, and he has developed a number of innovations, such as the “Wallace Cut” (1987), the patented Jadeite Cutting and Polishing Technique (2002), and Wallace Ceramics (2018), to name but a few. He is one of the few artists today who creates colorful, large-scale, and highly complex works in titanium. His works are in the collections of the Capital Museum (Beijing), the British Museum (London), the Long Museum (Shanghai), and the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.