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TRACES OF THE BRUSH - TRAILER
Theme Song
About
The documentary film Traces of the Brush - The Heartprint of Fu Shen (2017) is an intimate and personal look into the life and work of Dr. Fu Shen, one of the most eminent Chinese art historians, calligraphers, educators, and connoisseurs working today. The film begins with his early family upbringing, explores his burgeoning interest in calligraphy, his academic studies and scholarship, and eventually progresses to his retirement and return to creating art.
Through interviews with friends, family, colleagues, famous students, and Prof. Fu himself, we are given a view into the many aspects of Prof. Fu's work and artistic process. Notable among these is Dr. Marilyn Wong, with whom he co-wrote the seminal work "Studies in Connoisseurship" & "Traces of the Brush." Other important interviews include: Dr. Mike Hearn (Metropolitan Museum of Art), Dr. Mimi Gates (Dunhuang Foundation), Dr. Richard Barnhart (Yale University), Dr. Jay Xu (The Asian Art Museum), Stephen Allee and Jan Stuart (Freer Gallery, Smithsonian Institution), Dr. Lothar Ledderose (University of Heidelberg), Dr. Kungshin Chou (National Palace Museum), Mr. Paul Chang (Son of Zhang Daqian) and Academy Award-winning director Ang Lee, who was a childhood friend of Fu.
Team
Director Eros Zhao is Dr. Fu Shen’s last pupil. As an artist, he has degrees from the China Central Academy of Fine Arts, the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC) and became a faculty member at SAIC after graduating. Later he received an MA in the study of Chinese art history at UCLA, where he met Dr. Fu Shen. Since 2015, he has been in production on this documentary film project, during which he has traveled around the world with Fu Shen, interviewing important figures and documenting Fu Shen’s life, work, and studies.
Producer Chuanchuan Yu
The team who put together this project, includes students and faculty members from the East Asian Studies, Film, and Music Departments at UCLA, collaborating with the talents of incredible young artists from Hollywood. The film was produced by Chuanchuan Yu & Eros Zhao. Executive producer was Victoria Lu. The editing was done by Steve McClean. And the films orchestral score was composed by Jeff Kryka, and was performed and recorded by the Hollywood Studio Symphony.
The film is a labor of love to celebrate the life and work of this incredible artist, scholar, and educator.
Contact: eszhao@ucla.edu
Composer Jeff Kryka
Editer Steve McClean