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Flying Paintings: The Zhou Brothers: A Story of Revolution and Art

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Flying Paintings: The Zhou Brothers: A Story of Revolution and Art

Hardcover

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Hardcover
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Overview

The epic story of two Chinese brothers who became art-world legends, illustrated with stunning paintings by the artists themselves

First there was one Zhou brother, and then there were two. They lived in a bookstore with their grandmother, Po Po, whose stories of paintings that flew through the air and landed on mountain cliffs inspired them to create their own art. Amid the turbulence of China’s Cultural Revolution in the 1970s, the Zhou Brothers began painting together on the same canvas. Today, ShanZuo and DaHuang Zhou are icons in the art world, renowned for working side by side on all their paintings and sculptures.

In this extraordinary biography, author Amy Alznauer joins with the Zhou Brothers to tell the story of their unique and often difficult childhood and their pursuit of a wild, impossible dream. The lyrical writing blends elements of legend, while the brothers’ dramatic illustrations soar with vibrant colors and surreal imagery from ancient Chinese cliff paintings. An inspiration for young artists and dreamers of all kinds, this deeply felt collaboration explores how art can bring people together, as well as set them free.

Product Details
About the Author

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781536204285
Publisher:	Candlewick Press
Publication date:	09/01/2020
Pages:	48
Sales rank:	980,087
Product dimensions:	9.90(w) x 11.40(h) x 0.30(d)
Age Range:	5 - 9 Years

About the Author

Amy Alznauer is the author of The Boy Who Dreamed of Infinity, illustrated by Daniel Miyares. She has a master’s degree in creative writing from the University of Pittsburgh. When she isn’t writing, she is teaching calculus and number theory classes at Northwestern University or spending time with her family in Chicago.

ShanZuo Zhou and DaHuang Zhou were born in China, where they started painting together on the same canvas. They left behind a promising art career in China when they moved to the United States, where they have flourished as fine artists creating work that is sold around the world, including a painting commissioned by President Obama and gifted to President Hu of China. They are the founders of the Zhou B Art Center in Chicago, where new artists work and show their art.

From the B&N Reads Blog

Page 1 of

Editorial Reviews

11/02/2020
In folktale cadence, Alznauer traces the story of two brothers, Shaoli and Shaoning, who struggle to create lives for themselves as artists in “the new People’s Republic of China,” which “did not appreciate the high spirits of people who ran their own stores and made their own art.” Guided by the words of their grandmother— “to become an artist... you must possess the highest spirit”—the brothers struggle through loss and separation, acquiring training, drawing inspiration from Chinese cliff paintings, and learning to work together: “Each canvas was a battle of paint that transformed what was once two into a single dance, what was old into something new, and what was terrible into something beautiful.” An afterword explains how the tale simplifies the life stories of the Zhou Brothers, whose loose-lined, colorful pictures, influenced by both traditional Chinese style and modern sensibilities, depict their own journey. An intimate, inspiring introduction to two contemporary Chinese artists, and a moving reminder of creative work’s power. Ages 5–9. (Sept.)

Publishers Weekly

Alznauer’s text is poetically spare, capturing the tone of a treasured legend and delicately complementing the generous gallery of watercolors the Zhou brothers themselves contribute. An author’s note expands historical and biographical details, and a photograph of the adult brothers is also included.
—Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books (starred review)

It's unusual for the subjects of an arts biography to illustrate the story of their own lives, but that's only one of the elements that set this compelling picture book apart...Picture-book biographies of contemporary artists are rare, and this one, which examines not only inspiration and artistic growth but the specific political reality of censorship facing many Chinese contemporary artists, thoughtfully and accessibly explores this timely topic.
—Booklist (starred review)

Through the vibrant ink-and-watercolor paintings by the subjects themselves, readers are immersed in the bold artistic style and spirit of the Zhou brothers. Alznauer’s author’s note further discusses the Zhou brothers’ career as well as elisions and compression made for the sake of narrative clarity. This engaging biography will comfort and inspire.
—Kirkus Reviews

The transformative power of art takes center stage in this picture book biography loosely based on the lives of internationally acclaimed artists and brothers ShanZuo and DaHuang Zhou...A fascinating introduction to two contemporary artists who battled adversity and hardships to pursue the higher calling of creative expression. Purchase for large collections where picture book biographies are in demand.
—School Library Journal

Alznauer’s engaging text moves briskly, focusing primarily on the brothers’ relationship...Readers will be captivated by the book’s artful design and vivid ink-and-watercolor illustrations that seamlessly move between intimate family portraits and expansive, expressionistic double-page landscapes. A unique biography that conveys the scope and importance of the subjects’ work through original illustrations by the artists themselves.
—The Horn Book

In folktale cadence, Alznauer traces the story of two brothers, Shaoli and Shaoning, who struggle to create lives for themselves as artists in “the new People’s Republic of China,” which “did not appreciate the high spirits of people who ran their own stores and made their own art.”...An afterword explains how the tale simplifies the life stories of the Zhou Brothers, whose loose-lined, colorful pictures, influenced by both traditional Chinese style and modern sensibilities, depict their own journey. An intimate, inspiring introduction to two contemporary Chinese artists, and a moving reminder of creative work’s power.
—Publishers Weekly

From the Publisher

08/01/2020
PreS-Gr 4—The transformative power of art takes center stage in this picture book biography loosely based on the lives of internationally acclaimed artists and brothers ShanZuo and DaHuang Zhou. Born in the 1950s in the People's Republic of China, the brothers (then known as Shaoli and Shaoning) came of age during the Cultural Revolution. After their father was forced into a labor camp and their mother was imprisoned by the government, the brothers were raised by their grandmother, Po Po, who was a bookseller. They painted and heard stories about the cliff paintings of Huashan; as they grew older, the cliff paintings and stories influenced their work. After Po Po died, the brothers began to paint a mural together on the walls of their family bookstore and embarked on an artistic partnership that still exists today. The idea that beauty cannot exist without ugliness is echoed throughout the text. The strength of this book lies in the autobiographical artwork rendered by the brothers. Representation of their artwork over the span of their career mirrors their growth as artists while also providing a sample of their work. Author and illustrator's notes are included. VERDICT A fascinating introduction to two contemporary artists who battled adversity and hardships to pursue the higher calling of creative expression. Purchase for large collections where picture book biographies are in demand.—Jennifer Knight, North Olympic Lib. Syst., Port Angeles, WA

School Library Journal

2020-06-30
A picture-book biography chronicling the artistic and personal journey of the Zhou brothers.
First came Shaoli, and then Shaoning arrived soon after. Together, the Zhou brothers loved to run in the garden and to sit close. And together, the brothers discovered art, “copy[ing] bamboo and plum blossoms with brushes and ink.” Growing up in their family-run bookstore, they listened to grandmother Po Po’s “stories of paintings that once flew through the air”; she encouraged them to “possess the highest of spirits” in the pursuit of becoming artists. But not everyone encouraged art-making—or owning bookstores. Through the years, they’d learn that the terrible and the beautiful could go hand in hand. Circumstance would separate the brothers, but always they would find a way to reunite. Eventually, an artistic collaboration sparked, and together they’d paint—and fight—on canvas to create “paintings that would fly free” as they always dreamed. Recurring narrative elements and refrains alongside Alznauer’s rhythmic prose evoke the kinds of tales Po Po would share with the brothers. Through the vibrant ink-and-watercolor paintings by the subjects themselves, readers are immersed in the bold artistic style and spirit of the Zhou brothers. Alznauer’s author’s note further discusses the Zhou brothers’ career as well as elisions and compression made for the sake of narrative clarity.
This engaging biography will comfort and inspire. (Picture book/biography. 5-9)

Kirkus Reviews

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