多次探访中国的经历让我渐渐喜爱上了中国的文化和人民，并有幸结识了徐邦宁先生（字如源）且与他成为了朋友。在1986年旅居日本之前，徐邦宁先生已经是一位有名的艺术家，他研习的是中国传统绘画艺术。在日本游学进修十数年之后，邦宁先生选择来到美国，并定居至今，他独特的融合日本绘画风格和西方装饰构图的中国水墨画作让我着迷不已。近几年，邦宁先生又回到他的祖国，向他的同胞们与同行们展示技艺、交流切磋，此次将在杭州与旅居德国的书法家范知其先生一同举办一场展览，相信定然能收获无数观众的关注与喜爱。
邦宁先生告诉我，这次与范知其先生的联展，将以一种十分东方的动物——“鹤”为主题。在我的认知中，鹤的身上是颇有一种东方神话色彩的。在中国的神仙故事中，鹤被称作“仙鹤”，它们是仙人的坐骑，也是使者，这让我想到了犹太神话中的“天使”，同样圣洁和高贵，替上帝传递福音，为凡人送上祝福。书画艺术更是中国联通世界不同文化的使者，她超越语言，也跨越时代。
****先生曾陈述文化对于国家与民族发展的重要性：“一个国家、一个民族的强盛，总是以文化兴盛为支撑的。”文化会不自觉的产生强烈的辐射作用，以此来推进国家、民族软实力的增长。犹太文化与中华文化在家庭观念、教育和文化理念中有很多相似之处。目前中国正在大力推进的“一带一路”建设和“人类命运共同体”等价值观的倡议，传播中华民族的友善和热情，促进中国与西方等各个国家民心相通，艺术交融，合作共赢。我相信，中国这一系列政策的实施与文化艺术的交流，一定会让世界各主流国家接纳并受益，同时肩负传播文化使命的中国艺术家与艺术作品将为不同国家的民众所接受和喜爱。
不久之前，邦宁先生特地跟我说了他为什么选在杭州这个叫孤山的地方举办展览。在中国宋朝有一位隐士幽居与此，种植梅花，饲养仙鹤 ，把她们当作自己的妻子相待，厮守一生， 自此有“梅妻鹤子”典故。在这迷人的春日暖风中，带着荣耀的沟通使命的仙鹤，将从中国宋朝跨越千年飞进了当代，从杭州（孤山）跨越万里飞向了世界各地，传递最真挚的情谊和最高尚的祝福！
最后，祝“鹤舞孤山-徐邦宁、范知其书画作品展”圆满成功！
杰克·罗森
于纽约 2019年3月
Over my many trips to China, I have come to admire its culture and its people. I had the privilege of meeting Mr. Bangning Xu（Style name Ruyuan）and becoming his friend. Before living in Japan in 1986, Bangning was already a well-known artist. He studied Chinese traditional painting art. After more than a decade of studying in Japan, Bangning chose to move to the United States. I am fascinated by his unique Chinese ink paintings that combine Japanese painting style with Western decorative composition. In recent years, Bangning has returned to his home country to share and exchange his skills in painting with his fellow practitioners and colleagues. Bangning will be co-hosting an exhibition in Hangzhou with Mr. Zhiqi Fan, a calligrapher living in Germany. I am certain that they will receive the attention and admiration that they deserve from countless of viewers.
Bangning told me that his joint exhibition with Mr. Zhiqi Fan will be based on a very oriental animal, "Crane". In my understanding, crane carries a message of oriental mythology. Chinese fairy tales refer to them as "Xianhe", the mounts and messengers of the immortals. The art of calligraphy and painting is the messenger that connects Chinese culture and others. It is beyond languages and ages.
Mr. Xi Jinping once stated the importance of culture in the development of the country and the nation: "The st rength of a count ry and a nation is always supported by cultural prosperity." Culture will unconsciously produce a strong radiation effect to enhance the soft power of the state and the nation. The Jewish and Chinese cultures have much in common. They share similar values of family, education and culture. At present, China is promoting the concept of "One Belt and One Road" construction and the "Human Destiny Community"; spreading friendship and enthusiasm of the Chinese nation, promoting
cultural exchanges, art, and building cooperation between China and the western world. There will be benefits from the implementation of this series of policies and the exchange of culture and art. At the same time, Chinese artists and works of art that carry cultural missions will be accepted and enjoyed by people around the world.
Not long ago, Bangning told me specifically why he chose to hold an exhibition in Hangzhou, a place called "Gushan Hill". In the Song Dynasty of China, there was a hermit who lived there, planted plums, raised cranes, and treated them as his family. The Chinese consider the plum as wife and crane as son. They believe the crane will fly from the Chinese Song Dynasty to the present, from Hangzhou (Gushan Hill) around the world, to deliver the sincerest friendship and noble blessing!
I wish "Cranes Dancing on Gushan Hill - Bangning Xu and Zhiqi Fan's Calligraphy and Painting Works Exhibition" much success!
Jack Rosen
New York March 2019
