Commemorating Mr. Manfred Schoeni

The day before my birthday, on the 26 April 1992, I received a letter from Shanghai from someone by the name of Lu Jie. In the letter he wrote, "I work for Mr. Schoeni, a Swiss, and help him to perfect his collection of Chinese oil paintings. Mr. Schoeni is the largest trader of oriental artifacts and furniture in Hong Kong. He is a serious connoisseur of Chinese art, who enjoys a high status in both the cultural and business fields in Hong Kong...Acting as a bridge between the cultural and business sectors of the East and West, he would like to introduce your works to those in Hong Kong who are interested in Chinese oil paintings."

Under the arrangement of Lu Jie, we soon met each other. Mr Schoeni once described our first meeting:

"Ascending seven flights of stairs can be arduous, particularly if you are nursing various sports injuries. But nothing daunted, up those seven flights I went, accompanied by Lu Jie, for my first-ever meeting with the painter Jiang Guo Fang. I held on to his iron door, quite exhausted, while ringing the bell. Nobody was at home. We decided to wait. The prospect of the descent, and then a further ascent later, did not appeal. Not too long afterwards, a smiling Jiang Guo Fang returned from lunch and motioned us inside to his studio. The climb and the wait had been well worth it."

After Mr. Schoeni saw my paintings he said to me, "You are the best painter and I am the best art dealer. We will be the best collaboration." I doubted what he said. In China, people like to boast. Even old ladies from the old neighbourhoods can often be heard bragging that they know how to fly a plane backwards. I responded, "My works prove my worth as an artist. How can you prove that you are the best art dealer?" He immediately showed me Liu Da Hong's catalogue, and said, "This is what we just did for him." What an overwhelming piece of evidence! To me it is still a fantastic dream for an artist in his thirties to be able to have such an extensive catalogue. I could no longer doubt him and we soon became partners.

We met each other for the last time in Beijing on 27 April 2004, my actual birthday. Since our first meeting thirteen years ago, Mr. Schoeni has been the agent for almost all my works. During that period, five solo exhibitions were held, as well as numerous joint and international exhibitions, two extensive catalogues were published, and a lot of promotional work had been done. Under his leadership, his gallery has become the largest one in Asia, representing over forty significant contemporary Chinese oil painters. He also carved a niche in the international arena, the only forum where seniority did not matter as it does in China, purely for Chinese oil paintings. The only thing that mattered was the quality of work produced, no matter your academic background, schooling, or contacts. This was a pure land of freedom, equality and openness.

Although Mr. Schoeni was a westerner he identified closely with Chinese oil paintings and culture. Not only did he build up a business empire of his own, but he also established his spiritual empire in the heart of those he met. He was righteous, healthy, wise, benevolent and sincere. He was also passionate, liberal, open and outspoken. He was also a disciplined and honest man who kept to his word. At work he was never tired and he made friends easily. In short, he was an outstanding person who deserves our respect.

Misty mountains are high and rivers are forever flowing. His spirit rises as high as the mountains and flows as everlasting as the rivers.

He passed away so abruptly. As I watched his daughter cry in front of his portrait, I couldn't help but wonder what he was thinking in another world, and what his last wishes wereĦ­

Mr. Schoeni, we really miss you!

Jiang Guo Fang
June, 2004