The recently concluded 2023 marked the 10^th anniversary of Xu Hongfei's global sculpture tour. Over the past decade, he traveled across five continents, visited more than 20 countries, and held 55 solo exhibitions. Through the artistic symbol of"chubby women," Xu Hongfei conveyed Chinese joy and confidence to the world.

At the end of 2023, a reporter from Yangcheng Evening News joined Xu Hongfei's "chubby women" on a three-stop tour in the rainbow nation of South Africa.

After the opening of the third exhibition at the iconic City Hall Square in Durban, the South African sun suddenly intensified its brilliance. The brisk wind, however, momentarily froze in its motion.

Two South African women, filled with excitement, animatedly conversed in their incredibly soft language. They chatted and laughed, finding amusement in the posture of the "chubby women."

The entire scene became even more intriguing, arguably adding a certain unique spiritual charm.

Art has the power to elevate the soul and ignite our passions.

Hosting outdoor activities in Africa inevitably involves the inclusion of wild and primal African dances.

Performers adorned their faces and bodies with vibrant patterns, encircling the "chubby women" as they beat drums, swayed hips, and danced energetically, embodying a raw, exuberant spirit.

Guests, spectators, and the "chubby women" immersed themselves in the sunlight. The City Hall Square resembled a festive celebration with heightened emotions, and laughter echoed throughout.

If happiness can indeed change the world, then Xu Hongfei is undeniably a catalyst, ensuring the continuation of joy.

His "chubby women" may not be a singular presence in the history of sculpture, but they are undoubtedly a poetic ode to happiness.

Curious people surrounded a"Charlie Chaplin"-esque master of humor, witnessing a world-class silent“comedy” performance where the"chubby women" took center stage.

Excited South Africans shouted with enthusiasm, "Xu Hongfei! 'Chubby Women'!" They boisterously cheered in Mandarin, just recently learned, creating a thunderous applause echoing throughout the square.

Xu Hongfei found himself engulfed, unable to move freely as the flashlights blinded him. Faced with various questions, he pondered whether to respond in Cantonese or Mandarin to this group of fans in a foreign land.

Such scenes are replicated across the 29 countries Xu Hongfei toured. On the international stage, Xu Hongfei's "chubby women" have not only mesmerized countless audiences but also resonated deeply with artists from diverse ethnic backgrounds.

Indeed, spanning from 2013 to the present, over the course of a decade, Xu Hongfei's sculpture world tour has encompassed more than 50 exhibitions in countries and regions like China, Australia, Italy, Germany, Turkey, France, Singapore, the United Kingdom, the United States, Austria, Peru, Colombia, Greece, Spain, Cuba, South Africa, and more. The "chubby women" have left their enchanting and vibrant presence in international cultural and artistic landmarks such as the Louvre in Paris, the Uffizi Gallery in Florence, the Forbidden City in Beijing, the National Art Museum of China, as well as iconic public spaces like London's City Hall Square, Istanbul's Bosphorus Square, and Berlin's Potsdamer Platz.

"Art knows no borders!" Xu Hongfei embodies this phrase vividly. Yes, the "chubby women" are simply that – no need for annotations, not even the title; just the three characters "Xu Hongfei" are enough. The "chubby women" serve as both the subject and the title, akin to Xu Hongfei's "Mona Lisa."

Following three exhibitions in South Africa's major cities – Johannesburg, Cape Town, and Durban – Xu Hongfei's "chubby women" have resonated even more deeply. The aesthetic enjoyment of his artworks spreads seamlessly from one city to another, extending beyond individual cities and even permeating throughout South Africa. The "chubby women" have touched the hearts of South Africans, and laughter echoes across the entire Southern HemispHere.

The overseas Chinese community in South Africa, upon hearing the news, flocked from all directions to pay tribute to Xu Hongfei, congratulating him on the tremendous success of his exhibition that brought pride to the Chinese people.

The "chubby women" exhibition can be described as a series of performance art, a whimsical journey with dozens of tons of “chubby women” traveling seamlessly, portraying a modern international rendition of"traveling the world."

Local media, filled with awe and admiration, eagerly covered the events extensively.

Xu Hongfei has ignited an aesthetic storm of "chubby women" art in South Africa, truly leaving people in disbelief!

Two years ago, during the exhibition in Cuba, I wrote an article comparing Xu Hongfei to the rugged hero depicted by Hemingway – Santiago: steadfast and never yielding. Over the last decade, Xu Hongfei has spread joy worldwide with his "chubby women." From this perspective, He surpasses Santiago. Happiness is the highest pursuit of humanity, and on the path of creating the art of the "chubby women," Xu Hongfei says his rhythm can only become more intense.

When beauty journeys alongside dreams, magical moments always unfold. Wherever Xu Hongfei's works are displayed, they tend to captivate and enchant viewers, showcasing the boundless charm of "Xu Hongfei's Art."

"My world tour will continue," Xu Hongfei declared. "Through my exhibitions and artworks, I aim to let the world know that this artist is Chinese, hailing from Guangdong. In the past, we could easily name many European artists. However, if you ask Europeans to name Chinese artists, they know very few. The reason is that we lack individual value output. When I started exhibiting in Europe, people often questioned the artist's origin. Once I mentioned China, many found it hard to believe, thinking that Chinese art is more serious. They are unaware that contemporary Chinese people are happier, more humorous, confident, and have a greater sense of happiness than them. My works precisely reflect the joyful and confident artistic connotations and the beautiful reality of life for modern Chinese people."

This year, Xu Hongfei's "chubby women" world tour will extend to Ghana and Egypt.

许鸿飞的“肥女人”周游列国到南非

刚过去的2023年是许鸿飞雕塑世界巡展10周年。

10年，五大洲、20多个国家、55站个人展览……许鸿飞通过“肥女”这个艺术符号，向世界输出中国人的快乐和自信。

2023年年底，羊城晚报记者跟着许鸿飞的“肥女人”踏上彩虹之国南非的三场巡展。

在德班地标市政厅广场第三场巡展开幕之后，南非的太阳倏地变得更加灿烂起来。勤快的风却一时凝固不走。

两个南非的女人都异常兴奋，不停地活动嘴皮子，说着那柔软得几乎没有骨头的语言。她们说说笑笑，笑那“肥女人”的姿态。

整个情景更有意思，甚至可以说增添了某种特殊的精神魅力……

艺术会使心灵变得崇高。也能让我们的激情燃烧起来。

在非洲举行户外活动，狂野原始的非洲舞一定不可缺少。

表演者的脸和身体上都涂抹着各种色彩艳丽的图案，男男女女们围在“肥女人”周围，手敲皮鼓，扭臀甩胯，手舞足蹈，粗犷剽悍，夸张热烈，自由奔放。

嘉宾、民众和“肥女人”一起沉浸在阳光下。市政厅广场像过节一样，情绪很高涨，笑声此起彼伏。

如果说快乐改变了世界，那么许鸿飞无疑就是推动者，他让快乐延续。

他的“肥女人”不是雕塑史上独一无二的存在，但一定是一首献给快乐的诗歌。

一双双好奇的双眼，围着一位“卓别林”式的幽默大师，看一场世界级的无声的“喜剧”表演。“肥女人”成了舞台上的主角。

南非人激动地大声呼喊着：“许鸿飞！‘肥女人’！”他们用刚刚学到的汉语，生硬地、大声地狂叫起来。这雷鸣般的欢呼声，响彻整个广场。

许鸿飞被围得水泄不通，闪光灯让他张不开眼，各种提问让他不知道用粤语还是普通话回答这些异国他乡的“粉丝群”。

这样的场景，在29个巡展的国家里都差不多。在国际舞台上，许鸿飞的“肥女人”，震撼了无数观众，引起了不同民族艺术家的广泛共鸣。

是的，从2013年至今，10年来，许鸿飞的雕塑世界巡展，在中国、澳大利亚、意大利、德国、土耳其、法国、新加坡、英国、美国、奥地利、秘鲁、哥伦比亚、希腊、西班牙、古巴、南非等国家和地区举办了50余场。“肥女”们在巴黎卢浮宫、佛罗伦萨美第奇宫、北京紫禁城、中国美术馆等国际级的文化艺术圣殿，伦敦市政厅前广场、伊斯坦布尔海峡广场、柏林波茨坦广场等国际地标性公共场所都留下了她们神奇且靓丽的身影。

“艺术无国界！”这句话让许鸿飞诠释得淋漓尽致。是的，肥女人就是肥女人，不用注解，甚至连作品名称都不用写上，就写“许鸿飞”三个汉字，“肥女人”就是题目，“肥女人”就是许鸿飞的“蒙娜丽莎”。

在南非约翰内斯堡、开普敦和德班三大城市进行了三场巡展之后，许鸿飞的“肥女人”更加深入人心，作品的美学享受，由此及彼，从一座城市蔓延至另一座城市，甚至扩散到整个南非，“肥女人”感动了南非，笑声响彻了整个南半球。

在南非的华侨闻讯也从四面八方赶来向许鸿飞表示致敬，祝贺他的巡展大获成功，给中国人长脸。

“肥女人”巡展可以说是一场场行为艺术表演，带着几十吨的“肥女”们，说走就走，演绎着一场场国际现代版的“神游列国”。

当地媒体用非常震撼和羡慕的眼光争相进行大篇幅报道。

许鸿飞在南非掀起了一场“肥女人”艺术审美风暴，真的让人感到不可思议！

许鸿飞在前两年的古巴展时，我曾写文章说过，他有点像海明威笔下的硬汉——桑提亚哥：坚持，永不服输。这10年来，许鸿飞携着他的“肥女人”向全世界传播快乐。从这一点看，他比桑提亚哥更胜一筹。快乐是人类追求的最高境界。在创造“肥女人”艺术的道路上，许鸿飞说，他的节奏感，只有更加猛烈。

美与梦同行，神奇的时刻总是发生在旅程中。许鸿飞的作品无论放在哪里，都常会让观众为之疯狂，为之迷醉，这就是“许鸿飞艺术”的无穷魅力。

“我的世界巡展会一直继续下去。”许鸿飞说，“通过我的展览，我的作品，让全世界知道这个艺术家是中国的、是广东的。过去，我们可以说出欧洲很多艺术家，你反过来让欧洲人民说出中国艺术家的名字，他们知道的少之又少，原因就在于，我们缺少个体的价值输出。我刚开始在欧洲展览时，很多时候有人问这个艺术家是哪里的，一说是中国的，很多人不信，他们觉得中国艺术比较严肃。他们不知道，当代中国人，比他们更加快乐、幽默、自信，更加有幸福感。我的作品正好反映了新时代中国人的快乐自信的艺术内涵和幸福美好的现实生活图景。”

今年，许鸿飞的“肥女人”世界巡展将去到加纳和埃及。

文、图｜记者 邓勃 通讯员 陈永福
海报设计｜记者 邓勃
题字｜何世良
羊城晚报音视频部出品
译｜刘佳慧