Shanghai Daily News

Artist Ge Qiantao  at work in his studio in Shanghai’s suburbs.

Ge Qiantao is 48, rich and unmarried but he prefers to live in the world of art rather than go out courting women.

Residing in a townhouse in Shanghai's suburbs, Ge says he wants to relax in a world of his own.

"I don't feel any solitude," Ge says. "In fact, I enjoy my bachelor's life as I have too many things to do to fulfill each day."

A painter, a gallery partner, the owner of an advertising company, it is no wonder Ge only has time to sleep for fewer than four hours a day. But his tight schedule doesn't drain his body and soul of energy. He is a man who knows how to take a "break" at the right time - for example, by "escaping" to Italy.

"I am fascinated by Italy," he says. "I always take a long vacation there to enjoy the Mediterranean sunshine and air."

Ge's adoration of the country is reflected in his dress, the interior decor of his house and in his canvases.

The azure sky of Sienna, the purple waves of lavender, the fields of maize dotted with red-roofed cottages present a fairy-like picture of the Italian countryside.

"Some foreigners are amazed at my daring to use such vivid hues and how thoroughly I have approached learning about their culture," he says. "Sometimes they just can't believe that a Chinese could paint their Europe in such a way."

Filled with strong energy, passion and optimism, Ge's canvases immediately trigger reactions in the viewer of a longing for the "perfect life." The blurred characters in his paintings ride leisurely on bicycles, play the guitar with friends or lie on the grass counting the stars in the sky. From these paintings, the viewer can understand how moved the artist was when he saw these scenes for the first time.

"If you have been to Italy, you must envy the way the Italian people enjoy their life," he says. "Painting is not treated as a big thing. It is all too common to find that a chef at the same time is also a good painter."

But Ge, unlike some of the characters under his brush, is able to slow down the pace of his own life.

"I am a very imaginative person," he says. "I have many ideas in my head waiting to be realized."

What about his private life?

"I have always believed that marriage is two similar souls searching for one another in the world," he explains. "I haven't found her yet and I don't know if I will be lucky enough to meet her in the future."

Born in 1957 in Shanghai
A self-taught artist
Established New Idea Advertising Company in 1990