What inspires you?

Every artist’s wish is to create something that expresses an idea. But where do artists get their ideas from? Who or what inspires them? Here we find out more about the influences behind the successes of three very different artists.

Florentijn Hofman, visual artist

Florentijn Hofman is a Dutch     1     (art), whose large sculptures are on display all over the world. One way for him to find inspiration is turning to his children’s toys. These objects have given him     2     (idea) for his animal sculptures, such as the famous Rubber Duck. A more recent work of his is the huge Floating Fish,     3     was set among the beautiful landscape of Wuzhen West Scenic Zone.

Hofman’s inspiration for Floating Fish came from Chinese folk tales passed down through the generations. He was particularly     4     (interesting) in the old story about a fish jumping through the “Dragon Gate”. This story came to life for Hofman when he visited Wuzhen and saw how people lived there.

“During the walk and my stay here in the town, I saw the fish being fed by people. You see also some fish sculpted on the wall.” These sights set Hofman’s idea for Floating Fish     5     motion.

Tan Dun, composer

“There is no territory in the world of music.” These are the words of Chinese composer Tan Dun. He is most widely known for     6     (compose) music for the film Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

To listen to Tan’s music is to experience a mix of Chinese musical traditions and Western influences. Since his first opera, Nine Songs, Tan Dun has been using     7     combination of Chinese music and sounds from all over the world to tell stories.As Tan once said, Chinese music should carry “universal expression” of the human spirit so as to be recognized by the whole world.

Yang Liping, dancer

Yang Liping’s passion is dancing. After winning a national competition in 1986 with her Spirit of the Peacock dance, she has been known as the “Peacock Princess”. The inspiration for her famous dances has come from the time she spent in Xishuangbanna, Yunnan Province.

“I feel very grateful for the years in Xishuangbanna,” says Yang. “It     8     (give) me a chance to go deeper into the lives of various ethnic groups... Our ethnic groups,     9     (especial) the Dai people, admire the peacock. They think the peacock represents the beauty of nature. I especially like the dance style of the Dai people and it gives me lots of inspiration. My dance comes     10     their traditional belief and aims to bring out the Dai women’s beauty.”

3 . The Best Medicine

As I approach the hospital wearing my white coat, I look just like any other doctor. That is until I put on my curly rainbow wig, big red nose, and add my name badge “Doctor Larry Laugh-Out-Loud”. I walk through the doors into the waiting area, where there’s a familiar atmosphere of boredom and tension. People sit uncomfortably on plastic chairs, looking through old magazines, all of which have been read hundreds of times previously. Anxious parents do what they can to comfort nervous and crying children.

In the middle of this particular scene I spot a small girl whose ankle is twice its normal size. I speak with the on-duty nurse, who tells me that Lara’s parents rushed her to the hospital after she fell off her bicycle.    1    .Although it’s the doctors and nurses who will treat her injury, it’s my job to make her feel better.

Scientific studies show that laughter produces chemicals to make people feel better, which means clown doctors can be helpful. We are specially trained clowns who work as part of a programme known as “hospital clowning”.    2    . Although the doctors and nurses did a great job, hospitals weren’t really designed for children. I spent much of the time when I was there feeling frightened and more than little bored! Being a clown doctor means I can help people by entertaining them.

Visiting hospitals and other health care facilities, we clown doctors work together with medical professionals. On a typical day, we spend our time cheering up patients, their families, and more often than not, the hospital staff, too! We do this by doing magic tricks, singing songs, telling stories and, of course, telling silly jokes. Some children, though, don’t feel like laughing, especially if they’re in pain. We have to be very sensitive and work closely with the doctors and nurses, who keep us updated on each patient.

    3    . While the doctor concentrates on examining Lara’s ankle, I get her attention by doing a magic trick. Although she is clearly still in some pain, her scared and anxious look has been replaced—first by a small smile, and then by loud laughter as I “magically” produce her sock from out of my pocket. Seeing their daughter so much happier has in turn made Lara’s parents more relaxed.

And as for me? Well, when I take off my wig and my red nose, I’m still wearing a big smile, as I remember all the fun and laughter of the day. While there might be more hospital visits ahead for Lara and others, I hope that clown doctors help make it a friendlier place to visit.     4    .