ARTIST CAO YONG CELEBRATES VIEWS OF ADOPTED HOMELAND LUMINESCENCE, ENERGY IN HIS WORKS, GALLERY OWNER SAYS.

Byline: Sharon Cotal Staff Writer

CANYON COUNTRY - An artist who had been arrested more than a decade ago in China for the political views he implied in his paintings is showing his work, starting today, at B & R Gallery.

The paintings of Cao Yong depict the beauty and splendor of western civilization - from California's coastal cities to the Hawaiian islands to the streets of Paris and the canals of Venice, Italy.

Now a Los Angeles resident, the artist has captured familiar Southland sites on canvas - the streets of Pasadena, Catalina's Avalon Bay and a luminescent view of the Santa Monica Pier in which nearly 200 figures are shown reveling in a spontaneous street festival on a summer night.

But at today's reception, Yong will unveil a painting into which he infused both his heart and his soul.

``Freedom,'' inspired by the events of Sept. 11, is a celebration of American history and spirit as conceived by the artist in the light of the tragedy in New York City - the first place Yong lived after immigrating to America.

``I never realized how much the city meant to me until the morning of Sept. 11, when from my home far away in California I watched the Twin Towers collapse on my television screen,'' Yong said. ``My heart shattered into a million pieces along with them, and it was that moment that I realized how deeply I was attached to this remarkable city.''

For Yong, ``Freedom'' is more than just a painting, it serves as a monument to his adopted country's founding fathers and heroes, past and present, who devoted their lives to the cause of peace.

``I dedicate this painting to all people throughout the world who love freedom, democracy and peace. These ideals are not limited by the boundaries of race, nation or faith but unite all of us on earth and light the way to our future,'' Yong said.

The new work of art is the product of a man who knows about freedom - and the lack of it.

Born in China during the Cultural Revolution, Yong's family was singled out for harsh treatment. While other children started kindergarten, Yong was ferrying heavy baskets of gravel at a construction site.

Yong persevered against discrimination and was admitted into art school at age 17, excelling in his classes and achieving notoriety among the art circles of Asia, Europe and North America.

His first show, held in the spring of 1989, should have been a huge success, but instead Beijing police arrested him, shut down the gallery, confiscated his unsold paintings and burned them.

His paintings had dared to hint at social-political conflicts, religious struggles in Tibet and expressed a hope for freedom. Fortunately for the art world, Yong escaped on the way to the police station and eventually made his way to Japan, Europe and America.

``Cao grew up with communism and excelled even in that rough environment,'' said B & R Gallery co-owner Dave Joseph, who considers Yong one of the top artists in the world in his genre and considers him a friend. ``His paintings are luminescent. You know the energy in his paintings? That's his personality.''

The reception today is from 6 to 9 p.m. at B & R Gallery, 17720 Sierra Highway, Canyon Country. For information, call the gallery at [phone].

For those unable to attend the reception, Yong's work, including six originals and 30 other reproductions, will be on display at the gallery for about 30 days, Joseph said.

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(1 -- color) ``Spring Beauty'' is one of a series of romantic garden paintings by artist Cao Yong. Raised in China under oppressive circumstances, Yong now paints the beauty and splendor of western civilization in general and his adopted country in particular.

(2) Los Angeles artist Cao Yong's painting ``Santa Monica,'' the first in his Golden Coast series, depicts nearly 200 figures reveling in a summer night street festival at the Santa Monica pier.