GEORGIA ENGINEER PARLAYING ART INTO BUSINESS WITH CHINA

A SUCCESSFUL CAREER AS A CONSTRUCTION ENGINEER BASED IN VALDOSTA HAS ENABLED KUN-YOUNG CHIU,  WHO IMMIGRATED TO THE U.S. FROM TAIWAN IN THE 1960S AND NOW IS PRESIDENT OF HIS OWN CONSULTING FIRM, TO LAUNCH A NEW CAREER PROMOTING BUSINESS TIES BETWEEN CHINA AND THE U.S. THROUGH CULTURAL EXCHANGES.

MR. CHIU IS PRIMARILY RESPONSIBLE FOR BRINGING AN EXHIBITION OF ART WORKS, INCLUDING MASTERPIECES SPANNING MORE THAN 1,000 YEARS OF CHINESE HISTORY, TO ATLANTA FROM THE HEILONGJIANG PROVINCIAL MUSEUM, LOCATED IN HARBIN, THE CAPITAL OF HEILONGJIANG, THE NORTHEASTERN PROVINCE OF CHINA WHICH BORDERS ON RUSSIA.

THE EXHIBITION IS ON VIEW AT AVLEY INTERNATIONAL INC., AN ART GALLERY MR. CHIU HAS OPENED HERE, WHICH USUALLY FEATURES MORE  CONTEMPORARY CHINESE ART INCLUDING GLASS CARVINGS AND SCULPTURES, AND AT THE ATLANTA INTERNATIONAL MUSEUM AT PEACHTREE CENTER THROUGH AUG. 24.

A HIGHLIGHT OF THE EXHIBITION INCLUDES DAILY CALLIGRAPHY AND SEAL CUTTING DEMONSTRATIONS BY SONG WEN-LIN, ONE OF THE MOST PROMINENT ART EDUCATORS IN CHINA, WHOSE WORKS HAVE BEEN COLLECTED BY BANKERS, INDUSTRIALISTS AND POLITICAL LEADERS IN ASIA.

“I THOUGHT IF PRESIDENT NIXON COULD USE PING PONG DIPLOMACY THEN WHY CAN’T I UTILIZE CULTURAL EXCHANGE TO OPEN UP OUR TRADE, INDUSTRY AND OTHER GOOD THINGS BETWEEN THESE TWO COUNTRIES,” HE SAID AT A RECEPTION FOR THE EXHIBITION’S OPENING.

MR. CHIU SAID THAT HE DECIDED TO BRING THE COLLECTION TO ATLANTA WHEN HE FIRST WENT TO THE MUSEUM IN HARBIN WHILE VISITING THE CITY AS A TOURIST IN JANUARY WITH HIS SISTER, AMY HUNG, AND THAT IT TOOK MORE THAN FIVE MONTHS OF PLANNING TO MAKE THE NECESSARY ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE COLLECTION TO BE BROUGHT HERE.

SINCE THE EXHIBITION OPENED IN ATLANTA, MANY CHINESE OFFICIALS HAVE VISITED BOTH THE ATLANTA INTERNATIONAL MUSEUM AND HIS GALLERY, INCLUDING LI TAOYU, CHINA’S AMBASSADOR TO THE U.S.

MR. CHIU FIRST CAME TO THE U.S. TO STUDY AT THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA WHERE HE RECEIVED A MASTER’S DEGREE IN ENGINEERING IN 1964.  SINCE THEN HE HAS WON MORE THAN 25 ENGINEERING AWARDS, INCLUDING “CONSULTING ENGINEER OF THE YEAR” IN 1986 FROM THE CONSULTING ENGINEERS COUNCIL OF GEORGIA.  HE ALSO HAS WON A NATIONAL AWARD AND GEORGIA AND FLORIDA AWARDS FOR HIS FIRM’S WORK ON THE TERMINAL EXPANSION AT ORLANDO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT.

MR. CHIU MAY BE REACHED AT HIS OFFICE IN VALDOSTA AT (912) 244-4002; FAX, (912) 244-1374; OR AT AVLEY INTERNATIONAL, INC. AT (404) 320-7200; FAX, (404) 320-7799.  THE NUMBER OF THE ATLANTA INTERNATIONAL MUSEUM IS (404) 688-2467.