His career as a New York City taxi driver began with an overnight shift, a creative urge, and a brazen interpretation of privacy laws.
Prices of Chinese art works could be set higher if exhibitions, cultural centers, and the curation and planning of shows was improved.
Sources of high-end art works have gradually dried up, leaving auctioneers with depleted resources and facing grave difficulties in the collection of items for auction. To collect more high-end work for the next season, some have been forced to travel overseas.
Along with China, India is another emerging market for Western art collectors. But unlike the Westerners, Chinese collectors show little interest in southeast Asian art. Experts believe this is a result of a strongly nationalistic streak among Chinese collectors.
Spring has yet to warm the hearts of China's auctioneers. Instead, a chill wind is blowing through the art market.
Sotheby's is hosting its first public exhibition of Asian art with fixed sale prices at its New York headquarters, and more than half the 45 contemporary water-ink paintings by 14 Chinese artists have sold.
Auction houses are opening galleries and organizing exhibitions and lectures to improve private sales, in an attempt to enhance their traditional business model.
A tai chi master has struggled to promote the martial art overseas and has won more than 300,000 disciples in 40 countries.
An artistic autodidact
Would an artist prefer to have his creation exhibited in the museum, and admired by thousands, or kept by one person.
Star talk series: Stan Lai, dream weaver