[Thanks to Science Fiction World, China’s most influential sci-fi magazine, for providing this post. I feel the competition is newsworthy and the beautiful art is something you’ll want to see. However, running the item is not intended as an endorsement of the Chengdu Worldcon bid.]
What does Chengdu look like 100 years later?
Sci-fi works are mind-blowing!
The 5th
China (Chengdu) International Science Fiction Conference kicked off on November
22, in which the list of winners for “Chengdu After 100 Years” Global Science
Fiction Works Collection sponsored by Chengdu Association for Science and
Technology was officially published and a grand award ceremony was held. These
eye-opening sci-fi works greatly intrigue our expectations for Chengdu 100
years later.
Cao Junjie, Deputy Mayor of Chengdu presents the First Prize awards
“Chengdu After
100 Years” offers a stage for people to picture the future Chengdu city. It
collected science fiction works from across the world, and set awards of four
groups: Sci-Fi Literature, Sci-Fi Video, Sci-Fi Fine Arts (Adult) and Sci-Fi
Fine Arts (Children), having drawn universal attention from sci-fi fans
worldwide. During the last three months, a total of 431 literary works, 418
fine art works and 21 videos were received from the US, Italy, Japan, South
Korea and other countries and regions. Among them, Images: City of Taste or Taste of City by Yang Wanqing won the
First Prize of Sci-Fi Literature, Chengdu
after 100 Years by Qiu Yuan won the First Prize of Sci-Fi Fine Arts (adult)
and Life in the Air in Chengdu after 100
years by Ji Shuyu won the First Prize of Sci-Fi Fine Arts (children). The
First Prize of Sci-Fi Video remained vacant.
According to He
Xi, Director of the Review Committee of “Chengdu After 100 Years” Global
Science Fiction Works Collection, this one-of-a-kind event in China fully
reflected Chengdu’s imaginative and innovative spirit and demonstrated the city
charm of Chengdu as China’s “capital of science fiction”. Centering on the
theme of science fiction, this global cultural dissemination activity would not
only benefit the international publicity of Chengdu’s city image, but also
promote Chengdu’s construction into “three cities and three capitals” (famous
city of culture & creativity, tourism, and competition, and capital of
delicacy, music, and convention and exhibition), thus significantly pushing the
gathering of global science fiction resources to Chengdu. According to the
organizing committee, the above-mentioned award-winning works will be stored
for at least 100 years after being digitized. Chengdu people 100 years later
will also learn today’s Chengdu people’s imagination of the future through
these outstanding works.
Exhibition of “Chengdu After 100 Years” Excellent Works, which are really stunning and enlightening
Part of award-winning fine art
works (adult group)
Chengdu after 100 Years
Qiu Yuan, Akita
University of Art
Author’s conception: 100 years later, in Chengdu, the setting sun kindles the sky and a girl is strolling on the street. High buildings tower around in the distance where the light rail runs away. A sea of shining lights shows a bustling world…
Central Core of Chengdu after 100 Years
Li Jun, Beijing Zenjoy
Technology Co., Ltd.
Author’s conception: 100 years later, AI completely replaces human intelligence, and it seems to have evolved Chengdu into a giant and intelligent creature. Urban transportation, public security, pollution, defense, and even human’s job are all coordinated by a central core. Life in such a city is like a game. A human being just needs to receive one or two tasks per day, and the rest of the time is completely free to arrange by self.
? Chengdu, the city of the future?
Zhu Wenlong, Beijing
Wenlu Culture Media Co., Ltd.
Author’s conception: In order to preserve the 3,000 years of cultural history of Chengdu, the king in Bashu cultural mythology has been transformed into a “cuckoo”, the sunbird totem. Folk artists doing magical face-changing and fire spitting are also included in the picture, implying that the cultural inheritance will be immortal and exist in Chengdu 100 years later. Landmarks such as Yuanyang Taikoo Li Street, Radio & TV Tower and De Men Ren Li still stand in the technology-dominated Chengdu 100 years later, and the national treasure panda is still the symbol of the city. Super green antimagnetic buses, light energy-driven delivery robots, light speed trains and AI pandas offering consulting service everywhere bring us to the street scene of Chengdu 100 years later.
Chengdu Tower
Huang Qin, Sichuan
Conservatory of Music
Author’s conception: I’m always thinking-what is the world like when the popular cyberpunk culture shows up with Chengdu landmark buildings? In the future 100 years later, clean energy will provide inexhaustible electricity, and beautiful starry sky at night is also visible in Chengdu. The cutting-edge holographic and AI application incisively showcases the aesthetics of modern science and technology against the night scene, and the lofty Chengdu Tower demonstrates the super advanced material science of Chengdu 100 years later. Though boasting so leading technology, Chengdu people remain true to their original heart, and landmark buildings built by the predecessors are kept intact and even further evolved and created.
Chengdu, City of Purity – Light of Globe
Zhang Xudong, Sichuan
Robin Times Film & TV Media Co., Ltd.
Author’s conception: 100 years later, Chengdu sees epoch-making breakthrough in the field of sci-tech and ecological environment, where AI and nanotechnology get widely used. White nanomaterials are extensively applied to building surfaces to absorb solar energy and also purify the air for their better photosynthesis with plants. Vehicles are all powered by magnetic levitation and electricity, free of gasoline pollution. Chengdu becomes a truly oxygen-rich and pure city. In regard to AI application, small panda carriers serve for transportation, improving the express industry and facilitating the human life. At the same time, AI robots are in widespread use, pushing Chengdu into an era of science fiction. Light of Globe, a high-tech tower developed by artificial intelligence in the Southwest China, constantly updates various core technologies and is the core to control artificial intelligence as well. People in the future are looking forward to sending AI machines into space to continue exploring the universe.
City of Hot Pot
Pan Zhonghao, Beijing
Zenjoy Technology Co., Ltd.
Author’s conception: When it comes to Chengdu, you can’t help but think of Sichuan hot pot. 100 years later, eating hot pot is still a part of people’s life. Chengdu will have developed into a hot pot city… A giant two-layer hot pot circled with a dragon becomes the new landmark of Chengdu. The smoky city is full of waterways that transport hot pot water, and people will take cruise ship to enjoy hot pot in various restaurants… 100 years later, Chengdu is full of cheerful air…
An Ideal City of Ease
Luo Ya, Sunny Day Studio
Author’s conception: 100 years later, Chengdu boasts time-honored and enduring historical heritages (hot pot, Sichuan opera, Taoist culture, Taikoo Li, statue of Chairman Mao, TV Tower, landmark buildings, etc.). We never stop the pace to explore the world and update cognition (the picture shows high-dimensional space-timers, shuttles, high-speed traffic, new forms of energy transmission, etc.). Pandas stand for people living in Chengdu, fun, playful, with trueness. Technology and wisdom are achieved through games. The true meaning of the universe is constantly explored by Chengdu people.
Chengdu in New Century
Yang Shu,
Freelancer
Author’s conception: With the rise of cutting-edge technology in 100 years, those future scenes in fantasy movies which seem distant have become reality. Chengdu influenced by Chinese culture has a free-spirited personality. Boating on the Nanhe River and feeling the lively night market on the banks of the river, you know that even in the distant future, the inner of Chengdu will remain unchanged.
City of Pandas: A Future with Cate
Yang Hui, Freelancer
Author’s conception: After 100 years, it might be possible to see pandas everywhere! At that time, the tradition of lining up for food is still maintained in the leisure city of Chengdu, and it is no wonder even if two or three alien tourists appear in the queue!
List of Winners for “Chengdu After 100 Years”
I. Sci-Fi
Literature Works
First Prize
Images:
City of Taste or Taste of City– by
Yang Wanqing
Second Prize
Hibiscus
Flowers Blossom – by Jia Yu
The
Other – by Wang Yuan
Future,
Has Already Been Here – by Liu Wei
Third Prize
Fire
Ghost and Fireworks – by Li Huayi
Significant
End of Chengdu in 2119 – by Song Ruiyang
Atlas
Shrugs – by Jia Tianyuan
Message
After 100 Years – by He Jixuan (Zhong Tuiyi)
Panda
with Human Face – by Jiang Tian
II. Fine Arts (Adult
Group) Works
First Prize
Chengdu
after 100 Years – by Qiu Yuan (pen name: Qiu Yuan)
Second Prize
Chengdu
Tower – by Huang Qin
Chengdu
in New Century – by Yang Shu
Chengdu,
the city of the future – by Zhu Wenlong
Third Prize
Central
Core of Chengdu after 100 Years – by Li Jun
City
of Hot Pot – by Pan Zhonghao
Chengdu, City of Purity – Light of Globe – by Zhang Xudong
An Ideal City of Ease – by Luo Ya
City of Pandas: A Future with Cate – by Yang Hui
III. Fine Arts
(Children Group) Works
First Prize
Life
in the Air in Chengdu after 100 Years – by Ji Shuyu
Second Prize
View
of Anshun Bridge after 100 Years – by He Jiheng
No.
2119 Shuhan Road – by Xing Bojun
Intelligent
Healthcare, Health Chengdu – by Cai Yifei
Third Prize
Chengdu
after 100 Years – by Zhou Sichen
A
Dream of 100 Years ? Chengdu in My Heart – by Xiao Yaqi
Chengdu
Space Station – Zhan Bochao
Chengdu
with Air Rails Decorated with Hibiscus after 100 Years – by Li Zihan
Chengdu,
City of Hibiscus in 100 Years – by Mou Boyasi
IV. Video Works
Second Prize
Rebirth
– by Li Yong
Sunny
in Chengdu – by Zhang Zirui
Chengdu
Visual – by Luo Yingqi
Third Prize
Perception
of Everything – by Li Xiudan
Panda
and Mole 2119 – by Li Yi
Travel
– Wu Jiaxun
Boundless
Green – by Tan Yu
Chengdu,
Sichuan Opera, Cyberpunk – by Cao Qinyu
Special Prize
30,000-li
Bashu – by Quan Hui (South Korea)
Finally,
I Meet You Here – by Kazuhiro
Yada (Japan)
[Editor’s note:
The original text does not include a First Prize for Video Works.]
By John Hertz: There is
a down town Los Angeles – somewhat. I hasten to add I’ve lived in
Chicago and Manhattan.
At 7th. & Figueroa
Sts. between two office buildings is one of those shopping malls (715 S.
Figueroa St., L.A. 90017). After various names it’s currently called
FIGat7th. There’s underground parking, bus and light-rail lines, and
like that.
If you’re within reach in
the next couple of days you can see four giant humanoids by Amanda Parer of
Australia hanging out. They have no faces or clothes or
detail. They’re illuminated at night.
She calls them Fantastic
Planetwhich she says is an homage to the 1973 René Laloux
– Roland Topor stop-motion film. But these are quiet gentle visitors who
only wonder what we are. They don’t twinkle so much as glow.
Pacing off the length
of a reclining one I made it about twelve standlees.
A man and a woman under
a canopy were taking questions and offering to write down E-mail addresses (or
as the late great Harry Warner, Jr., so well termed it, eekmail). So
I conversed with them. They didn’t know about Loscon
XLVI or fanzines or this here Weblog (oops, sorry, Brother Farey). So I invited
them. It seemed the fannish thing to do.
For those who asked to see the final result of the chalk mural that our team from JPL created at the Pasadena Chalk Festival, here you go! pic.twitter.com/IvfKZw9S4B
Steve
Davidson has unveiled these images of giant-sized cover artist collector cards,
each one featuring one of Amazing Stories Volume 76 covers on the front
and the artist’s picture and bio on the back.
They include
the magazine’s special one-year anniversary (all-color edition) cover by
Vincent Di Fate, which will be coming soon; it’s also the Volume 77,
Number 1 cover.
Created
as rewards for Amazing Stories’ Indiegogo campaign, they’ll be available
for sale in the relatively near future (after issue 5 comes out in August/September).
By Juliette Wade: I’m thrilled to tell you that I now have cover art for my debut novel, Mazes of Power!
The art is by Adam Auerbach, who did a magnificent job creating impact as well as capturing the layered complexity of the book.
Mazes of Power is a story of sociological science fiction:
The cavern city of Pelismara has stood for a thousand years. The Great Families of the nobility cling to the myths of their golden age while the city’s technology wanes.
When a fever strikes, and the Eminence dies, seventeen-year-old Tagaret is pushed to represent his Family in the competition for Heir to the Throne. To win would give him the power to rescue his mother from his abusive father, and marry the girl he loves.
But the struggle for power distorts everything in this highly stratified society, and the fever is still loose among the inbred, susceptible nobles. Tagaret’s sociopathic younger brother, Nekantor, is obsessed with their family’s success. Nekantor is willing to exploit Tagaret, his mother, and her new servant Aloran to defeat their opponents.
Can he be stopped? Should he be stopped? And will they recognize themselves after the struggle has changed them?
Finally, here’s a link to the video of my cover reveal party at Green Machine Comics in Newark, California, which includes a short reading of two pages from the book:
By John Hertz:
(reprinted from Vanamonde 1340) Vincent Di Fate has been named to the Society of Illustrators Hall
of Fame, recognized for “distinguished achievement in the art of
illustration…. based on [his] body of work and the impact it has made on the
field.” The induction ceremony will be on June 14, 2019. The Society, founded in 1901, has been
electing artists to its Hall of Fame since 1958. It and its Museum of Illustration have
quarters at 28 E. 63rd St., New York, NY 10065.
Di
Fate has long been one of our very finest pro artists. He won the Hugo Award for Best Pro Artist in
1979 (13-time finalist to date). He was
Artist Guest of Honor at Magicon, the 50th World Science Fiction Convention
(1992).
In an extraordinary pair of abilities he is also one of our very
finest writers about art. His survey Infinite Worlds (1997) remains indispensable: a hundred-page historical
perspective; a two-hundred-page examination of a hundred leading artists; seven
hundred excellent images; acute, clear, distinct text. It won Best Art Book in the 1998 Locus Poll;
it may have inspired his 1998 Chesley Award for Artistic Achievement (7-time
finalist to date). For his own graphics
see The Science Fiction Art of Vincent Di
Fate (2002).
A note by me about Infinite Worlds is here. His covers, interiors, sketches, obituaries (not only for Chesley Bonestell and Ed Emshwiller, but also Orson Welles and Danny Kaye), letters, essays, are indexed here.
On a personal note, when Kelly Freas died I was writing for Science Fiction Chronicle and had the honor and pleasure of editing Di Fate’s appreciation (Mar 2005 issue).
Di Fate was commissioned by NASA
in 1985 to create the official painting of the International Space Station, on
display since its completion at the Kennedy Space Center (Florida). He is a full professor at the Fashion
Institute of Technology (State Univ. N.Y.) in New York City; a Life Member and
past president (1995-1997) of the Society of Illustrators; he is a founding
member and was first president of the Association of Science Fiction and
Fantasy Artists (ASFA). His Website is headed Science – Art – Imagination.
With three 2018 Analog
interior illustrations he is eligible for the Pro Artist Hugo this year: the
Mar-Apr issue for “The Spires” (A. Nevala-Lee), Jul-Aug for “Potosi” (J.
Pitkin), Nov-Dec for “Learning the Ropes” (T. Jolly). Don’t neglect interiors. Don’t neglect monochrome. Am I suggesting that three drawings could
outweigh so much else they’re worth your nomination and perhaps your vote? Of course they could. You decide.
By JJ: Grim Oak Press and editor Shawn Speakman produce the Unfettered anthologies and other special editions – part of the proceeds of which is used to help pay medical fees for authors and artists in need:
Unfettered: Lacking health insurance and diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma in 2011, Shawn quickly accrued a massive medical debt that he did not have the ability to pay. That’s when New York Times best-selling author Terry Brooks offered to donate a short story Shawn could sell toward alleviating those bills – and suggested Shawn ask the same of his other friends.
The first Unfettered anthology was the result, an anthology unfettered by story theme restrictions, featuring short fiction works by some of the best fantasy writers in the genre – many of which were set in those authors’ popular series universes. It paid off more than $200,000 in medical bills.
Unfettered II: In an effort to pay forward the aid he received – and to memorialize his mother who passed away from stomach cancer in early 2016 – Speakman again collaborated with celebrated genre authors to publish Unfettered II. All proceeds from the anthology went to help eliminate medical debt for other authors or be donated to cancer research hubs around the world.
To date, the project has given approximately $24,000 from Unfettered and Unfettered II, two large donations to two fantasy authors in need of funds for medical debt and hospice care and around $10,000 in donations to cancer research. Once the applied-for 501c3 charitable organization status is approved, they will be able to disburse more funds to needy authors and artists, without having to pay taxes on them.
The list of authors to be included in Unfettered III is full of well-known names, and the book will be available as a hardcover ARC signed by at least six contributors (250 copies only, available January 15), a trade hardcover and an ebook (both available March 19), and a numbered hardcover edition signed by all contributors (available May 14). Preorders can be made now from the link below.
As some of you know, during the revision process of A Memory of Light, two lengthy sections ended up on the cutting room floor. The first, which we titled River of Souls, was included in the first Unfettered Anthology. The second, I assumed, would never see the light of day.
However, Grim Oak Press (and Shawn Speakman, who runs it) has continued the Unfettered anthologies – the income of which is used to help pay medical fees for authors and artists in need. I thought the arrival of the third anthology would be a great chance to use this other deleted scene. (Which involves Perrin traveling into the Ways.) Harriet has graciously agreed to let it be published, so I’m thrilled to be able to announce its inclusion in the anthology.
I’ve long been fond of this sequence, and it was quite difficult to cut from the book. (In the anthology itself, I’ll explain why we eventually decided that the sequence needed to go.)
The earlier Unfettered anthologies are still available in trade, e-book, and special editions; the first one has been reissued in a second edition which features a new cover and contains an extra story. Purchasing any of these anthologies directly from the Grim Oak Press site allows more of the money to go to the charitable fund – however, Speakman is happy for readers to purchase at any of the usual retail sites.
Unfettered: Tales by Masters of Fantasy, edited by Shawn Speakman, Grim Oak Press (2013) First edition cover art by Todd Lockwood
Second edition cover art by Stacie Pitt
Table of Contents
Foreword by Patrick Rothfuss: “On Becoming Unfettered”
Introduction by Shawn Speakman
“The Unlocked Tome” by Shawn Speakman
“Imaginary Friends” by Terry Brooks [Word & Void]
“How Old Holly Came To Be” by Patrick Rothfuss [Kingkiller Chronicle]
“The Old Scale Game” by Tad Williams
“Game of Chance” by Carrie Vaughn
“Martyr of the Roses” by Jacqueline Carey [Kushiel]
“Mudboy” by Peter V. Brett [Demon Cycle]
“The Sound of Broken Absolutes” by Peter Orullian [Vault of Heaven]
“The Coach With Big Teeth” by R.A. Salvatore
“Keeper of Memory” by Todd Lockwood [Summer Dragon]
“Heaven in a Wild Flower” by Blake Charlton
“Dogs” by Daniel Abraham
“The Chapel Perilous” by Kevin Hearne [Iron Druid Chronicles]
“Select Mode” by Mark Lawrence [Broken Empire]
“All the Girls Love Michael Stein” by David Anthony Durham
“Strange Rain” by Jennifer Bosworth [Struck]
“Nocturne” by Robert V. S. Redick
“Unbowed” by Eldon Thompson [Legend of Asahiel]
“In Favour With Their Stars” by Naomi Novik [Temeraire]
“River of Souls” by Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson [Wheel of Time]
“The Jester” by Michael J. Sullivan [Riyria Chronicles]
“The Duel” by Lev Grossman [Fillory]
“Walker and the Shade of Allanon” by Terry Brooks [Shannara]
“The Unfettered Knight” by Shawn Speakman [Annwn Cycle]
“The Twilight Dragon” by Shawn Speakman (UK edition only)
Unfettered launched Grim Oak Press, a brand new SF&F publishing press with the big dream of helping others. It has grown ever since. After five years, Grim Oak Press spawned the non-profit Grim Oak Shield, both businesses working hand-in-hand to defeat medical debt for authors and artists in need. Such notable authors as Terry Brooks, Naomi Novik, Jacqueline Carey, Stephen R. Donaldson, Raymond E. Feist, and Janny Wurts support that mission and in 2018 Grim Oak Press will publish beautiful, limited editions of their books.
Each project we take on has its own life and style. We try to match the best artists in SF&F with the story to make a perfect match. We work directly with the authors and artists, giving them a creative freedom to re-envision their worlds like never before. New wrap around cover art, new interiors, and full color foldouts make these books extremely unique.
We also use the best materials around. Each book is printed on extremely high quality paper, cloth bound and leather wrapped, making them feel just as good in your hands as they look on your shelves. Details in the design and layout, sewn in ribbons, cover stamps, and many other fine touches are how we separate ourselves from other small publishing presses.
It is a magical time for those who love SF&F. Thank you to all who purchase books from Grim Oak Press. We will continue producing them as long as you enjoy placing them on your shelves.
By JJ: To assist Hugo nominators, this post provides information on the artists and designers of more than 560 works which appeared in a professional publication in the field of science fiction or fantasy for the first time in 2018.
These credits have been accumulated during the course of the year, from copyright pages, Acknowledgments sections, and public posts by artists, authors, and publishers, as well as other sources on the internet.
Because it is difficult to provide a list ordered by name when artwork is frequently credited to two or more artists and/or designers, I have uploaded my main spreadsheet with all accumulated data here.
In this post I will display up to 12 images of artworks for each artist for whom I have identified 4 or more works which appeared in a professional publication in the field of science fiction or fantasy for the first time in 2018.
3.3.12: Best Professional Artist. An illustrator whose work has appeared in a professional publication in the field of science fiction or fantasy during the previous calendar year.
3.2.11: A Professional Publication is one which meets at least one of the following two criteria:
(1) it provided at least a quarter the income of any one person or,
(2) was owned or published by any entity which provided at least a quarter the income of any of its staff and/or owner.
3.10.2: In the Best Professional Artist category, the acceptance should include citations of at least three (3) works first published in the eligible year.
Under the current rules, artwork for semiprozines and fanzines is not eligible in this category. You can check whether a publication is a prozine or a semiprozine in this directory (the semiprozine list is at the top of the page, and the prozine directory is at the bottom).
Please be sure to check the spreadsheet first; but then, if you are able to confirm credits missing 2018-original works and the names of their artists from Acknowledgments sections, copyright pages, or by contacting authors and/or artists, go ahead and add them in comments, and I will get them included in the spreadsheet, and if the artist is credited with at least 4 works, in this post. If you have questions or corrections, please add those also. Please note that works may or may not be added to the list at my discretion.
PLEASE DON’T ADD GUESSES.
Artists, Authors, Editors and Publishers are welcome to post in comments here, or to send their lists to jjfile770 [at] gmail [dot] com.
By John King Tarpinian: October 20 was the opening reception for the art exhibition of this match-up honoring the 200th anniversary of Frankenstein and the 150th anniversary of Little Women, two well-loved novels by two groundbreaking female authors.
The city of South Pasadena, CA had a lot going on this evening. They had an art-walk, with local artists hawking their wares. An Octoberfest, with an Oompa band, was happening. Their historic Rialto theater was doing a fundraiser screening of the original Ghostbusters. All of this within a few blocks of each other.
[Photos of more works on display follow the jump.]
