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Putting on the Rizzi in Beijing...

One of America's most colorful artists is Beijing bound among other things to paint a unique, highly individualistic tourism map that pinpoints the city's most popular venues ranging from the many outlets of McDonald's and Starbucks as well as cultural sites and the headquarters of major banks and businesses. But only if such clients are prepared to pay for exposure because the map already seems destined sell in huge numbers.

Brooklyn-born James Rizzi is immensely popular among children because his pictures often reflect the fun he likes to have in his own life. He has been described as everything from a contemporary artist whose genre is urban themes to a cave painter who wandered into the wrong millennium. He himself firmly resists categorization, insisting that he never wanted to be classified as a painter, printmaker or sculptor. "I just want to remain free and make enough art for all the people who love it," he says.

A Beijing-based spokesman for Rizzi said that while in the Chinese capital, possibly before the end of this year, the artist will also be involved in other projects and fulfill various commissions which, as yet, can not be disclosed because of client confidentiality.

Since his public debut in 1974 with a series of print exhibitions at the Brooklyn Museum, Rizzi's prodigious output has been recognized with seemingly countless awards in the United States, Europe and Asia. Both 1997 and 1998 were particularly fruitful years, the former commencing with the president of the borough of Brooklyn proclaiming a James Rizzi Day at the unveiling of a retrospective of his work. He was also honored by the City of New York for his artistic achievements.

The following year saw him become the invited artist to the prestigious World Economic Forum in Switzerland (he was also an invited artist at this year's forum in New York), and adoption as an official artist for the FIFA World Cup in France. He was also chosen as the 1998 Sports Artist of the Year by the United States Sports Academy in Alabama.

Over the years, Rizzi has donated artworks to many charities, those involving children being particuarly close to his heart.