Experience woodblock prints and bring home the Joy of the New Year

"Year after Year Archives 2021" supporting printmaking experience activities.

The New Year's Eve exhibition "Year after Year Archives 2021 - The First Shanghai Contemporary Emerging Printmaking Promotion" held at Liu Haisu Art Museum has attracted widespread attention in a unique form. This is the beginning of the ten-year plan of printmaking at Liu Haisu Art Museum, bringing together Shanghai printmaking artists to explore the connection between the characteristics of printmaking and contemporary visual culture, with a view to making Shanghai printmaking art once again an important role in the cultural stage of the new city and an important part of the pursuit of modernity in Chinese art.

Over the past few days, the exhibition hall has been transformed into a printmaking experience station from time to time, inviting the audience to personally feel the artistic charm of printmaking, and making people call "long knowledge". In 1931, Lu Xun launched the China's emerging woodcut movement in Shanghai, through the distinct and strong art form of black and white woodcut, recording the breath of the times, expressing the sorrows and joys of life, leaving a distinct mark of the times, and long-term and profoundly influencing the path and direction of the development of modern and contemporary Chinese art. Today, the art of printmaking has taken deep root in the land of China, not only integrating the spiritual connotations of the times and the nation, but also becoming a special artistic medium and expression that allows artists to touch the pulse of society at close range. What is more significant is that in this process, contemporary printmakers have inherited and carried forward the great spirit of the emerging printmaking movement, and created a number of works of the times that embody the national spirit and meet the needs of the people. The exhibition exhibits a total of 61 prints by 9 Shanghai printmaking artists, including Wang Xilin, Jin Xianglong, Zhao Yongquan, Xu Zengying, xiong Youfei, etc., so that people can see their artistic exploration. For example, Jin Xianglong's unique out-of-print printmaking technique makes "Rising Tide" have both the form of printmaking, the color of oil painting, and the artistic conception of Chinese painting, which has both a sense of form and a beautiful texture. Xu Zengying uses woodblock overprinting techniques to create "Shanghai - The First Journey of the Subway", which has many fine and smooth and exquisite lines, and the layers are interlaced and full of movement, making people feel as if they see a breathing city with life.

"Year after year" is a rare "marathon planning" in domestic art museums, ready to operate continuously for ten years or more, starting on the occasion of the 90th anniversary of the emerging woodblock printmaking movement, with 2031 as a stage node to commemorate the 100th anniversary of China's emerging woodcut movement. Bao Weihua, director of Liu Haisu Art Museum, told reporters that this project continues to pay attention to the contemporary printmaking group in the form of annual archival records, hoping to stimulate the artistic responsibility of printmakers, promote artists to carry out creative practice with higher spiritual pursuit, more solid creative skills and more diversified artistic expression, and leave better works for society and history.

It is reported that this project plans to select about ten young and middle-aged artists every year, and more systematically exhibit the more representative works of the artists in a certain period, as well as notes, sketches, and photos and videos of the recording site in the creation process, and at the same time exhibit the originals, tools, material equipment and simulated scene environment, so that the audience can understand their creative concepts, creative processes and methods. Liu Haisu Art Museum will collect the excellent works in the exhibition and systematically record and organize the relevant materials. The exhibition also has a special section to record important social events that coincide with the year of creation, as well as related prints, encouraging and guiding artists to pay attention to society, the present, and life.

Around the exhibition, a series of vivid experience workshops were held in the exhibition hall from time to time, interacting with the audience and creating an unforgettable viewing experience. Printmakers guide the audience on the printmaking experience on the spot, inviting art lovers to ink and print, and bring home the finished prints. Among them, on the fifth day of the Chinese New Year of the Year of the Tiger, the art museum will usher in a special woodcut print "Ying Cai Shen" experience workshop, "The Year of the Tiger" and "Daji Dali" are all carefully selected experience mother books for the audience. Under the background of ink and wood fragrance, people can personally print a woodblock New Year painting of their own, feel the wisdom and charm of ancient intangible cultural heritage skills, and bring home the new year's joy.

Author: Fan Xin

Editor: Tao Kong