Contemporary Chinese Woodcuts

Gan Zhenglun



The A.I.C. just opened
an exhibit of
Chinese woodblock prints
commissioned by the London based

Muban Foundation


It was all scenes of people
I wouldn't want to meet
and places I wouldn't want to visit

i.e. -- the Chinese artworld is
still in recovery
from the Maoist catastrophe

But I did like the above scene,
with it's sharp vs. blurry
sense of spatial perspective

( most of the woodcuts felt limited
by a uniform sharpness of impression)

(and I'm partial to river scenes anyway)

and note:

rather humorously,
the exhibit is entitled
"Cutting edges: Contemporary Chinese Woodblock Prints"
while, thankfully,
there's nothing "cutting edge" or contemporary about it all.

Perhaps these artists have had enough
cultural revolution ?