Artist in Residency in China 2017

International Print Workshop

1 September – 18 September 2017

I am invited in the International Print Workshop – Guanlan Original Printmaking Base in China. Here I have to create few woodblock prints for the international printmaking artists exchange program and the exhibition “The Belt & Road”.

International Print Workshop

Even I have been here with my wife Roberta in 2011, it is not so easy to create in the country with such long history and such impressive culture. Last time we arrived in Guanlan before Christmas in 2010. Here we had the possibility to see how Chinese people celebrate Christmas, New Year and Chinese Spring Festival. That was very impressive. Between all celebrations, we had to participate in many openings of printmaking exhibitions and other culture events. That was very good for understanding just a little Chine culture. After the Residency, we were traveling alone, also with bicycle, what was really wonderful.

Printmaking here in China has very long and deep traditions like all arts. The favourite printmaking technique in China, and oldest in the world – woodcut. They love woodcuts, they have many schools of making it, they have many different tradition of cutting and printing it. In each ordinary primary school they learn art, they make the prints, and very good prints. And here you can see how old traditional technique of woodcut mixed with new thinking way, with our days’ reality. So this time I came here to learn more about printmaking in East, in China. To learn why they love to create prints, what themes are interesting for them, why they use so many different wood cutting styles, how they use the Chinese printmaking technologies.

Artist's village

The Guanlan Original Printmaking Base – areal, composed from artist’s village with Hakka Houses, where artists live, and the galleries’ village with very big Printing Workshop. In Printing Workshop artists has special spaces workshops, where they create prints. Later printmaking masters prints created art in edition. The young printmaking master are excellent, what they do, and how they prints – that is absolute fantastic.

Printmaking workshop

Here in Artists Village, in beautiful nature surrounding, always many young people with kids.

In café-book store you can see many relaxing people with book and ice tea in the hands. What is really nice – here are many children with books.

Café-book store

 

Café-book store

Café-book store

And here is very warm, about 32C and rain.

 

© Circle “Bokartas”, Kestutis Vasiliunas

.

.

.

Comments are closed.