Woodcuts in Modern China, 1937-2008: Towards a Universal Pictorial Language

Towards a Universal Pictorial Language

Chinese artists adapted the Western-style woodcut to create a pictorial language that resonated with the illiterate masses. They also created the beginnings of communist art in China and, in the most general sense, laid the foundation of modern Chinese art. The exhibition is the first organized in the U.S. to present a comprehensive overview of the beginnings and development of this important art form.

This exhibition features 58 Chinese woodblock prints. Twenty-six pieces are drawn from the collection of the Picker Art Gallery’s rare collection of modern Chinese woodcuts from the 1930s and 1940s. In addition, over 25 woodblock prints by eleven contemporary Chinese artists (1950s-today) are included.

This exhibition is organized by the Picker Art Gallery at Colgate University, and was made possible by a generous gift by Robert H.G. Ho. Its showing in Kalamazoo is supported by the Joy Light East Asian Art Acquisition and Exhibition Fund, with additional support from the Harold and Grace Upjohn Foundation.