A Journey Through Printmaking
—International Printmaking Art Exhibition

 Duration: October 20, 2021 – November 13, 2021
Exhibition Venue: 2B Gallery, CAFA Art Museum, Central Academy of Fine Arts, Beijing, China

 Academic Host: Xu Bing
Curators: Tomas Vu, Yang Hongwei, Xinyi Liu

 Organized by: China Central Academy of Fine Arts
Presented by: CAFA Art Museum
Supported by: LeRoy Neiman Center for Print Studies, Columbia University

The CAFA Art Museum will present A Journey Through Printmaking — International Printmaking Art Exhibition at 2B Gallery from October 20 to November 13, 2021. The exhibition is organized by the China Central Academy of Fine Arts, presented by the CAFA Art Museum, and supported by the LeRoy Neiman Center for Print Studies, Columbia University School of the Arts. Professor Tomas Vu of Columbia University, Professor Yang Hongwei of Central Academy of Fine Arts, and artist Xinyi Liu are the co-curators of this exhibition. More than one hundred artworks from all over the world will be exhibited. Featured artists (listed alphabetically by last name) include Cecily Brown, Fang Lijun, Ellen Gallagher, Gu Yuan, William Kentridge, Li Hua, Kiki Smith, Su Xinping, Sarah Sze, Rirkrit Tiravanija, Kara Walker, Xu Bing, and others.

Roar, China!, Li Hua, Block monochrome printing, 27.5×18.7 cm, 1938

Yudai Bridge, Gu Yuan, Block chromatic watermarking, 28×31.8 cm, 1962

 Wooden Moon, Kiki Smith, Wood engraving, 365.8×243.8 cm, 2021
 

Pack Mules in the Mountains, Kara Walker, Offset lithograph and screenprint, 99.1×134.6 cm, 2005

Phoenix II, Printing paper, Micro Piezo printing, 39.9×56.8 cm, 2014
 

Wilderness III, Su Xinping, Drypoint, 300×200 cm, 2017

When we talk about printmaking, we often assume that it is the product of techniques such as woodcut, lithography, intaglio, and silkscreen. In this exhibition, artists will re-examine, re-think, and re-explore printmaking from the standpoint of doubters:

Why do printmaking?
What does printmaking mean to me?

Untitled, Cecily Brown, Offset lithograph, 103×70 cm, 2014

 
2017, Fang Lijun, Woodcut, 244×122 cm, 2017

 
Sunsets and Blue Skies: Tattered Sunset, Nicola Lopez, Collagraph on digital print, 54.6×45.7 cm, 2019

 
Wish You were Here III, Tomas Vu, Laser-cut collage and screenprint, 76.2×101.6 cm, 2021


Ghost of the city III, Wang Huaxiang, Woodcut, 92×92 cm, 2004

 
Catlin Lee 1, John Walker, Photogravure with hand-coloring, 59×49.5 cm, 2016

These are the questions for all participating artists. Every work exhibited is a direct or indirect answer from the artists. Some artists start from the concept of "printmaking," some from the structure of "plate," some from the action of "printing," some from the posture of "carving," some from the language of "plurality," and some from the characteristics of materials. Some do addition, others, subtraction. The diverse backgrounds, cultures, and multiple generations of artists will inevitably bring different answers to these questions. Collectively they not only contextualize printmaking’s social significance, but push discussion to the controversial question:
 
What will be the future of printmaking?

 
Untitled, Jennifer Nuss, Inkjet and etching, 90.2×71.1 cm, 2013

 
The Tree of Life I, Kong Liang, Drypoint, 200×60 cm, 2021

 
2020, Feng Mengbo, Lithograph, 35×35 cm, 2020

 
Megaphone, William Kentridge, Drypoint, 43.2×36.8 cm, 2008

 
Ringers (L.G.), David Altmejd, Etching with pigmented inkjet, collage and hand-additions, 10.2×7.5 cm, 2014

 
Skin, Xinyi Liu, Rubbing on mulberry paper and collage, 142×196 cm, 2020

主编：何一沙
责编：吴靖
现场图：王睿莹