2D Studio Art - Printmaking
The subject of my work in exhibition is a group of prints recreating scenes from Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (liaozhai zhiyi) which was written in Qing dynasty by Pu SongLing. The book contains 491 short stories featuring local tales that includes supernatural elements. The collection has a permeant influence in Chinese culture as it’s been turned into television shows and movies and is considered a classic.
For my thesis I selected 6 stories from the first quarter of the collection to illustrate and turned some of my favorite scenes from these stories into prints. My creative process begins with research focusing on the original literature. I examined both the Chinese publication of the book and its English translation counterparts. Although Mandarin is my first language, the original text was written in old Chinese, thus I turned to online sources to read the simplified translations of the stories in modern Chinese.
After deciding which stories to present, I begin to recreate the dramatic scenes through digital illustration. Once the illustrations were completed, my designs were printed out in preparation of for creating the images on a copper plate or lithographic stone. From that point on, the processing varied depending on the surface of the materials. I am interested in visualizing these images as prints because its closeness to the literature source and the chance to experiment adding textures through the process of chemical reactions.
These stories I selected from the source material represent a darker side of human nature. However, I am interested in this subject because behind each image there is a story waiting to be explore, and through the darkness we also imagine the potential of hope as the plot twists.
My art style is influenced by artists such as the Japanese Manga artist Ito Junji (1963-present) and the German printmaker Kathe Kollwitz (1867-1945), who is known for her graphic depictions of war. Formally, their works employ expressive use of lines and contrast to depict human subjects, emphasizing drama and tension in each image.
The Begging Monk, Intaglio, 15 x 11.25 inches
Mouse Opera, Intaglio, 15 x 11.25 inches
Three State of Existence, Intaglio, 11.25 x 15 inches
Little Hound, Intaglio, 11.25 x 15 inches
Talking Pupils, Lithography, 11.1 x 9.1 inches
