The three masters of printmaking, Mr. Wang Jiazeng, Mr. Fan Min and Mr. Xu Baozhong, are all of high level of professionalism with ingenious and sophisticated printmaking language. Despite their different approaches to representation, abstract or symbol, all their works are aimed to introduce the fast changing of modern society and artists’ persistent pursuit of human’s spiritual home.

The works of Mr. Wang Jiazeng are focused on the changing of traditional industrial societies and cities during information era, which delivers a complexed feeling towards the waning of these cities with the mixed emotion of nostalgia, soreness and reflections. The true natures of life under hustle and bustle atmosphere showed in his works can be seen as his feeling of regret, as his salute to traditional industries and as his clean-up of the ground color of life. 

By his sophisticated skill and perfect using of cold colors, Mr. Fan Min is devoted to turn the familiar daily life into something unfamiliar, he intends to present waxing and waning of life as well as recycling of time. In Mr. Fan’s works symbolized puppets are equipped with universal significance. Though these puppets are somehow manipulated into similar postures, it still can be seen as a dislocation of images and a mutual complementing for narrative under the dark background, which presents a reflection of human survival. 

Mr. Xu Baozhong’s works are dedicated to mix “language tasting” of modern printmaking and aesthetics of China’s traditional landscape painting, which shows a surreal landscape beyond time and space. Though his works are named Four-Season Serial Paintings and Empty Mountains, the true spirits inside these works are the retrospect of old-time literators and aftertaste of their easy and calm attitudes towards the nature.

The three masters, all played a leading role in arts institutes respectively, have made brilliant achievements in the field. Their works are generally counted as the pioneering creations of China’s modern printmaking and therefore have deeply influenced numerous young artists. With the persistent efforts today they will certainly have a fruitful harvest for tomorrow.

Yin Shuangxi 

Professor and Doctoral Supervisor of China Central Academy of Fine Arts

Nov., 15, 2018