Born in Nanjing in 1963, Chen Qi is currently working as a professor and the Deputy Dean of Graduate School of CAFA (Central Academy of Fine Arts), the associate director of Printmaking Art Committee of China Artists Association, and the secretary general of Printmaking Department of China National Academy of Painting. The exhibition will feature a series of experimental solo prints created by Chen Qi since 2015. Chen Qi connects the tradition with the contemporary through his works, earning an iconic status in the history of Chinese contemporary woodblock printmaking. Through randomized digital process and improvisational inspiration, he aims to break through the simple repetitive nature of printmaking and extract artistry from prints, the production process, and the printing materials. Thus, in his artistic language, in order to realize the inheritance and the innovation of traditional art form, he explores and discovers the significance of woodblock printmaking in the context of contemporary art and Chinese culture.

Imprint · Plurality

Since 2015, I have made a series of independent experimental works by reusing the used woodblock that I made 20 years ago, such as “Ancient Stringed Instruments,” “Ming Furniture,” “Lotus,” and “Interpretation.” The sole purpose is seeking to break through and to transcend the two basic concepts of print and plurality. The experimental method is to break the original overprint order of the printing plate. The printing plate is no longer in accordance with the original design order. It does not follow the overprint procedure of the standard register. Instead, it is spontaneously generated according to the graphic structure of the printing plate and is improvised and freely printed. Thus, the printing plate is liberated from the previous simple function of image reproduction to demonstrate the value and significance of its existence. At the same time, such experimental works also eliminate the mechanical plurality of prints, making each print a unique imprint of spirituality.

Chen Qi