With origins in the Ming dynasty, this technique of woodblock printing and hand-painting creates a beautiful piece of artwork that is traditionally hung on doorways during the New Year to bring good luck. Yangliuqing, a region southeast of Beijing, is the home to the best-known New Year’s prints in China. With its characteristic bright colors, graceful lines and traditional subjects, the Yangliuqing print tradition dates back to the 16th century and continues today through such endeavors as the Yangliuqing New Year’s Print Workshop, the government-sponsored entity where the three Festival participants work. The process, which can take a group of artists up to 40 days to complete, includes outlining, carving, printing and applying additional color with a fine brush.
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Friday, July 11, 2014
7:00PM – 10:00PM
Zone 5
235 Queens Quay West, Toronto Ontario
Saturday, July 12, 2014
12:00PM – 8:00PM
Zone 5
235 Queens Quay West, Toronto Ontario
Sunday, July 13, 2014
12:00PM – 6:00PM
Zone 5
235 Queens Quay West, Toronto Ontario
The Yangliuqing Fine Arts Press in Tianjin is a state-owned company with more than 50 craftsmen working on different parts of the New Year’s printmaking process. Three of those craftsmen are participating in the Festival:
Chen Yuhua陈玉华, painter; Gao Yan高筵, outliner; and Wang Wenda王文达, carver
Gao Yan has been with the company since 2008. He specializes in creating the outline of the picture/image on thin sheets of rice paper, which are then adhered to the wood block and used as the guide for carving. His position also involves the creation of larger-scale paintings that are not used simply as carving templates. Chen Yuhua has worked in the company for more than 20 years. She specializes in hand-painting additional color to the images after they have been printed. Wang Wenda, who has been with the company for more than 50 years, is a senior carver who cuts the images from the woodblocks. He was designated in 2006 as a national level Intangible Cultural Heritage inheritor by the Chinese Ministry of Culture.