Chinese Woodcut: The Art of Liu Chunjie

Written in beautiful poetic prose, Chinese Woodcut: The Art of Liu Chunjie takes the reader on a personal journey through this celebrated artist’s life’s work.

Master printmaker Liu Chunjie is renowned for his beautiful woodcut art. Born to land reclamation workers in Heilongjiang Province’s 856 Farm, Lui began life in a remote part of China that was deemed to be a place of cultural exile. But it is here that a vibrant chapter in the history of contemporary Chinese printmaking, known as Beidahuang Prints, was born.

Living and breathing woodcut art, Liu takes the reader on a personal journey through his life’s work. Written in beautiful poetic prose, Liu describes how his art and the techniques he uses have developed over time, culminating in a stunning body of work that has made him the celebrated artist he is today.

Having experimented with colored ink, installation art and mixed-media painting, it is the spirit of woodcut that remains the foundation of Liu’s art. Using ancient tools and materials, he creates works that embody modern concepts, elevating the essence of woodcut art to a new level.

Liu Chunjie was born in April 1965 in Heilongjiang Province’s 856 Farm. Graduated from Heilongjiang Agricultural Reclamation Normal School and is currently serving as the president of Nanjing Academy of Art and the director of Jinling Museum of Art. He is also a member of the Printmaking Art Committee and the Museum Work Committee for the China Artists Association, vice president of the International Printmaking Research Institute of the Central Academy of Fine Arts, adjunct professor of the Central Academy of Fine Arts printmaking department, adjunct professor of Nanjing University’s College of Fine Arts, and part-time tutor for master of arts students. He has served as a judge for the 13th National Art Exhibition of China and an expert judge for the China National Art Fund.