Hall of Ancient Echoes 1871 - 1933

Jian Guzhai’s ink tablet, "Hall of Ancient Echoes," is a small but mighty object. I wonder, how many drafts did the artist make before being satisfied with this final form? Looking at the tablet’s surface, I can almost feel the artist’s hand carefully carving away at the ink, letting the image slowly emerge. The dark, matte texture, and the way the light catches the edges of the relief—it all speaks to a patient, almost meditative process. Those swirling dragon motifs on either side of the text really sing to me! They feel so alive, like they're breathing, ready to jump off the surface. The dragons remind me that artists are always in conversation. When I look at it I feel like I'm peering into another world. It’s so nice when an artwork can embrace ambiguity and uncertainty, allowing us to have multiple interpretations. I imagine it's no different for artists in their own practices.