The Green Gem Hall 1871 - 1933

Jian Guzhai carved this inkwash out of wood, and you can almost feel the artist's hand moving across the surface, subtracting material, leaving behind this fantastic composition of bamboo and swirling clouds. I think about the decisions involved in making a piece like this. The artist must have selected the wood for its grain, which gives the landscape a sense of depth and texture. See how the characters are integrated into the overall design, becoming almost like part of the landscape itself? The carving’s monochromatic palette encourages us to focus on the form and the relationship between the positive and negative spaces. The bamboo is rendered with such delicate precision, each stalk carefully delineated. It reminds me of the prints of Hokusai. You can feel the relationship between these artists across time. The artist’s process becomes a form of embodied expression, embracing ambiguity and uncertainty.