Exhibition
Installation
Tiangong Kaiwu: Exploration of Prints and Drawings
Taipei·RenAi
Printmaking and drawing are fundamental forms of human artistic creation. Though their appearances and techniques differ greatly, both forms embody artists’ profound explorations of technique, medium, and expression. “Tiangong Kaiwu”, a legacy of Ming dynasty Chinese scientist Song Yingxing, stands as a comprehensive work on ancient Chinese craftsmanship and scientific spirit. Its documentation of woodblock printing, ink usage, and material selection laid the groundwork for the development of printmaking. This exhibition begins with the spirit of “Tiangong Kaiwu”, presenting outstanding works by Eastern and Western artists to examine the technical heritage and contemporary potential of these art forms.
Printmaking’s history dates back to the Han dynasty in China during the 2nd century BCE, initially used for religious texts through woodblock printing. By the Tang and Song dynasties, woodblock printmaking matured, and the Ming dynasty introduced multi-color printing techniques, significantly enhancing artistic expression. Due to its reproducibility, printmaking became a crucial tool for cultural exchange between East and West. Chinese printmaking deeply influenced Japanese ukiyo-e, exemplified by Hokusai’s Thirty-Six Views of Mount Fuji, which showcased the charm of Eastern woodblock prints while profoundly impacting European Impressionists.
In the West, printmaking emerged in the 15th century with techniques like copperplate etching, drypoint, and lithography. During the European Enlightenment, printmaking became a vital medium for spreading knowledge and ideas. German printmaker Albrecht Dürer’s masterpieces such as Apocalypse and Rhinoceros represent the pinnacle of Western printmaking with their intricate details and creativity. In the modern era, Andy Warhol’s Marilyn Monroe series redefined printmaking by merging commercial elements with art, demonstrating the medium’s modernity.
Drawing, considered the foundation of artistic creation, utilizes tools like pencil, charcoal, and pen on paper. Emphasizing lines and contrasts, drawing captures structural and inner essence. Over time, it evolved from a preparatory tool to a powerful art form. During the Renaissance, Leonardo da Vinci’s drawings, including Vitruvian Man and anatomical studies, showcased the integration of science and art. Michelangelo’s sketches for the Sistine Chapel ceiling epitomized mastery over human anatomy and motion. In the 19th century, Impressionist Edouard Manet broke from traditional meticulous drawing, using it to express personal emotions and style, thus elevating its artistic value.
The exhibition Tiangong Kaiwu: Exploration of Prints and Drawings reexamines the boundaries between technology and art while exploring the endless possibilities of traditional mediums in contemporary contexts. Highlighted works include a series of pencil drawings from the 1990s by Cao Jigang (China, b. 1955), vividly depict the ruins of the Great Wall, evoking a poignant sense of history. Riera i Aragó (Spain, b. 1954) “The Australia” manuscript series, inspired by family chronicles spanning 1735-1871. Ruprecht von Kaufmann (Germany, b. 1974) created narrative prints such as “Red Riding Hood 2” (Rotkäppchen 2) and “The Fisherman and His Wife” (Der Fischer und seine Frau). The former uses allegorical storytelling to symbolize the outbreak of war, transforming a previously simple and harmonious life into one of complexity and danger. The latter, inspired by Grimm's Fairy Tales, reflects on modern times and the obsession with the relentless pursuit of more. The “Recurrence” print series by Kim Tschang-Yeul (South Korea, 1929-2021) incorporates elements from “Thousand Character Classic” by Chinese calligrapher Wang Xizhi, with water droplets flowing across the text, symbolizing the fluidity of time and thought. The “Ecriture” series by Park Seo-Bo (South Korea, 1931-2023) explores the interplay between text and abstract art, featuring vibrant primary colors to enhance dimensionality. “The Beginning of Me” a print series derived from candid sketches created in 2006 by Tracey Emin (UK, b. 1963), explores vulnerability and self-reflection. Other notable works include rare sketches and prints by Sanyu, Martin Creed, Takashi Murakami, and Carol Prusa, among others.
Join Exhibitions Artists:
Cao Jigang
Riera i Aragó
Ruprecht von Kaufmann
Kim Tschang-Yeul
Park Seo-Bo
Dame Tracey Emin
Carol Prusa
Susanne Kühn
Sany
Robert Cottingham
Ruowang Liu
Richard Meier
Martin Creed
Takashi Murakami
Christoph Niemann
Tiangong Kaiwu: Exploration of Prints and Drawings
Press day：2025.2.14 Fri. 3:30 – 5:30pm
Opening：2025.2.15 Sat. 2:30 – 6pm（Open for public）
Exhibition Date：2025.2.15 – 5.15
Location：Bluerider ART Taipei·RenAi
10F., No. 25-1, Sec. 4, Renai Rd., Taipei
Tuesday to Saturday, 10am-6pm
info@blueriderart.com
T:+886 2 27522238
Works
Artist
Cao Jigang
(China, b.1955）
Cao Jigang, was graduated from Material Expression Studio of Oil Painting Department of China Central Academy of Fine Arts, also was a professor at Foundation Year Program Department of China Central Academy of Fine Arts. Currently living, working in Beijing, China, and exhibiting widely in museums and curated exhibitions. Cao Jigang received the Silver Prize in The National Exhibition of Fine Arts in 1999. His work is included in public collection including The National Art Museum of China in Beijing, Shanghai Art Museum and New Hall of China International Exhibition Center in Beijing.
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Riera i Aragó
(Spain , b. 1954)
Riera i Aragó (Barcelona 1954) belongs to that generation of artists who in the eighties took up the languages of painting and sculpture, being one of the protagonists of the recovery of the sculptural practice that the avant-garde of the thirties, from of iron, they had begun. After the dematerialization of the work of art that conceptual art entailed, and once pictorial informalism in all its versions had been exhausted, they discovered in the eighties that sculpture unrelated to statuary and naturalism had enormous expressive possibilities and at the same time, he was capable of conversing with the urban scene, the center of modern life. As one of the followers of those avant-garde, in the beginning he maintained a special sensitivity for traditional materials -iron, bronze, wood...-, which, many times, he recovered and recycled to focus all his plastic discourse on the environment of archeology of machinery.
Ruprecht von Kaufmann
(Germany , b. 1974)
Ruprecht von Kaufmann Born in Munich, Germany, and a graduate of the BFA Los Angeles Art Center College of Design, Kaufmann has been associated with prestigious institutions like Berlin University of the Arts, Hamburg University of Applied Sciences, and Leipzig Academy of Fine Arts. Currently residing and working in Berlin, he is recognized as a prominent visual narrative artist. As an artist focusing on graphic storytelling, Kaufmann explores various facets of human experience through the visual language of contemporary painting. His work showcases critical narratives and parallel realms of reality. Exhibiting in major European cities such as London, Berlin, Stuttgart, Oslo, and New York, his pieces have found a permanent place in renowned collections, including those of the Hort Family in New York, Germany's Sammlung Philara Museum, and the National Bank of Germany in Frankfurt.
Carol Prusa
(USA, b. 1956）
Carol Prusa (USA, b.1956), a graduate of Drake University with a Master degree in painting, currently resides and works in North Carolina, USA. Prusa inherits the silverpoint drawing technique from the Renaissance period, delving into astrophysics to interpret the chaotic interactions of cosmic evolution. Through the meticulous and refined grayscale of silverpoint, Prusa intricately incorporates sculpture forms, portraying the beauty of cosmic anomalies, and has gained recognition for her unique artistic expression. She has received the SECAC Artistic Achievement Award and has been invited to exhibit at the prestigious American Academy of Arts and Letters. Her works are featured in several silverpoint history books, permanently housed in over a dozen museums across the United States, including the Perez Museum of Art in Miami, the Museum of Arts and Design in New York, and the Telfair Museums. She has held major solo exhibitions at various institutions, including the Boca Raton Museum of Art and the Norton Museum of Art.
Susanne Kühn
(Germany , b. 1969)
Born in Leipzig, Germany, Susanne Kühn currently lives and works in Freiburg. She studied painting and printmaking at the Academy of Fine Arts in Leipzig, as well as at the School of Visual Arts and Hunter College in New York, and was awarded the Radcliffe Fellowship from the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study at Harvard University. Currently, she teaches at the Academy of Fine Arts in Nuremberg. Known for her unique fusion of realism, surrealism, and abstraction, Kühn’s works are dominated by exaggerated plants and fantastical flora juxtaposed with architectural or abstract geometric forms. Her art subtly balances humor with serious themes, exploring the tension between nature and constructed spaces. Her work is included in permanent collections including the Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art (USA), Museum Frieder Burda (Germany), Zabludowicz Art Trust (UK), Schwartz Art Collection of Harvard University (USA), UBS Art Collection, and Deutschen Bundesbank...etc.
Robert Cottingham
(USA, b.1935)
Robert Cottingham is especially known for his paintings and prints of urban landscapes, particularly building facades, neon signs, movie marquees, and store fronts. He is often associated with Pop artists such as Andy Warhol and Robert Indiana, but prefers to be called a realist painter in the American tradition of Edward Hopper. Cottingham’s work is in the collection of such prestigious institutions as the Metropolitan Museum, Museum of Modern Art, Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, and Whitney Museum, in New York. In London his work is at the Serpentine Gallery and Tate Gallery, and in Paris, at the Centre national d’art contemporain. He has had many solo exhibitions including a retrospective at the Smithsonian National Museum of American Art in Washington, DC.
Richard Meier
(USA, b.1934 )
Richard Meier is better known as one of the most important architects working today, and as a winner of the Pritzker Prize, the profession’s highest honor. He has completed major buildings, including museums civic centers, courthouses, corporate headquarters, and residences all around the world. Some Meier projects include the Getty Center, Los Angeles, California, and the High Museum, Atlanta, Georgia, in the United States. He built the City Hall and Library at The Hague, The Netherlands; the City Tower, Prague, Czech Republic; Ara Pacis Museum, Rome, Italy; Shenzen Houses, China; and the recently completed the Xin-Yi Residential Towers in Taipei.
Christoph Niemann
(Germany, b.1970)
Christoph Niemann is an illustrator, artist, and author. His work has appeared on the covers of The New Yorker, Time, Wired, The New York Times Magazine and American Illustration, and has won awards from AIGA, the Art Directors Club and The Lead Awards.