On 18 March 2026, Sun Museum launched its annual flagship event "Sun Delight", highlighted by "Profound Impressions: The Art of Liu Chunjie's Original Plates and Prints" as part of the museum's 10th anniversary celebrations. The exhibition runs from 11 March to 14 June 2026, featuring the original woodcut plates and prints of renowned Chinese printmaker Liu Chunjie.
Inspired by the landscapes of Heilongjiang, Liu's early works express his love for nature and memories of the pioneering era. After moving to Nanjing in 2004, his style shifted to more personal reflections on contemporary life, as seen in his Private Thoughts series.
Displaying 48 works, mostly from his iconic Beidahuang series, the exhibition presents a harmonious vision of nature and rural life through delicate carving techniques. Unlike other Beidahuang School artists, Liu uses unique lines, colours and compositions to convey poetic warmth toward his homeland.
A core concept of the exhibition is the symbiotic relationship between original plates and prints. Liu regards woodcut plates as independent sculptural artworks, and the display presents plates and prints together to show the creative transformation from three-dimensional to two-dimensional art. Among the 48 pieces, 14 are shown only as original plates, challenging the traditional focus on finished prints.
Liu Chunjie is a leading figure in contemporary Chinese printmaking and has received numerous honours, including the Lu Xun Printmaking Award, the highest honour in Chinese printmaking. His works are collected by world-class institutions such as the British Museum, the Victoria and Albert Museum, and the Art Institute of Chicago.
At the opening, Liu described Hong Kong as a cultural oasis that has long supported artistic exchange and helped introduce Mainland Chinese art to the world. He encouraged young artists to persist in exploring subtle perspectives. Using a vivid metaphor, he compared the original plate to a chicken and the print to an egg, stressing that viewers should understand the source of creation. He also noted that mature art should embrace unexpected effects and abstraction, rather than fixed repetition.
Dr. Lesley Lau, Director of Sun Museum, praised Liu's diverse creative style and the profound craftsmanship of his woodcuts. She highlighted his two expressive tools: writing and woodcut carving. According to Dr. Lau, the exhibition, which includes the specially commissioned work Morning, Hong Kong, reflects Sun Museum's mission to promote Chinese art and culture.
(Reporter: Liu Yu)
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