Abstract

This paper speaks to the delicate balance between how an artist navigates the potential limitations and the potential depth of inspiration that comes from an inherited artistic tradition. One instance of this exchange between innovation and tradition is documented in the architecture and artwork of the woodcarvers of Dongyang county in Zhejiang province China. To understand shared stylistic conventions, and the references contemporary artists make to both form and motif, this research will examine the bracket scenes from the Lu Residential Complex and compare them to the carvings of contemporary artists. Huang Xiaoming and Zheng Chunhui are two contemporary masters of Dongyang woodcarving known for incorporating elements of this over one thousand year old tradition into their artwork. Chunhui’s Along the River During Qingming Festival (2013) is a recreation of a Song dynasty painting of the same title that is almost as old as Dongyang carving tradition itself. Upon closer inspection, Chunhui’s massive carving contains details that challenge the historically practical nature of Dongyang carving. Xiaoming crafted his Golden Dragon Treasure (2008) using several different carving techniques associated with Dongyang woodcarving and references the history of the carving practice through form and motif. This sculpture also utilizes scale to symbolically transverse the boundaries of the object decoration that once defined Dongyang woodcarving. The artists discussed in this paper contribute a modern, tangible connection to the cultural identity of China while promoting innovation, creativity, and respect for the history of Dongyang woodcarving.

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