Since early September, the works of master printmaker Li Guijin have been on display in the TWU President’s Gallery. The exhibit stems from the longstanding relationship the University has with China’s Tianjin University.
A professor at Tianjin Normal University, Li visited Trinity Western earlier this semester. “Li Guijin’s technical expertise in etching, woodcut, lithography, and silk screen is quite phenomenal,” said Erica Grimm, Ph.D., Chair of Art + Design at the School of the Arts, Media + Culture.
Li, who combines traditional Chinese art practices with influences from Western art in his work, was at TWU not only to share his expertise but also to learn. “I hope to show students how traditional Chinese art forms and Western critical theory, structure and colour can interface,” he said. “By communicating, both teachers and students can learn and grow.”
Exposure to the works of artists from other cultures broadens and enriches students. “Art has no boundaries,” Li said. “Because of this, it speaks to different cultures and backgrounds.”
In addition to exposure to art from different cultures, students benefit from viewing a body of sustained work. “It gives students a sense of the kind of commitment it takes to pursue their art practice over a lifetime” said Grimm, herself an established artist. “It widens and enriches their experience to encounter the consistent quality and depth of inquiry of a professional art practice.”
The exhibit will be on display in TWU President’s Gallery on the second floor of the Reimer Student Centre through October 3.
“I believe art makes people wiser; it gives people freedom,” Li said. “Art is a platform that facilitates communication and understanding.”