Paper Person Chronicle (Field Notes on Folk Art of the Yellow River Basin)

Author: Guo Qingfeng
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-06-01
Features: The ancient wind, the clouds of antiquity, the deep-yellow loess that dances freely in the wind; the shepherd's folk songs, accompanied by the roaring sound of the Yellow River, transform into a symphony that stirs the soul. On the high slopes, on the plateau, it resonates and swirls. The fragrance of the larkspur flowers blends with the taste of the loess, seeping into one's heart, bitter yet sweet. Red chili peppers on the window lattices and window frames, the red robes of the women reflecting the faces of the men, covered with white sheepskin towels, looking simple and smiling. They have lived and thrived on this land for generations, living in peace, contentedly and happily, weaving stories of joy and sorrow, singing songs of happiness and sadness. Guo Qingfeng, a simple man from northern Shaanxi, anartist, uses his brush, scissors, chisels, tears, blood, and soul to record, depict, and tell the past and present of this land, the love and passion, the suffering and joy, the ordinary yet captivating stories of the men and women on this land. People live peacefully on the land, and the land makes people become lively; the land exists in people's hearts, and the land becomes magical because of people. Northern Shaanxi is a place of faith. A French friend, after watching the Yangge dance of northern Shaanxi, said with deep emotion, "People here don't have much money, but often, they have the strength of the gods. The smiles of the girls are as bright as the sun. In recent years, from the depths of northern Shaanxi's land, vast reserves of high-quality coal and natural gas have been discovered. Criminals have dug up countless treasures from the wild mountains and wilderness of northern Shaanxi. I see this as the misfortune of northern Shaanxi, but it has also gradually revealed the reason for the thick-hearted spirit of the people of northern Shaanxi. We ourselves know the mountains and waters of our bodies, and the strange dialects and colloquialisms of our ethnic minorities from many years ago, which can still be heard today with the sounds of ancient classical Chinese. This book is an artistic work by Guo Qingfeng on the theme of the western region. The work showcases the artist's description of the northern world, his understanding of the people living on the Loess Plateau, and his reflections on life through various art forms such as oil paintings, prints, paper-cutting, and artistic installations.