[Explanation] The "traces" of 50 models after the baptism of years have been left in Wang Yan's hands.
Through the copper engravings created by Wang Yan, they can see the subtle look of themselves 15 years ago, and even the inner world of those years.
Wang Yan is a printmaking teacher at the Academy of Fine Arts of Jilin University of the Arts. A set of portrait copper engravings he created-"The Expression of Time" has recently become popular online.
The reporter saw in Wang Yan's studio on November 12 that the copperplate engravings showed a unique atmosphere and artistic conception. The beauty exuded by metal materials was sometimes calm and rational, sometimes enthusiastic and full of passion.
Printmaking is a picture printed after being carved or etched on copper plate, wood plate, hemp offset plate, etc. with a knife or chemicals.
Wang Yan, 40 this year, has been engaged in printmaking for 21 years and has created nearly 1,000 works.
Literary young women, white-bearded old men...From youth to maturity, from adulthood to old age...It can be said that Wang Yan's "Expression of Time" series of copper engravings has recorded the changes over time.
Wang Yan introduced one of the copperplate engravings "Workaholic" as an example. The figure in the painting is his former colleague. He has a long beard, but he looks like he is too old at the age of 40.
Wang Yan said that the glowing face against the morning glow and the calmness revealed in the smile were the inspiration for Workaholic.
[Concurrent] Wang Yan, Printmaking Teacher, Academy of Fine Arts, Jilin University of the Arts
The original creation of this series of "Time Expressions" began in 2003.
Taking some friends around me as models, I didn’t have too many ideas at the beginning. I just wanted to express these friends around me. Then I practiced the technique of copper engraving by the way. The number of paintings increased, and then the content of the paintings. Some changes will also take place, gradually shifting to exploring the inner world of models.
[Explanation] Wang Yan introduced that later for some reasons, the printmaking was put on hold.
In 2016, he learned that some of the friends he had painted had changed, only to realize that more than ten years had passed since the original creation, and he once again had the idea of continuing to create.
It is understood that the "Expression of Time" series of works have also received funding from the National Art Fund for the 2017 Young Artistic Creative Talent Project.
In order to better carry forward the art of printmaking, Wang Yan also conducted live teaching on the online platform and gained a large number of fans.
[Concurrent] Wang Yan, Printmaking Teacher, Academy of Fine Arts, Jilin University of the Arts
Use some of your own power to influence your surroundings.
So the studio opened this year has collected many fans through recording videos.
In the future, I will continue to do such things to popularize the art of printmaking. I don't want to say how much I can contribute to the popularization of printmaking. I hope that it will affect the city where I live. I think it is enough.
Reporter Sun Boyan from Changchun
Editor in charge: [Lu Yan]