Dubut of large-scale woodcuts at exhibit

The Island Now

Curated by Long Island master printmaker Dan Welden, an exhibition of large-scale woodcuts by Li Kang, one of China’s most celebrated printmakers, will be seen for the first time in the United States at the Jeanie Tengelsen Gallery of the Art League of Long Island from February 1 to March 8. 

A reception for the artist, who is coming to Long Island for the occasion, will be held on Sunday, Feb. 8, from 3 to 5 p.m.. Free Admission.

Kang, born in 1975, is a deputy secretary of the Print Arts Committee of the Chinese Artists Association, as well as Deputy Director of the Guanlan Original Printmaking Base and Director of The China Print Museum. 

Li’s woodcuts of nature imagery produced either by hand rubbing or on a large etching press, measure upwards of four feet square and are stunningly detailed. His work has won awards throughout China as well as at the Taiwan International Print and Drawing Biennial. 

His prints are in the collections of the National Museum of China, numerous regional museums in China, the Taipei Fine Arts Museum, the South Korea Print Museum and the British Woodcut Foundation. 

The Guanlan Original Printmaking Base, a government facility, is a workspace for experienced printmakers who are established artists and have a project in mind.  Participation is by invitation only, and master printmakers from all over the world come for a specified time, typically one or two months to work with their technicians. The facility is equipped with presses of all sizes for lithography, intaglio, silkscreen and relief printing. 

Dan Welden, from Sag Harbor, has been honored three times at the Guanlan Original Printmaking Base and has represented North America at Guanlan annually since 2011 where he has been honored three times.  While working at the Guanlan Original Printing Base, Welden got to know and witness Kang’s work. Welden will discuss his exciting residency and experiences at Guanlan in a lecture scheduled to take place in the gallery on Feb. 17 at 7 p.m.  Free Admission.

The Jeanie Tengelsen Gallery is open free of charge Monday through Thursday 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., Friday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and weekends from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. 

The Art League is located at 107 East Deer Park Road in Dix Hills. For more information call (631) 462-5400 or visit www.artleagueli.org.

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