Welcome to the latest IWCS newsletter! This edition shines a spotlight on the captivating highlights from our July premiere, featuring the "Grand Gathering of Screens" Exhibition on Ancient Screen Art, Nanfeng Nuo Carving - Luo Chunming, the Inheritor of Nuo Mask Carving, and musical performance during the IUFRO Stockholm 2024.
Don't forget to mark your calendars for the upcoming WWD 2024 August Premiere. Tune in to the World Wood Day YouTube channel on Friday, August 23.
International Wood Culture Society (IWCS) is thrilled to announce that we have launched our page on Google Arts & Culture, featuring stories and photo collections from all cultures, events, and projects filmed around the globe.
Additionally, we're excited to announce that Volume IV of the prestigious International Journal of Wood Culture (IJWC) is now open for submissions of groundbreaking research articles. Join us in shaping the discourse and advancing knowledge in the field of Wood Culture.
The "Grand Gathering of Screens" Exhibition on Ancient Screen Art
The "Grand Gathering of Screens" exhibition on ancient screen art is a themed exhibition held in conjunction with the release of the new book "Screens." It is jointly organized by Zhongmao Shengjia International Auction Co., Ltd., Wanquantang Ancient Furniture Art Museum, and China Forestry Publishing House, and is displayed at the Shengjia Art Center. The exhibition runs from May 12 to 31. Over 30 rare and unique screens are making a prominent appearance at the Shengjia Art Center.
Mr. Liu Chuansheng is a collector and connoisseur of ancient Chinese furniture and the founder of the Beijing Wanquantang Ancient Furniture Art Museum. His deep connection with screens began with a love at first sight for a black lacquer painted screen and a black lacquer plain screen. This sparked over twenty years of relentless exploration. His long-term observation, reflection, and insights into screens have culminated in the book "Screens."
On the day of the event, Mr. Liu Chuansheng led the attendees on a tour of the "Grand Gathering of Screens" exhibition on ancient screen art and introduced some of the exhibits. Following the tour, the attendees gathered to engage in a discussion on the topic of "Inheritance and Innovation in Ancient Furniture Art."
Nanfeng Nuo Carving - Luo Chunming,
the Inheritor of Nuo Mask Carving
Nanfeng Nuo Dance is hailed as the "living fossil of ancient Chinese dance." Every year, the Starting Nuo is on the first day of the Chinese New Year and the Concluding Nuo is after the Lantern Festival. During this period, Nuo troupes follow ancient rituals, performing ceremonies to expel ghosts and epidemics, praying for good weather and abundant harvest, and household peace. Nuo masks are symbolic representations of Nuo culture and serve as vessels for deities during Nuo Rituals. Consequently, the carving of Nuo masks has become an ancient folk art.
As one of the many Nanfeng artists engaged in Nuo mask carving, Luo Chunming has been practicing this craft for over 30 years. Currently, there are more than 100 types of Nanfeng Nuo masks, totaling over 2,000 pieces, primarily made from poplar wood and camphor wood, with camphor wood being the more commonly used material. Nanfeng Nuo masks feature a wide variety of characters with diverse and unique designs. In addition to iconic figures such as Zhong Kui, the God of Wealth, and Nuo Grandpa and Nuo Grandma, there are many characters from folk stories, including notable figures from “The Journey to the West" and "Romance of the Three Kingdoms."
The production process of Nuo masks involves Wood Selection, Rough Blank, Fine Billet, Polishing, Coloring. As a prop used by performers, Nuo mask carving demands high quality. The masks must not only be well-carved and expressive on the outside but also comfortable to wear inside, achieving excellence both externally and internally. Luo Chunming emphasizes the importance of staying true to one's original intentions and dedicating oneself to the craft. He believes that mastering the skills and ensuring their transmission will be a lifelong pursuit for him.
Musical performance during the IUFRO Stockholm 2024 by Arvid Mattsson Furmark, Cecilia Sörbom Österholm, Esbjörn Hogmark and his family, Joan Gatti, and ABBA.