Ancient Fragrance Hall 1871 - 1933

Jian Guzhai made this Ancient Fragrance Hall with a sensitive hand. It's a small piece, carved from what looks like wood, maybe a type of root or branch. I imagine Jian Guzhai finding this fragment, turning it over in their hands, feeling the texture and weight, and then deciding what to reveal within it. I think about the tools they used – small knives, maybe – to coax out these swirling, cloud-like forms. Look at the top – there's a lotus leaf, and then these delicate characters running down the center, like a stream of consciousness. The monochrome palette is interesting here. It forces you to focus on the textures and the play of light and shadow across the carved surfaces. And the writing! I'm so drawn to the way the artist used it. It suggests layers of meaning and invites contemplation. What kind of conversation was Jian Guzhai hoping to have? Painting and carving are both additive and subtractive processes. They shape our experience and connect us to the artist's vision.