Purified Fragrance Studio 1871 - 1933

Jian Guzhai made this Purified Fragrance Studio sometime in the past, using ink. This piece is all about the push and pull, the delicate dance between carving and surface. Look closely, and you'll see these fantastic dragons, mirror images, snaking up either side of the tablet. They're not just drawn on, they're actually carved into the ink. The way the light catches those grooves, it gives the whole thing a real tactile quality, like you could run your fingers over it and feel the story. And then there's the calligraphy, so precise and intentional. It's not just writing, it's almost like another layer of imagery woven in. It reminds me a little of the work of Tomma Abts, that same sense of quiet intensity, of finding the extraordinary in the ordinary. Art is never really about answers, it’s more about the questions we ask along the way.