WORKS ELABORATION:
The “Rural Workers Going to Cities” series tells the story of my family after they went to the city, which can also be seen as an epitome of our times. The experience of my eight family members is a reflection of the change of Chinese society. This work is made of eight pieces of pearwoods in various shapes. They migrated from the countryside to the city, facing the strong impact from the urban life while retaining farmers’ diligent qualities. I chose the themes of installer, square dancing, market, WeChat business, small workshop, express delivery, preschool education and pursuing education to reflect their lives as they walk with their dreams on the road to the city.
TUTOR COMMENT:
Guo Shuang’s “Rural Workers Going to Cities” series recreates the picture of individual families migrating from rural areas to cities. This is an ode to a certain era and a certain group of people who are eager to make efforts to transcend their status quo. These large-format woodcuts are narrative and lyrical. The composition is well-organised and the figures are vividly drawn. In fact, the evolution of Guo Shuang’s woodcutting style is evident from the comparison with his early works such as “Go to the Market”, “Wedding” and “The Central Plains in May”. Her early style was hard, sharp and decorative with interplaying light and shadow. Her recent works such as the illustrations for the collection of poems “Grasses” and “The Puppet Collection” reveal a unique charm of Chinese paintings with their vivid use of lines. Her persistent efforts will eventually contribute to her artistic achievements.
-- Wu Hong