“Here Unfolds the Beauty” Exhibition Series of Shenzhen Art Museum Collections

Bookplates in Chinese Styles Selected from the Collection of Shenzhen Art Museum

A bookplate is a miniature work of printmaking art, known as a “pearl of printmaking” and “a butterfly on paper”. It is affixed to the lining or title page of a book, both as a mark for the collector and as a work of art to beautify the book. It originated in Germany in the 15th century and gradually spread to countries in the West. Originally reserved for the royal families, aristocracy, and clergy in Europe, the bookplates have been widely used in modern times. At the beginning of the twentieth century, bookplates were introduced to China. With the development of the New Woodcut Movement, bookplates gradually became known and popular among Chinese people, and many printmakers devoted themselves to the creation of bookplates.

After the 1980s, the printmaking industry again set off a wave of bookplate creation, and exhibitions of various sizes continued nationwide. Bookplates are increasingly known and used by ordinary readers. Within a small space, bookplates record books and art, the world and emotions.

Derived from classical ink, and leaping from profound thoughts, they are hidden in books like butterflies dancing in the bushes. The art form of bookplates, which originated in Europe, has taken root in the distant eastern continent, colliding with traditional poetry and giving birth to new stories along the fragrance of books.

This exhibition carefully selects and displays bookplates with Chinese cultural elements from the collection of Shenzhen Art Museum. These works are all acquired from the “7th National Bookplate Exhibition” held by Shenzhen Art Museum in 1998. More than 100 bookplates involve a wide range of Chinese cultural elements, showing the meaningful oriental charm from different perspectives such as flowers, birds, insects, fish, architectural landscapes, stone inscriptions, New Year pictures, paper cutting, and legends.

Blending traditional culture into bookplates not only reflects Chinese culture in this “imported product” but also gives the artistic form of bookplates a core and soul. Each bookplate contains a history, telling the stories of designers, bibliophiles, and collectors, and embodies high artistic creativity and aesthetics. With its unique cultural charm, the bookplate coexists with the fragrance of books and will be passed down forever.

Shenzhen Art Museum has consistently focused on collecting in alignment with its academic objectives, gradually establishing a distinctive collection that encompasses classic works by renowned Chinese painters, fine printmaking, contemporary oil paintings, local art from Shenzhen, and photography from the region.

In his reply to a letter by veteran experts and artists from the National Art Museum of China, President Xi Jinping called for “painstaking efforts on the part of the museum to improve the quality of its collection, promote its utilization level of artworks, and provide better services.”Collections serve as the cornerstone of a museum, providing a vital foundation for its academic research, exhibition curation, educational outreach, and international exchanges. The pursuit of high-quality collections is instrumental in fostering the museum’s professional advancement and sustainable high-quality development. Under its refreshed academic mandate of “Rooted in the Local, Facing the World; Anchored in the Present, Looking to the Future” Shenzhen Art Museum has launched a new “Here Unfolds the Beauty” Exhibition Series of Shenzhen Art Museum Collections.

The title “Here Unfolds the Beauty” is inspired by a calligraphic piece, “Here Is Unfolding the Beauty,” gifted to the museum in 1986 by the esteemed artist Cheng Shifa, symbolizing the convergence of beauty within these walls. This series will leverage the museum’s extensive collection, delving deeply into the academic significance of its various segments, and will periodically curate exhibitions to foster new energies in guiding social ethos and sustaining cultural heritage, thereby propelling the museum sector into a new era of advancement.

Organizer：Shenzhen Art Museum

Exhibition Dates：July 30, 2024- March 16, 2025

Time: 10:00-18:00 Closed on Mondays

Contact Number:0755-28062004/0755-28062007

Venue：Hall 3, 1 F, Shenzhen Art Museum(New Museum)