Artwork Appreciation
Artist Liu Yu-Fang often draws inspiration from nature. In her work Prelude, she used woodblock lithography and reduction woodcut process techniques to simultaneously show the simplicity of water-based ink and the thickness of oil-based ink. There are many black and white lines in the composition, whether knotted together or running through the image. There is a small tree standing on the cliff edge on the right, a white cloud floating in the lower left, and in the center is a huge gray stone, with many plants emerging from the hole in its surface. The small tree represents Liu Yu-Fang, and the floating cloud reflects her freedom-loving personality. The big rocks and tangled threads represent the pressures and tangled emotions in life, while the hardy plants express her positive attitude: “If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again.” She subtly conceals her understanding of life and the trajectory of time in her images, hoping that viewers will gain healing power from them.