Cui Fei : Vermicular Calligraphy
Vermicular Calligraphy_VI Lead, Driftwood 11 ¼ x 2 ½ x 1 ½ 2023
The Garage Art Center is thrilled to announce the opening of a captivating exhibition featuring the remarkable series of works by artist Cui Fei. Titled " Vermicular Calligraphy," the exhibition delves into the intricate world of writing found in nature, inviting viewers on a journey of discovery and contemplation.
This exhibition, Vermicular Calligraphy, showcases the recent works of Chinese American artist Cui Fei. The artworks in this series are profound visual explorations resulting from the artist's deep investigation into the shapes of writing discovered in nature. While collecting plant materials in nature, the artist became interested in the markings left by beetles on tree trunks and discovered that some of these patterns closely resemble Chinese calligraphy. Drawing inspiration from the shapes created by natural phenomena, the artist uses lead and metalworking techniques in the ‘Vermicular Calligraphy’ series to create sculptures of sections of tree trunks scarred by beetles. The metal sculptures delicately depict the contours and textures of the tree trunks, while the artist reproduces the imprints left by beetles on their surfaces through meticulous hammering.
Vermicular Calligraphy_III Lead, wood, 19” x 9” x 2 ¾ 2023-2024
The artist traces "writing" back to its origins in nature, emphasizing the importance of nature to human civilization. The gray lead pieces shaped like dead tree trunks also symbolize the immense loss caused by our excessive exploitation of nature. This exhibition serves as a poignant reminder of the urgent need for change for a sustainable future, awakening awareness through visual impact.
Vermicular Calligraphy_II (detail) Lead, wood 35” x 18" x 10" 2022-2023
Related Events
The opening reception happened on Saturday, May 4, from 4 pm to 6 pm. It offered a unique opportunity for attendees to meet the artist, gain insights into her creative process, and engage in conversation over the artwork presented.
Another highlight was the “Ink Rhythms: An Ink Rubbing Adventure” workshop that occurred on Saturday, May 18, 2024, from 3 pm to 5 pm, led by Cui Fei.
During the two-hour workshop, Cui Fei shared her wealth of experience and expertise. Through hands-on practice and expert guidance, participants explored the basic techniques of ink rubbing, using ink and delicate rice paper, and learn to meticulously reproduce intricate patterns and textures on rice paper of found objects.
Participants were able to experience the joy of artistic expression by immersing themselves in the physicality of ink rubbing, embracing the meditative and transformative qualities of this labor-intensive process, and cultivating a deeper appreciation for the objects that surrounded them.
Installation Views: Cui Fei, Vermicular Calligraphy, The Garage Art Center © Cui Fei Courtesy the artist and The Garage Art Center
This workshop is supported by funds from the New York State Council on the Arts, Statewide Community Regrants Program (formerly the Decentralization program) with the support of Governor Kathy Hochul and the New York State Legislature, and administered by Flushing Town Hall.
About the Artist
Cui Fei was born in China and now lives and works in New York. Her work has been exhibited nationally and internationally at venues such as the Warehouse Gallery at Syracuse University in Syracuse, NY; Princeton University Art Museum in Princeton, NJ; Museum of Arts and Design in New York, NY; Museum of Chinese in America in New York, NY; Queens Museum in Queens, NY; Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum in Ridgefield, CT; New Britain Museum of American Art in New Britain, CT; Jeju Museum of Art in Jeju, Korea; Rietberg Museum Zurich in Switzerland; Museum of East Asian Art in Cologne, Germany, among others.
She is a recipient of the Pollock-Krasner Foundation Grant, Artist’s Fellowship from the New York Foundation for the Arts, Artist Fellowship from Socrates Sculpture Park, SIP fellowship from the Robert Blackburn Printmaking Workshop, Workspace Grant from The Center for Book Arts, and Excellence in Arts Award from the Bronx Council on the Arts. She was selected for the Art Omi International Artists Residency, Artist-in-Residence Program at Light Work, Emerge Program at Aljira & Creative Capital in Newark, and the AIM program at the Bronx Museum of the Arts. Her work has been reviewed in The New York Times, Art in America, and YiShu—Journal of Contemporary Chinese Art, among other publications.
Her work is included in the permanent collections of the Brooklyn Museum, Princeton University Art Museum, Light Work at Syracuse University, and Stony Brook University.
Cui Fei’s interview with the magazine can be found here. For more information about this exhibition, please visit the Garage Art Center’s website here; the center can also be found on Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram. Her Artist Spotlight in the magazine can also be found here.
