Lufeng metal carving

Lufeng metal carving

Blog Article

In Lufeng City, Donghai Street, six social new village in the west four lanes, there is a place known as ‘hidden treasure’. Here the sunlight through the aged windows sprinkled on the old walls, glittering with golden light, surrounded by a variety of metal carving works. Whether it's a majestic unicorn, a lotus flower, or a lifelike mythological figure, each piece of artwork is a sight to behold, and the delicate carving textures appear vivid and dynamic in the sunlight.

Chen Shuming: Persistence and Love

In this fertile land of art, 80-year-old Chen Shuming is the Lufeng metal carving of the persistent and inheritor. He grew up loving handmade art, childhood was deeply attracted by the neighbour's clay sculpture skills. 1965, he entered the Lufeng County Arts and Crafts Factory to learn metal carving, to worship the founder of the Lufeng metal carving Zheng Jingzhen, Lin Huan as a teacher, opened his carving career.

During this long process of learning and creation, Chen Shuming not only mastered the carving technique, but also learnt to use various metal engraving tools. His works, such as ‘Pine and Crane’ and ‘Cowherd and Weaving Maiden’, are the embodiment of his high skills and have been well received. Despite being in his eighties, Chen Shuming's passion for creativity remains the same. He plans to produce a metal carving of a dragon leaping in the hope of combining traditional techniques with modern elements.

Rigour and craftsmanship

The process of metal engraving is extremely complex, testing the artist's spatial imagination and aesthetic ability. Chen Shuming stresses that metal engraving must rely entirely on handwork, which is labour-intensive and has a long lifespan. The creation of each piece requires meticulous conception and design, and the production process involves several stages, including drawing drafts, chiselling outlines, and dealing with details. The engraving tools he uses are all handmade and designed for metal engraving.

In the actual creation, Chen Shuming will delve into every detail according to different characters and objects. For example, the petals of a lotus flower, the branches and leaves of a pine tree, or even the hair of a crane, the texture of each object needs to be meticulous. Through observation and practice, he continues to improve his skills, striving to achieve perfection in every area.

Every process is a practice; every detail is a gathering of craftsmanship. He mentioned, ‘This piece of work was made by me single-handedly, from creative design to carving and production, and it took me two whole years to do it.’ Among them, Chen Shuming's masterpiece ‘The Return of the Cranes to the Nest’ is made through his long time efforts and research. The work is 2.2 metres long and 1.2 metres wide, depicting 100 cranes with their own movements and gestures, symbolising life and reunion.

Achievements and Awards

Chen Shuming's efforts have been widely recognised in the industry. His work ‘The First Crane’ won a bronze medal at the Lingnan Cup Folk Crafts Exposition, and his other works have also won numerous awards. Nowadays, the prices of his metal sculptures range from 20,000 to 40,000 yuan, demonstrating their artistic value and market recognition. This is not only the affirmation of his skills, but also the heritage and development of Lufeng metal carving culture.

The dilemma of inheritance and new path

However, with the gradual withdrawal of the old generation of artists, Lufeng metal carving is facing the dilemma of inheritance. Chen Shuming's good friend, paper-cutting inheritor Lin Bankqiu pointed out that metal carving requires a large amount of time and capital investment, which makes it difficult for young people to adhere to. He said that the creation of metal carving works often takes a long time to hone, while young people prefer art forms with quick results, thus encountering difficulties in passing on the art.

Future prospects for innovation and development

Cultural inheritance is not only a respect for the past, but also a responsibility for the future. The artistic value of Lufeng metal sculpture needs to be known and appreciated by more people. In the era of new media, with the help of online platforms and social media, artists can share their creative process and works more conveniently, attracting a wider audience group.

At the same time, exploring new ways of display and marketing is also an important direction to promote the development of Lufeng metal sculpture. Consideration can be given to organising a metal carving creativity competition to motivate young people to participate in creation and increase their interest in this traditional art. In addition, combining with tourism to create a project combining culture and tourism, through exhibitions, interactive experience and other forms, so that tourists can understand and participate in metal carving.

In short, as Chen Shuming's lifelong love of metal carving and persistence, only in the inheritance of continuous innovation, Lufeng metal carving can continue to shine on the art stage in the future. Inheritance and innovation, will inject new vitality into this traditional art, so that it blossoms more brightly in the waves of the times.

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