Cyano-Collage 024

In his Cyano-Collage series, Wu Chi-Tsung collages layers of Chinese xuan paper that have been covered in photosensitive solution, exposed to sunlight, and crumpled by hand. This experimental photographic technique results in richly textured forms resembling the mountain ranges and lakes found in traditional Chinese landscape paintings. Letting go of the traditional use of brush and ink, he creates a landscape by simply reforming the paper into a sculptural form. In this way, Chi-Tsung builds on the legacy of the past while also providing a contemporary lens for the present. “It’s really similar to how ink painters do Chinese landscapes.” says Chi-Tsung, “They are building up, creating the worlds they want to project themselves inside.” Inspired by the Western tradition of cyanotype-making and Eastern Shan Shui (“mountains and water”) painting, the artist is telling a fresh narrative, masterfully blending East and West, past and present.