ZHANG FUMING
Artist / Printmaker
Q&A Session at Art Commune Gallery: "Poised for Success"
Facilitated by Ma PeiYi, Senior Curator, Art Commune Gallery
Q: At the gallery, we are always very interested in artists doing woodblock art. For most of us, it’s interesting that someone as young as you, Fuming, is using a medium that is often viewed as traditional and archaic. What draws you to woodblock print as an art form? Why choose it as your medium of expression?
A: [laughs] Well, when I was studying printmaking at Lasalle, I had a lecturer who introduced me to the German expressionist artist Kathe Kollwitz, which opened my mind to the woodcut movement in her time. I realised that woodcut is a simple medium that is reasonably accessible. Wood and chisel are readily available, and when I print by hand, I eliminate the dependency on fixed equipment.
At the same time, using black and white tones allows for a direct, communicative effect. The directness of wood carving—whatever mark I make is honestly reflected in the transferred image—appeals to my working method of spontaneity and minimal foreplanning.
Q: As a young printmaker using this medium today, do you think you’ve brought something different to woodblock printmaking? How have you adapted or deviated from its traditional techniques to make it current and relevant in today’s art world?
A: Woodcut has existed for a very long time, and it wasn’t until recently that it was accepted as a formal artistic medium. We have the German expressionists, and locally, the Nanyang woodcut movement by our pioneer artists.
Early woodcut printmakers used it as a form of political art, and I think the reason they chose it is the same reason I’ve chosen it: accessibility. If you look at my works, many are inspired by my daily observations growing up in Singapore. But the main difference is that I don’t go all out to say, “Look, this is bad or good.” I prefer to keep it objective, giving my viewers space to reflect. Though it may sound ironic, I like to allow the viewer to derive their own subjective interpretation.
Regarding relevance, any art form and medium can be relevant in its context. What’s old or new today? By whose standard? If we claim video art is old or painting is outdated, who’s deciding this? I prefer to take something deemed outdated and embrace it as it is.
Q: So, in other words, your agenda is more about conveying a message rather than making your audience feel a certain sentiment?
A: Definitely. Early woodcut printmakers used the medium expressively to influence emotions. But in Singapore, people are more passive. We don’t openly confront issues. For example, if I did a work showing a parent reprimanding a child, no one would take to it well.
Q: Can you discuss how you arrived at your latest series, Poised for Success? Your previous series were relatively more literal in their thematic depictions, but this new series seems more subtle, with rhetorical criticism. What contributed to this shift in your visual language?
A: Poised for Success speaks to the predicaments younger generations face today—stress and expectations meant to guide them toward success. A child’s relatively short childhood is seen as crucial in determining their future... that’s quite a problematic notion. My work often incorporates personal experience. One notable motif is the Chinese influence, like in Becoming Dragon.
This series was created with subtlety in its messages. Compared to the earlier woodcut movements, like the German expressionists or social realists, I’ve adapted to Singapore’s socio-political culture. In Singapore, people don’t accept open criticism; we’re polite in a disgruntled way. While I aim to present societal criticism, I do so in an objective manner. I want viewers to reflect, giving them space to draw their own conclusions.
Q: I also notice that most of your works are unusually large for this medium. Can you share some challenges you face carving and printing such large woodcuts? Is it more about the exhaustion from the labour involved?
A: It’s a real logistical challenge! [laughs] Unlike carving and painting, where there’s a planning stage, with printing, you lose some spontaneity. For example, I can’t just decide to print if I’m still carving. The real difficulty is in the printing process. Since I print by hand using a spoon, each piece takes about 3 hours to print. It’s tiring.
But I’m always inclined to work large. The scale allows me the freedom to act unconstrained.
Q: With such a handcrafted process, what’s the margin for error? How many prints do you typically produce before deciding which qualifies as an artwork?
A: I go over a print multiple times. For example, I’ll work for about five hours a day until I’m exhausted, then I’ll frame it up and take another look. Sometimes, a print that isn’t technically perfect ends up being more pleasant to look at. It’s about giving myself options.
Q: Typically, for one woodblock print, how many editions do you keep?
A: Two. I don’t think there’s a need to reproduce many. What’s the demand for 50 prints? With most information now digital, the need for physical prints to circulate has diminished. I keep it to just two editions for each work.
Q: What do you think is the future of woodblock printing in Singapore? Many local artists work with contemporary or landscape art, yet your use of woodblock seems to reflect a different cultural environment. Do you worry about the future of the medium here?
A: It’s tough to say. Do I worry? Yes, of course. But what can I do about it as an artist? Not much. My main concern as an artist using woodcut prints is to just keep going. Whether the future is favorable for woodcut prints is not up to me, so I try not to worry about it too much.
I initially saw woodblock as a breakaway from my paintings, an in-between medium. But now, I’ve embraced it fully.
Q: Are you currently involved with other printmaking techniques, like etching or lithography? Do you see yourself combining different print mediums with your woodblock art?
A: That’s an area I’m interested in. As a printmaking major, I also helped out as a technical officer for Lasalle undergraduates, keeping up with various techniques. But the main deciding factor for my use of woodblock is accessibility. For instance, to do lithography, I would need limestone and a press, which is a challenge.
That said, I’m excited to explore other techniques in the future and anticipate that my practice will evolve.
End of Q&A