Under the theme of "Book Month” (書香月), the Traditional Taiwanese Woodblock Prints Special Collections Room (臺灣傳統版印特藏室) of Wen Ying Hall (文英館) is holding a dual show in November. The Grand Exhibition of Woodblock Printing Arts (版印藝生活-弘圖大展) is being held from November 5 (Mon) to November 28 (Wed) at the Arts Center of Hung Kuang University while “Meeting Bookplates in Year of Dragon” (遇見藏書票-龍年喜閱‧藏書樓), which showcases the winning entries of “International Bookplate Contest” that has been held in the past several years by Micang Elementary School (米倉國小) of New Taipei City, is being held from November 8 (Thu) to November 30 (Fri) at the Special Collections Room of the Wen Ying Hall. Everyone is welcomed to visit both shows.
The Grand Exhibition of Woodblock Printing Arts displays more than 100 ingenuous woodblock prints collected by the Special Collections Room, including four main categories, namely Literature Artworks (文獻圖藝), Shop Imprints (商鋪印記), Needlework Figures (女紅圖譜), and Bookplates (藏書票). Literature Artworks refers to the woodblock prints of Confucius classics, fortune-telling books, illustrations and dramas; Shop Imprints means the woodblock prints of trademarks, shop names, and packaging; Needlework Figures demonstrates the prints of embroidery for reference to women performing needlework in the past; and Bookplates are those miniature prints used as bookmarks in the past. They all show how smart and how fun woodblock prints can be used in everyday life.
Wu Wang-ru (吳望如), Principal of Micang Elementary School in New Taipei City, who spares no effort to promote bookplates, has held the “International Bookplate Contest” for many years. It is for this special show of “Meeting Bookplates in Year of Dragon” that the Special Collections Room borrows from Principal Wu many of the Contest’s winning entries and groups them into four main themes, including Journey to the West (西遊記), Gods of Honor (封神榜), Aboriginal Culture (原住民文化), and Insects in Kid Drawings (童畫昆蟲). It is hoped that people can appreciate the rich and diverse creative techniques and imagery of bookplates and cherish the books and love reading even further.
A joint opening ceremony for the dual show will be held at 15:00, November 8 (Thu), at the Arts Center of Hung Kuang University. Everyone is welcomed to join the festivities and feel the charm of traditional folklore spread out by woodblock prints and bookplates.