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RUXIN (b.1946) Yan'an, China "Fan (color)" 1976 color woodcut, 26 1/4" x 16 5/8" The print depicts a bookstore patron, a “fan” of books, browsing in a bookstore’s “science” section, rather than the Party history or ideology sections. During the Cultural Revolution, “book learning” was disparaged because being “red” was valued over being “expert.” The sign on the door indicates “book store,” rather than “Xinhua,” the official name of the government-run bookstores throughout China, a subtle indication of the early development of private or non-government collective enterprises. The clerk at the desk also is reading a book. Compare this print to a second version with the “Xinhua” sign on the door, the clerk at the desk with no books, but watching the clock, seemingly uninterested in books and learning. |
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