The Ashmolean presents a rare opportunity to explore the momentous changes in the People’s Republic of China over the past half century. The exhibition showcases the newly formed collection of late twentieth century and contemporary Chinese prints, acquired to complement the Museum’s substantial and renowned holding of Chinese paintings of the same period. Presented in two parts, the majority of the works by fifty two established printmakers from mainland China will be introduced to Western audiences for the first time. Prints include the New Year’s pictures of the 1950s, the propaganda style woodcuts produced during the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution period of the 1960s-70s, and those made after China’s open door policy of the 1980s up to the present day. The exhibition reflects the ways in which artists have responded to the cultural, political and economic transformations through their work and their aesthetic ideas. Highlighting the development of Chinese printmaking in its historical context, the techniques on display range from traditional multi-block water-soluble woodblock prints, to the western influenced etchings, lithographs and screen prints. Styles comprise revolutionary socialist realistic designs, folk tradition and various expressions demonstrating the degree to which Chinese artists have both adopted and rejected Western conventions. The art of woodblock printing in China dates back over a millennium and was used to illustrate the pages of religious texts, books and literary works, as well as in the production of popular prints. The printing process was mostly anonymous, with the separate tasks of designing, block-cutting and printing being carried out by different individuals. In the 1930s however, creative printmaking, in which the whole process was performed by a single artist, became part of a wider movement of cultural modernisation. Inspired by Western printmakers such as Käthe Kollwitz, artists in China developed the woodblock print as a means of furthering political change. Following the founding of the People’s Republic of China in 1949, printmaking departments were established in most art academies. The artists became part of the mainstream of art and literature, and were subjected to the same political constraints, particularly during the Cultural Revolution (1966-76). Since then China has engaged increasingly with the rest of the world, and prints of the 1980s and 90s show artists’ responses both to western influences and China’s past. A fully illustrated catalogue of the Chinese print collection, including a detailed chronology of modern Chinese printmaking, will accompany the exhibition. Price: £14.95. The exhibition is sponsored by Audley Travel. Audley organise journeys for discerning travellers who wish to travel according to their own, unique itinerary. Our country specialists' unrivalled destination knowledge allows them to create bespoke trips based on our clients' tastes and requirements, using the best local guides and character accommodation. From walking on the Great Wall of China to African safaris, from journeys along the Mekong to family-run guest houses in Australasia, from the great Silk Route cities to Machu Picchu, we will plan every aspect of your trip leaving you free to see the famous sights but also slip off the beaten track, get under the skin of your destination and enjoy the experience of tailor-made travel. Our offices our located in a converted 17th-century wool mill in the Windrush Valley near Witney in West Oxfordshire. The exhibition is partners with CHINA NOW. CHINA NOW is the UK’s largest ever festival of Chinese culture – takes place in 2008 to coincide with the Chinese New Year and continues through to the Beijing Olympics. With over 800 events nationwide, CHINA NOW will showcase the very best of modern Chinese society and culture.