More Than a Village

Born in Liuzhou, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China, Cina moved to Buenos Aires, Argentina at the age of twelve. Her artistic practice is deeply informed by these two distinct cultural landscapes. Now a senior at Boston College, she is pursuing a double major in Transformative Education Studies and Studio Art, with a minor in Film Studies. Her academic journey has been complemented by her involvement with the McMullen Museum and the Art, Art History & Film department, where she has refined her technical abilities and conceptual focus.

This exhibition features works created through an Advanced Study Grant (ASG), which supported Cina's woodblock printing apprenticeship in Guilin, where her grandparents live. Under the guidance of Hu Bo, a sixth-generation woodblock artist, Cina immersed herself in this traditional Chinese art form, classified as an Intangible Cultural Heritage. The apprenticeship allowed her to not only master the technical aspects of woodblock printing but also to engage with the medium as a means of exploring her personal and cultural identity.

The Orchid Series reflects Cina's evolving mastery of the woodblock technique. Through the repetitive act of printing, she discovered how a single set of blocks could generate a wide range of effects, culminating in her original design.

Cina's original design Shifting Climate, highlights both the Hong Kong orchid—a flower that did not bloom this year due to extreme weather—and the endangered Chinese merganser, a bird that winters in Liuzhou's waters. Through these images, Cina seeks to draw attention to the impact of climate change on the vulnerable flora and fauna of her hometown, while also commenting on the socio-political challenges facing artists working within traditional mediums.

In the Prunus Vases Series, Cina explores the cultural history of Guilin. This series draws inspiration from Ming dynasty ceramics ornamentation, featuring woodblock prints made using blocks created by Hu Bo for the Guilin Museum. These works examine the relationship between symbols in nature that represent longevity and woodblock prints, an art form that is ever-shifting and difficult to preserve over time, meditating on the impermanence of life and cultural heritage.

Cina's work has garnered recognition through the Arts Council Award at Boston College's Arts Fest and the Jacques Salmanowitz Film Grant, which allowed her to produce a short documentary in Argentina. This exhibition marks a significant milestone in her artistic development, as she continues to explore the intersections of tradition, environment, and identity through her art.