Guizhou Xiangzhigou paper pulp sculpture exhibition kicks off in Shanghai

Sculptures made of Guizhou's paper pulp are exhibited at Shanghai Mylnikov Art Museum. [Photo/WeChat account of Shuangshuang Guiyang]

A Guizhou Xiangzhigou paper pulp sculpture exhibition, co-organized by Guizhou Ethnic Museum and Shanghai Mylnikov Art Museum, opened in Shanghai on June 28.

Pi paper-making is a traditional handicraft in Guizhou and was listed among the first group of national intangible cultural heritage protection items approved by the State Council in 2006.

Paper-making is one of the four great inventions of ancient China, with Zhu paper and Pi paper, made from bamboo and bark, respectively, being two important traditional varieties.

Many areas in Guizhou still preserve the ancient techniques of traditional Zhu paper and Pi paper-making, with Xiangzigou in Guiyang being a representative site for Pi paper-making.

The exhibition featured 50 sculptures and paintings of Pi paper pulp created by Guizhou's craft master Fang Cong. The artworks, featuring elements of Guizhou's ethnic culture, integrate intangible cultural heritage preservation with artistic creation.

Traditional paper pulp, restructured through artistic methods, delivers a strong visual impact to the audience. The exhibition transformed the 600-year-old tradition of Xiangzigou's paper-making culture into exquisite artworks, revitalizing and enriching the beauty of intangible cultural heritage with renewed vitality.