Quick Answer: What Is Hezhen Fish-Skin Painting?
Hezhen (赫哲族, Hèzhézú) fish-skin painting (鱼皮画, yúpíhuà) uses prepared fish skin to make a picture. Pieces can be cut and attached to a backing or worked into carved forms. Natural markings or dyed surfaces can contribute to the design.[1]
- A cut edge can outline a shape in the picture.[1]
- Pictures can represent scenes of daily life or beliefs.[1]
- The art draws on skills also used for fish-skin clothing.[2]
The material forms part of what the viewer sees in the finished picture.
Look at a pale area in a picture and follow its edge. The outline and the marks inside it can come from two different choices about one piece of skin.
How the Material Makes the Image
In a collage, the artist chooses skin for each shape and arranges the cut pieces on a backing. Undyed skin preserves natural color and surface markings, while dyed pieces extend the palette. Carved or pierced work can make the design through the parts cut away as well as those left in place.[1]
What the Pictures Depict
Documented pictures include scenes of a wedding and cooking, as well as subjects drawn from worship. These examples connect the medium with stories and settings in Hezhen life.[1] Public displays have also shown other subjects, including peonies and dragons.[4]
From Clothing to Exhibited Pictures
The art shares material knowledge with Hezhen fish-skin clothing. For a picture, cut shapes form a composition rather than the parts of a garment. The broader making tradition was added to China’s list of intangible cultural heritage in 2006.[2]
Practitioner Xie Yongliang (解永亮, Xiè Yǒngliàng) has described how makers added art and objects for visitors to the craft.[3] A public exhibition also brought together fish-skin art made by teachers and students at Harbin Engineering University.[4]
FAQs About Hezhen Fish-Skin Painting
Can the artist leave the skin undyed?
Yes. Natural surface markings and color can remain visible in the picture.[1]
Does every fish-skin picture use collage?
The provincial description records both applied pieces and carved forms.[1]
Is the national listing limited to pictures?
The national entry is for Hezhen fish-skin making, which includes garment work and its adaptations.[2]
Источники
[1] Heilongjiang Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism. Fish-skin picture making
[2] China Intangible Cultural Heritage Digital Museum. Hezhen fish-skin making
[3] Guangming Online. Xie Yongliang and fish-skin pictures
[4] People’s Daily. Hezhen fish-skin pictures gain new life