Navigating Two Worlds: An Artist's Odyssey
Han Qin, photo courtesy of the artist
While primarily focusing on digital art, Han’s work also extends to printmaking, video, installation and performance art. Han Qin (b.1988, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China) earned her B.F.A. and M.F.A. in Printmaking from China Academy of Art (Hangzhou) and her M.F.A. in Digital Arts from Pratt Institute (New York) in 2016. Currently, She lives and works in New York and Hangzhou as an artist, and adjunct professor at Stony Brook University (New York) and China Academy of Art. Han’s work has continued to exhibit in the U.S. and China, including Home.Land.Nature, Setauket, NY; Untitled Art Fair, Miami, FL; Path-Hangzhou, Power Long Museum, Hangzhou, China; Nassau County Museum of Art, NY; University of Wisconsin-Madison; Fou Gallery, New York; The Heckscher Museum of Art, NY; Paul W. Zuccaire Gallery, NY; Connecticut College, Connecticut; Deji Art Museum, Nanjing, China, Long Island Museum, Stony Brook, New York; Zhejiang Museum, Hangzhou, China; Changjiang Museum of Contemporary Art, Chongqing, China.
Her inspiration comes from her own life, and also draws from travelers and wanderers she encountered along the way. Han’s workflows from her experience of home and relocation. Moved from China at age 24, she feels the ambivalence between nostalgia and wistfulness of transition. This encouraged her to create this uncertainty and spectacular feeling throughout her work. Matisse, Huang Yongyu, Xu Bing, Carla Gannsis, are her admiring artists. Interested in the social phenomenon of groups and individuals moving from places to places, she translated the moments of passing through, getting togethering, migrating and even conflicting.
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Nestled in the heart of New York, a city that never sleeps, is the story of Han Qin, an artist whose journey transcends boundaries, moving from the bustling streets of Hangzhou to the skyline-dominated horizons of New York. Over a decade, Han’s narrative has shifted - from the prestigious China Academy of Art to the renowned Pratt Institute, transitioning from traditional printmaking to the avant-garde realm of digital artistry, and navigating her way from a fledgling graduate student to a respected lecturer at Stony Brook University.
As the autumn leaves began to fall, between September 29th and November 13th, 2022, Gallery North (East Setauket, New York) showcased Han Qin’s latest solo exhibit, "Home, Land, Nature". In this candid exclusive, Han opened the doors to her Long Island studio, revealing the backstory of her triptych, “Triumph of Wanderers,” making its debut at the exhibition.
Han Qin’s Studio, photo courtesy of Tia Xu
A Voyage from East to West: Crafting a Legacy in Foreign Lands
In 2013, a freshly-minted graduate, Han Qin, landed in the U.S., cradling her newborn son, seeking both education and a new chapter of life. The seismic shift from one cultural epicenter to another initially left Han disoriented. “Moving from my roots in Hangzhou to the opposite side of the globe, I grappled with the question: how do I carve out my unique space in the vast canvas of artistic expression?” she muses.
For Han, art remains her North Star. "Regardless of the circumstances," she reflects, "art offers an invaluable outlet, capturing emotions, understanding, and complexities of life.”
The Digital Evolution: Traditional Printmaking Meets Modern Artistry
To many, traditional printmaking and digital art seem worlds apart. Han begs to differ. “Transitioning from traditional printmaking to digital art is an evolution in technique. Once upon a time, printmaking was the avant-garde medium for artistic creation and dissemination.”
By embracing the modern tools of digital art - layers, coding, 3D scanning, and laser printing - Han sees it as an expansion of her artistic toolkit rather than a transformation. “To me, it's a progression in means and tools, but the essence, the spirit remains unchanged,” she adds.
Han Qin's work in progress, photo courtesy of Tia Xu
A Decade's Revelation: Exploring Notions of Home and Migration
In her exhibit, Han's artistry, from cyanotypes and woodblock prints to sketches, delves deep into concepts of home, displacement, and migration. Through her own journey, her pieces echo themes of transition, conflict, reunion, and movement. Han's works, infused with sharp structural elements of Confucian philosophy, speak to the fluidity and evolution of identity.
In her triptych, “Triumph of Wanderers,” Han employs traditional woodcut techniques, meticulously capturing the myriad faces of humanity amidst turbulent tides – from those battling the whirlpools to those navigating treacherous terrains, inviting viewers to ponder individual journeys within the grand tapestry of history.
Han Qin (Left) and Tia Xu (Right), photo courtesy of Tia Xu
NYC: The Melting Pot of Artistic Pursuits
Reflecting on her initial days at Pratt Institute, Han recalls a survey she took, where she rated her fondness for New York at a mere 50%, bemoaning the city’s gritty exterior. Today, she'd rate it 80%. Why the change of heart? “It's the city's unparalleled vibrancy in artistic discourse,” she says with a gleam in her eye.
In New York, artists may be in competition, yet there exists a mutual respect, an unwavering camaraderie. They share insights, explore creativity, and open doors to collectors and exhibition opportunities.
After a decade of exploration and transformation, Han Qin's journey underscores one profound truth: through art, one can truly find oneself and chart the course ahead.