Xizhou Village, Changhua, Limited Art Print

Xizhou is a small farming village near the Jhuoshuei River In Changhua. It's the home of a renowned poet, Wu Sheng, who's lived and farmed here since he was born in 1944. The everyday lives of the villagers, their troubles and celebrations, the passing seasons, and the surrounding nature, all form core themes of his poetry.

I was privileged to interview Wu Sheng and create a drawing for him. I could really feel the love he has for this land. Reading his poems always takes me away from the bustle of Taipei and into the calm of the Xizhou rice fields. In my drawing, I wanted to include the most important places in his life: the farms, the village, and the forest. The farms form the lifeblood of the region and something Wu Sheng has spent his life dedicating to improving. Finally the village is his home and a place that holds many memories for him. I aimed to capture the tranquility of the fields, giving an overview, as if floating above and taking in the whole scene.

I've decided to offer a small print run of this design. Even if you're not familiar with Xizhou Village, and I imagine that's a lot of you, there's something relaxing about rural Taiwan village scenes in general that appeal, and some people have commented that they like this piece for that. Although it has a personal connection for me it also reminds me of cycling through the countryside in general.

The print will be hand signed and numbered and it measure 65 x 30cm. There will be five prints in total. It will be printed on 310gsm archival fine art paper.