Information is from the NY Public Library
Seong Moy (American, born China, 1921)
Seong Moy’s life and work reflect a fusion of Western and Asian influences. Born in China, Moy came to the United States with his father and grew up in St. Paul, Minnesota, where he enrolled in the local Federal Art Project school and worked at the FAP printshop. He won a scholarship to the Art Students League in 1941, and studied printmaking with Will Barnet and painting at the Hans Hofmann School. He returned to the League on the G.I. Bill, and in 1947 he visited China, reunited with his mother, and met the woman who would join him on his return to New York as his wife.
By the early 1950s Moy was one of the leading exponents of the color relief print. His lyrical imagery, often based on Chinese themes, merged the painterly gesture of Abstract Expressionism with a mark akin to Chinese calligraphy. He experimented with new materials, and used cellophane to define the color separations for his woodblocks. He traced a finished color sketch onto cellophane, one color to each sheet, which when layered simulated the finished composition. Moy then transferred the component images from each individual sheet to a series of wood blocks, which he tackled with a variety of tools, from knives to rasps, to realize interesting textural effects.
Seong Moy (American, born China, 1921)
Two Circus Acts in One, issued by the International Graphic Arts Society (IGAS), 1953
Color woodcuts
Norrie Fund
1st Block; 1st–2nd Blocks; 1st–2nd–3rd Blocks; 1st–2nd–3rd–4th Blocks; 5th Block–Key; as editioned for IGAS
Seong Moy (American, born China, 1921)
Two Circus Acts in One
Color woodcut, final state with all five blocks, issued by the International Graphic Arts Society (IGAS), 1953
Norrie Fund
The Chinese circus of Seong Moy’s youth is the subject here—the gay abandon of the tumblers, acrobats, and clowns, with all the color and confusion of a circus. In this series of progressive proofs, Moy demonstrates the process of creating a color woodcut: in a sequence of layered color blocks, the background block is the first to be printed, the keyblock (the black outline) the last.
This wonderful print is an abstract expressionist color woodcut which measures 15" X 20". In the lower right margin, it is titled in pencil "Two Circus Acts in One". In the middle of the lower margin, the edition number is noted in pencil as "144/200". At the far right corner in the lower margin, the name "Seong Moy" and the date "53" are written in pencil. The print is in excellent condition on a fine rag-tissue paper. I have collected Seong Moy's color woodcuts for many years and the only reason I am letting this striking print go is that I have another proof. The aritst studied at Atelier 17 and at the Hans Hoffman School. His artwork can be found in the Museum of Modern Art, the Metropolitan Museum, the New York Public Library, the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts and the Library of Congress. This image is one of his greatest creations and comes from his most fertile and creative period. The colors jump out at you in an explosive burst of abstraction. This particular print was issued by the International Graphic Arts Society in the early 50's.
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