Cured&Sealed

The artist book Cured & Sealed by Liu Lanxuan not only captures the flavors of the Lunar New Year in 2024 but also recreates the process of hanging and drying sausages that she witnessed. By further "curing" this spontaneous public art into an artist book. With some pages coated in tung oil, Cured & Sealed offers a unique reading experience imparting a strong olfactory sensation.

"In January of 2024, on the cusp of Chinese New Year, I found myself drawn back to Anchang Water Town - a place steeped in history with an odd combination of commercialized shops, tourists, and a living community. Nestled within this unique town lies a captivating annual event: the meat-curing season. With a stable amount of local soy sauce produced as one of Anchang’s specialties, cured meat are more so a by-product but attracts more attention because of its unique interactions with the architecture and the people. The distinctive aroma of soy sauce and cured meat permeates the air. As I navigated the narrow alleyways, trying to avoid the hanging meat, I was struck by the ingenuity of the townspeople in utilizing their surroundings for this yearly ritual. Through the act of ‘晒(shai)’ - to hang, to exhibit, to expose- I witnessed a community coming together to create a vibrant and temporary installation. Inspired by this display, I have endeavored to capture and share the essence of this tradition in the form of a book. By documenting and reproducing the art of hanging, my hope is to preserve and continue the tradition of ‘晒(shai)’" 

"

刘澜瑄的艺术家书《熟化&封存》不但记录了2024农历新年的味道，还将她见证的悬挂和晾晒香肠的过程重现；将自发的公共艺术进一步“熟化”为艺术书，《熟化&封存》部分内页上涂抹了桐油，“封存”的强烈的嗅觉感受，会带来不一样的阅读体验。

“在2024年农历新年临近之际，我回到了安昌古镇——一个即商业化又充满生活痕迹的江南水乡。在这个独特的古镇中，因年度的腊味制作季节让它变得独一无二。酱油，作为安昌的特产之一，因其稳定的产量，使得腌制腊味成为了一种副产品，但它与建筑和人群的互动却吸引了更多关注。浓烈的酱味和腊肉香气弥漫在空气中。在狭窄的巷子里穿行时，人们需要侧身竭力避开悬挂的腊肠，而我也被镇上原住居民利用周遭环境而晒制腊肉的方式所震撼。通过“晒”，即悬挂/展示/曝光，我目睹了每家每户所创造的一件件“装置”，悬挂亦是展示，而晾晒又何尝不是一场自发的公共艺术？受此场景启发，我决心将所目睹的景象以书籍的形式记录、捕捉、分享和再现晾晒的艺术。”