Xiangzhuozhuo Li
- Česká sekce INSEA
- Jul 1
- 2 min read
Updated: 5 days ago
4.27 Printing Children’s Hearts: An Empirical Study of Printmaking and Painting Therapy to Promote the Mental Health of Left-behind Children in Rural China (Paper) – virtual
Xiangzhuozhuo Li – University of Malaya, Malaysia – virtual
Abstract:
In many rural and mountainous areas of China, the phenomenon of “left-behind children” – those separated from their parents due to urban migration – has led to long-standing emotional voids and psychological vulnerabilities (NBS et al., 2023). Similar patterns of parental absence are also found globally in regions such as Latin America, the Philippines, and India (UNICEF, 2019). This shared reality raises an urgent question in international education: How might art be used as a meaningful response to the needs of these children? This study draws from fieldwork in several rural elementary schools in Ankang, South Shaanxi Province, where long-term community-based printmaking programs have been developed through collaborations between schools and local cultural centres.
The research explores how traditional printmaking, particularly woodcuts, can serve as a therapeutic medium that supports the mental well-being of left-behind children. Unlike conventional art classes, printmaking engages children through physical processes – cutting, pressing, and layering – that are both structured and expressive. Recent literature highlights printmaking’s therapeutic role (Rashed, 2022) and its connection to broader studies on creativity and psychological health (Gorny-Wegrzyn & Perry, 2022). The ritual of carving with a “knife as a pen” not only grounds the child in a safe, creative routine but also opens space for symbolic transformation. Through classroom observation, interviews, and feedback from exhibitions, we found that children translated lived experiences into images, giving form to emotions and reasserting their sense of identity. As contemporary art education increasingly emphasizes inclusivity, cultural relevance, and healing, this study demonstrates how traditional practices – far from being outdated – can cross borders and bring fresh therapeutic potential into modern educational contexts.
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