78-year-old grandmother carves sculptures from wood (7 photos)

Chinese alternative to pinocchio

A 78-year-old Chinese woman named Deng Daohang is no ordinary grandmother. Instead of watching TV or hanging out in the yard with other grandmothers, Deng creates amazing woodwork. She has at her disposal the most ordinary and simple tools - a small hatchet, a wood-carving knife and a ruler, and all the more amazing are the elegant and detailed works that come out of the hands of the Chinese woman. The tree seems to be coming back to life.

In his work, Deng Daohang uses not only the inner, more pliable and soft part of the tree, but also the outer bark. So, in one sculpture, the bark turned into a long beard, which looks so natural that it seems as if this is the only way it’s needed, the only way it’s right. In another work, rough tree bark is transformed into a cloak in which a girl is wrapped. Deng sometimes uses bark as a frame for her work to further highlight the fluid lines and smooth surfaces of her work.

Deng Daohang works using ancient Chinese wood carving techniques. This type of creativity has almost disappeared due to the ability to create similar works in large quantities using more modern methods. However, Deng is confident that her work will not disappear. “I believe that this art will not die,” she says. Deng is not only one of the few who master the ancient art of wood carving, she is also a clear example of changes in society. Previously, such work was carried out exclusively by men. Deng brings his own, feminine, approach to this creativity and does not allow himself to stop while his hands are doing.