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Article
Contemporary Chinese Calligraphy Between Tradition and Innovation
Author(s)
Adriana Iezzi
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DOI:10.17265/2159-5836/2013.03.003
Affiliation(s)
Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
ABSTRACT
Since the mid-1980s Chinese calligraphy art has undergone a radical change and has opened itself to experimentation. A vivid debate on CCC (Contemporary Chinese Calligraphy) (Zhongguo xiandai shufa) is involving art critics in China nowadays. WANG Dongling and the modernists think that, despite many changes and influences, we can still refer to the traditional calligraphic lexicon to describe the calligraphic production of contemporary Chinese art. They still remain deeply rooted in the signified system of Chinese writing, even if they break with the strict rules of Chinese classical aesthetic (contamination of Western elements and focus on the stylistic exploration). WANG Nanming and the Avant-garde think that “contemporary calligraphy is not calligraphy yet”: It is “anti-calligraphy”, annihilates Chinese tradition, rejects the use of legible characters, experiments with new languages and new media within the idiom of international contemporary art. The result is the creation of works of art that could be assimilated to Abstract art, Abstract expressionism, Conceptual art, Performance art, Contemporary dance, Multimedia art, and even Street art. This paper aims at showing how still valid and extremely productive are both these two theoretical and creative/practical approaches to Chinese calligraphy in China nowadays. They turned the art of calligraphy into a medium for global comprehension and communication.
KEYWORDS
CCC (Contemporary Chinese Calligraphy), modernism, Avant-garde, WANG Dongling, WANG Nanming
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References
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Erickson, B. (2001). Words without meaning, meaning without words: The art of Xu Bing. Seattle: University of Washington Press.
FU, J. S. (1998). Typologies of contemporary Chinese calligraphy (Zhongguo xiandai shufa de leixing ji qiwen 中国现代书法的类型及其文). Meishu guancha, 6.
FU, J. S. (2011). The shape of chinese modern calligraphy (Zhongguo xiandai shuxiang 中国现代书象). Beijing: Culture and Art Press.
GAO, M. L. (2000). The ’85 Movement: Avant-garde art in the post-Mao era. Cambridge: Harvard University Press.
GAO, M. L. (Ed.). (1998). Inside out—New Chinese art. Berkeley: University of California Press.
GAO, S. M. (2006). A momentary pause in anomalous and everyday lives: Comments on the work of Qiu Zhijie. In C. W. MAO (Ed.), The shape of time: The calli-photo-grapy by Qiu Zhijie. New York: Chambers Fine Arts.
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GU, G. (1990). The three steps of modern calligraphy. Beijing: China Book Publishing House.
GU, G. (2000). The Art of Gu Gan (Gu Gan shufaji 古干书法集). Beijing: China Cultural Press.
HU, C. H. (2005). Ambiguous calligraphy—About contemporary calligraphy movements (Aimei de shufa—Guanyu dangxia shufa yundong de jianming baogao 暧昧的书法—关于当下书法运动的简明报告). Art China, 3.
HUANG, R. (Ed.). (2007). Huang Rui: The stars’ times, 1979-1984. Beijing: Thinking Hands + Guanyi Contemporary Art Archive.
JIANG, X., & WANG, D. L. (Eds.). (2005). The act of writing and of non-writing: The open space for Chinese calligraphy. International exhibition of modern calligraphy 2005, Hangzhou, China (Shu feishu—Kaifang de shufa shikong 2005 Zhongguo Hangzhou guoji xiandai shufa yishuzhan zuopinji 书非书—开放的书法时空 2005 中国杭州国际现代书法艺术展作品集). Hangzhou: China Academy of Art Press.
Kraus, R. C. (1991). Brushes with power: Modern politics and the Chinese art of calligraphy. Berkeley and Los Angeles: University of California Press.
Ledderose, L. (1986). Chinese calligraphy: Its aesthetic dimension and social function. Orientations, 16.
LIU, C. M. (2010). The history of modern Chinese calligraphy (Zhongguo xiandai shufa shi 中国现代书法史). Nanjing: Nanjing University Press.
LIU, C. Y. (2000), Embodying cosmic patterns: Foundation of an art of calligraphy in China. Oriental Art, 5.
LIU, Z. C. (2006). An analysis on contemporary Chinese calligraphy: The new creative models (part I, part II) (Shixi dangdai shufa chuangbian moshi (shang, xia) 试析当代书法创变模式(上、下)). Shufa, 8, 9.
LIU, Z. J. (1999). Painting: A point of view for modern calligraphy. In Y. S. YANG (Ed.), Bashu Parade: ’99 Chengdu retrospective of Chinese modern calligraphy at the end of the twentieth century. Chengdu: Sichuan International Cultural Exchange Center.
Pasqualotto, G. (2007). Figures of thought: Works and symbols in the Oriental cultures (Figure di pensiero. Opere e simboli nelle culture d’Oriente). Venezia: Marsilio editori.
PU, L. P., & GUO, Y. P. (2005). A survey history from contemporary Chinese calligraphy to the art of Chinese characters (Zhongguo xiandai shufa dao hanzi yishu jianshi 中国现代书法到汉字艺术简史). Chengdu: Sichuan Fine Arts Press.
QIAN, Q. G. (2002). My opinion on the new ideas arisen from contemporary Chinese calligraphy (Zhongguo Xiandai Shufa chuanxin zhi wo jian 中国现代书法创新之我见). Shufa yanjiu, 2.
QIU, Z. Z. (1989). The first four series (Guanyu zuichu de si ge xilie ji qita 关于最初的四个系列及其他). Xin meishu, 2.
QIU, Z. Z. (2004). Arising from calligraphy—Naming a new artist category (Yuanzi shufa—Dui yilei yishu de mingming yu qita 源自书法—对一类艺术的命名与其他). In D. L. WANG (Ed.), Florilegium of theses on contemporary Chinese calligraphy (Zhongguo “Xiandaishufa” lunwen xuan 中国“现代书法”论文选). Beijing: China Fine Arts Press.
QU, L. F. (2008). A revaluation of modern Chinese calligraphy in the late 20th century (Chonggu 20 shijimo zhongguo “Xiandai shufa huodong” 重估20世纪末中国“现代书法运动”). Journal of Yibin University, 5.
SHEN, C. Y. F. (1977). Traces of the brush: Studies in Chinese calligraphy. New Haven: Yale University Art Gallery.
Sullivan, M. (1973). The meeting of Eastern and Western art from the sixteenth century to the present day. London: Thames and Hudson.
Sullivan, M. (1980). The three perfections: Chinese painting, poetry and calligraphy. New York: George Braziller.
Sullivan, M. (1996). Art and artists of twentieth century China. Berkeley: University of California Press.
WANG, D. L. (2005). Enjoy the wisdom of modern calligraphy (Xiangshou xiandai shufa de zhihui 享受现代书法的智慧). Art China, 3.
WANG, D. L. (2010). Wang Dongling speaks about contemporary calligraphy (Wang Dongling tan xiandai shufa 王冬龄谈现代书法). Beijing: Renmin University Press.
WANG, N. M. (1994). Understanding modern calligraphy (Lijie xiandai shufa: Shufa xiang xiandai he qianwei de yishu zhuanxing 理解现代书法: 书法向现代和前卫的艺术转型). Nanjing: Jiangsu Educational Press.
WANG, N. M. (2005). Calligraphic hints in post-abstract art and conceptual art (Hou chouxiang yishu yu guannian yishu zhong de shufa “anshi” 后抽象艺术与观念艺术中的书法“暗示”). Art China, 3.
WANG, X. Z. (Ed.). (1986). A selection of works from the first session of Chinese Modern Painting and Calligraphy Association (Xiandai shuhua xuehui shufa shoujie zuopin xuan 现代书画学会书法首届作品选). Beijing: Beijing Sport University Press.
YANG, Y. S. (2009). The concept of calligraphy: The new contemporary trends (La Calligraphie et le concept: Le nouveaux courants contemporains). In D. A. FAN & Q. S. ZHU (Eds.), The Orchid Pavilion: The art of writing in China (Le Pavillon des Orchidées: L’art de l’écriture en Chine). Bruxelles: Fonds Mercator.
ZHANG, A. G. (2008). The Blue Book of the Chinese “modern calligraphy” (Zhonguo “Xiandai shufa” lanpinshu 中国“现代书法”蓝皮书). Hangzhou: China Academy of Art Press.
ZHANG, N. (1999). A criticism of the complex of modern calligraphy at the end of the century. In Y. S. YANG (Ed.), Bashu parade: ’99 Chengdu retrospective of Chinese modern calligraphy at the end of the twentieth century. Chengdu: Sichuan International Cultural Exchange Center.
ZHANG, Q. (2006). “Traceology”—Transcending art (Congjixue—Yishu de wenhua chuanyue 踪迹学—艺术的文化穿越). Chongqing: Chongqing Press.
ZHANG, Q., & WEI, L. (2012). Biface graphy: From ink painting to abstraction (Shuimo ruhe bei chouxiang: Shuangmian shufa 水墨如何被抽象：双面书法). Chongqing: Chongqing Press.
ZHANG, Y. (2005). Reasons for existence of modern calligraphy (Bushi yizhi ershi kongxin—Guanyu xiandai shufa 不是异质而是空心—关于现代书法). Art China, 3.
ZHANG, Y. G. (1998). Brushed voices: Calligraphy in contemporary China. New York: Columbia University Press.
ZHENG, L. Y., & CAO, R. C. (1986). Japanese modern calligraphy (Riben xiandai shufa 日本现代书法). Shanghai: Shanghai Painting and Calligraphy Press.
ZHU, Q. S. (2004). Levels and tendencies of contemporary Chinese calligraphy (Zhongguo xiandai shufa de cengci yu fangxiang 中国现代书法的层次与方向). In D. L. WANG (Ed.), Florilegium of theses on contemporary Chinese calligraphy (Zhongguo “Xiandaishufa” lunwen xuan 中国“现代书法”论文选). Beijing: China Fine Arts Press.
Bessire, M. (Ed.). (2003). Gu Wenda: Art from middle kingdom to biological millennium. London: MIT Press.
Bryson, N. (1998). The post-ideological avant-garde. In M. L. GAO (Ed.), Inside out—New Chinese art. Berkeley: University of California Press.
CHANG, T. Z. (1993). Introduction. In V. C. Doran (Ed.), China’s new art, post-1989, with a retrospective from 1979-1989. Hong Kong: Hanart TZ Ltd..
CHEN, D. Z. (2005). A research on contemporany Chinese calligraphy artistic groups and a categorization of their creative work (Dangdai shufa chuangzuo moshi yu pailiu yanjiu 当代书法创作模式与派流研究). Beijing: Rongbaozhai Press.
CHENG, M. X. (2006). A first exploration of “modern calligraphy”: Creative patterns and theoretical thoughts (“Xiandai shufa” chuangzuo siwei moshi chutan “现代书法”创作思维模式初探). In B. WEN & J. C. SU (Eds.), Collection of accademic essays about modern Chinese calligraphy of the last 20 years (Zhongguo xiandai shufa 20 nian xueshu yanjiuhui lunwenji 中国现代书法20年学术研究会论文集). Hong Kong: Hong Kong Oriental Art Centre.
Chiu, M. (2002). The crisis of calligraphy and the new way of tea: An interview with wenda gu. Orientations, 3.
Erickson, B. (2001). Words without meaning, meaning without words: The art of Xu Bing. Seattle: University of Washington Press.
FU, J. S. (1998). Typologies of contemporary Chinese calligraphy (Zhongguo xiandai shufa de leixing ji qiwen 中国现代书法的类型及其文). Meishu guancha, 6.
FU, J. S. (2011). The shape of chinese modern calligraphy (Zhongguo xiandai shuxiang 中国现代书象). Beijing: Culture and Art Press.
GAO, M. L. (2000). The ’85 Movement: Avant-garde art in the post-Mao era. Cambridge: Harvard University Press.
GAO, M. L. (Ed.). (1998). Inside out—New Chinese art. Berkeley: University of California Press.
GAO, S. M. (2006). A momentary pause in anomalous and everyday lives: Comments on the work of Qiu Zhijie. In C. W. MAO (Ed.), The shape of time: The calli-photo-grapy by Qiu Zhijie. New York: Chambers Fine Arts.
GAO, T. M. (2004). The meaning of “Modern Calligraphy” (“Xiandai shufa” de hanyi “现代书法”的含义). In D. L. WANG (Ed.), Florilegium of theses on contemporary Chinese calligraphy (Zhongguo “Xiandaishufa” lunwen xuan 中国“现代书法”论文选). Beijing: China Fine Arts Press.
GU, G. (1990). The three steps of modern calligraphy. Beijing: China Book Publishing House.
GU, G. (2000). The Art of Gu Gan (Gu Gan shufaji 古干书法集). Beijing: China Cultural Press.
HU, C. H. (2005). Ambiguous calligraphy—About contemporary calligraphy movements (Aimei de shufa—Guanyu dangxia shufa yundong de jianming baogao 暧昧的书法—关于当下书法运动的简明报告). Art China, 3.
HUANG, R. (Ed.). (2007). Huang Rui: The stars’ times, 1979-1984. Beijing: Thinking Hands + Guanyi Contemporary Art Archive.
JIANG, X., & WANG, D. L. (Eds.). (2005). The act of writing and of non-writing: The open space for Chinese calligraphy. International exhibition of modern calligraphy 2005, Hangzhou, China (Shu feishu—Kaifang de shufa shikong 2005 Zhongguo Hangzhou guoji xiandai shufa yishuzhan zuopinji 书非书—开放的书法时空 2005 中国杭州国际现代书法艺术展作品集). Hangzhou: China Academy of Art Press.
Kraus, R. C. (1991). Brushes with power: Modern politics and the Chinese art of calligraphy. Berkeley and Los Angeles: University of California Press.
Ledderose, L. (1986). Chinese calligraphy: Its aesthetic dimension and social function. Orientations, 16.
LIU, C. M. (2010). The history of modern Chinese calligraphy (Zhongguo xiandai shufa shi 中国现代书法史). Nanjing: Nanjing University Press.
LIU, C. Y. (2000), Embodying cosmic patterns: Foundation of an art of calligraphy in China. Oriental Art, 5.
LIU, Z. C. (2006). An analysis on contemporary Chinese calligraphy: The new creative models (part I, part II) (Shixi dangdai shufa chuangbian moshi (shang, xia) 试析当代书法创变模式(上、下)). Shufa, 8, 9.
LIU, Z. J. (1999). Painting: A point of view for modern calligraphy. In Y. S. YANG (Ed.), Bashu Parade: ’99 Chengdu retrospective of Chinese modern calligraphy at the end of the twentieth century. Chengdu: Sichuan International Cultural Exchange Center.
Pasqualotto, G. (2007). Figures of thought: Works and symbols in the Oriental cultures (Figure di pensiero. Opere e simboli nelle culture d’Oriente). Venezia: Marsilio editori.
PU, L. P., & GUO, Y. P. (2005). A survey history from contemporary Chinese calligraphy to the art of Chinese characters (Zhongguo xiandai shufa dao hanzi yishu jianshi 中国现代书法到汉字艺术简史). Chengdu: Sichuan Fine Arts Press.
QIAN, Q. G. (2002). My opinion on the new ideas arisen from contemporary Chinese calligraphy (Zhongguo Xiandai Shufa chuanxin zhi wo jian 中国现代书法创新之我见). Shufa yanjiu, 2.
QIU, Z. Z. (1989). The first four series (Guanyu zuichu de si ge xilie ji qita 关于最初的四个系列及其他). Xin meishu, 2.
QIU, Z. Z. (2004). Arising from calligraphy—Naming a new artist category (Yuanzi shufa—Dui yilei yishu de mingming yu qita 源自书法—对一类艺术的命名与其他). In D. L. WANG (Ed.), Florilegium of theses on contemporary Chinese calligraphy (Zhongguo “Xiandaishufa” lunwen xuan 中国“现代书法”论文选). Beijing: China Fine Arts Press.
QU, L. F. (2008). A revaluation of modern Chinese calligraphy in the late 20th century (Chonggu 20 shijimo zhongguo “Xiandai shufa huodong” 重估20世纪末中国“现代书法运动”). Journal of Yibin University, 5.
SHEN, C. Y. F. (1977). Traces of the brush: Studies in Chinese calligraphy. New Haven: Yale University Art Gallery.
Sullivan, M. (1973). The meeting of Eastern and Western art from the sixteenth century to the present day. London: Thames and Hudson.
Sullivan, M. (1980). The three perfections: Chinese painting, poetry and calligraphy. New York: George Braziller.
Sullivan, M. (1996). Art and artists of twentieth century China. Berkeley: University of California Press.
WANG, D. L. (2005). Enjoy the wisdom of modern calligraphy (Xiangshou xiandai shufa de zhihui 享受现代书法的智慧). Art China, 3.
WANG, D. L. (2010). Wang Dongling speaks about contemporary calligraphy (Wang Dongling tan xiandai shufa 王冬龄谈现代书法). Beijing: Renmin University Press.
WANG, N. M. (1994). Understanding modern calligraphy (Lijie xiandai shufa: Shufa xiang xiandai he qianwei de yishu zhuanxing 理解现代书法: 书法向现代和前卫的艺术转型). Nanjing: Jiangsu Educational Press.
WANG, N. M. (2005). Calligraphic hints in post-abstract art and conceptual art (Hou chouxiang yishu yu guannian yishu zhong de shufa “anshi” 后抽象艺术与观念艺术中的书法“暗示”). Art China, 3.
WANG, X. Z. (Ed.). (1986). A selection of works from the first session of Chinese Modern Painting and Calligraphy Association (Xiandai shuhua xuehui shufa shoujie zuopin xuan 现代书画学会书法首届作品选). Beijing: Beijing Sport University Press.
YANG, Y. S. (2009). The concept of calligraphy: The new contemporary trends (La Calligraphie et le concept: Le nouveaux courants contemporains). In D. A. FAN & Q. S. ZHU (Eds.), The Orchid Pavilion: The art of writing in China (Le Pavillon des Orchidées: L’art de l’écriture en Chine). Bruxelles: Fonds Mercator.
ZHANG, A. G. (2008). The Blue Book of the Chinese “modern calligraphy” (Zhonguo “Xiandai shufa” lanpinshu 中国“现代书法”蓝皮书). Hangzhou: China Academy of Art Press.
ZHANG, N. (1999). A criticism of the complex of modern calligraphy at the end of the century. In Y. S. YANG (Ed.), Bashu parade: ’99 Chengdu retrospective of Chinese modern calligraphy at the end of the twentieth century. Chengdu: Sichuan International Cultural Exchange Center.
ZHANG, Q. (2006). “Traceology”—Transcending art (Congjixue—Yishu de wenhua chuanyue 踪迹学—艺术的文化穿越). Chongqing: Chongqing Press.
ZHANG, Q., & WEI, L. (2012). Biface graphy: From ink painting to abstraction (Shuimo ruhe bei chouxiang: Shuangmian shufa 水墨如何被抽象：双面书法). Chongqing: Chongqing Press.
ZHANG, Y. (2005). Reasons for existence of modern calligraphy (Bushi yizhi ershi kongxin—Guanyu xiandai shufa 不是异质而是空心—关于现代书法). Art China, 3.
ZHANG, Y. G. (1998). Brushed voices: Calligraphy in contemporary China. New York: Columbia University Press.
ZHENG, L. Y., & CAO, R. C. (1986). Japanese modern calligraphy (Riben xiandai shufa 日本现代书法). Shanghai: Shanghai Painting and Calligraphy Press.
ZHU, Q. S. (2004). Levels and tendencies of contemporary Chinese calligraphy (Zhongguo xiandai shufa de cengci yu fangxiang 中国现代书法的层次与方向). In D. L. WANG (Ed.), Florilegium of theses on contemporary Chinese calligraphy (Zhongguo “Xiandaishufa” lunwen xuan 中国“现代书法”论文选). Beijing: China Fine Arts Press.