China Union International Culture is delighted to present ‘Flow of Ink – Zhang Jin Contemporary Ink Exhibition’ to inaugurate its newly furbished 4,000 square feet exhibition space in Wong Chuk Hang. The exhibition comprises about 70 pieces of recent works by renowned Chinese contemporary ink artist Zhang Jin, inspired by the imagery of nature and tranquility. The Preview will be held on 11 December with the artist present at the reception. The exhibition will run from 12 December 2017 to 10 January 2018.

Zhang Jin was born in 1958 in Beijing, China. In 1976, he started practicing under Chinese painting master Liang Shunian in Beijing, he was then taught and influenced by other acclaimed Chinese painting masters Shi Lu, He Haixia and Luo Ming. Zhang, often praised as one of the pioneers of Chinese contemporary ink, is known for his avant-garde, minimalist and freehand style, putting forward Chinese ink on an international stage. His works demonstrate the perfect combination of ‘traditionalism’ and ‘modernism’, deeply rooted in traditional Chinese art and culture, yet speaking the language of contemporary expressionism at the same time. The artist’s traditional family background offered a solid ground for his interest and knowledge in traditional aesthetics, while later education opened the doors to the style of Chang’an School – which emphasizes a more natural style and spiritual resonance. Since then, Zhang has devoted himself to fuse contemporary elements and traditional aesthetics, and as the artist puts, ‘to transcend time with ink and brush’.

Zhang’s strong emotions for nature sprouted from his childhood memory of the time when his family moved from Beijing to live in an old chapel in Shaanxi City in 1968. The fear evoked by the silence and mystery of the mountains and chapel became the fundamentals of the artist’s painting style and theme, and at the same time, encouraged him to appreciate the greatness and beauty of nature.

In an article titled ‘Walking with a leg of traditionalism and another of modernism’, Zhang explained that he retains the ‘traditional sensitivity’ as the core of his works – the imagery, and fuses ‘contemporary spirit’ as the external expression. The two ‘works together as a pair of walking legs, one step at a time, both indispensable to another’. Through his unorthodox artistic language, Zhang turns two seemingly paradoxical elements into harmony, illustrating the philosophy and practice of Taoism and bringing endless possibilities to the practice of Chinese ink.

The exhibition ‘Flow of Ink’ can be interpreted in two ways. ‘Flow’ indicates how Zhang has opened a new way for the development of Chinese ink. On the other hand, the Chinese title《墨道》can also be understood as the ‘Tao of Ink’, as Zhang’s works base heavily on the philosophy of Taoism. Taoism is a philosophical tradition that emphasizes living in harmony and naturalness. Zhang’s work portrays the imagery of living in a peaceful natural environment – the rising sun among the mountain ridge, moonlight shining through the shadows of trees, the first shower in spring, gliding birds – they all conveyed the artist’s search for spiritual tranquility and his belief in Taoism. Zhang’s brush is free, grand and solid at the same time, demonstrating his skills of traditional Chinese calligraphy.

In 1984, Zhang published his eminent works ‘Natural Enlightenment’ (200 x 300 cm) and ‘Meditation in Blue’ (200 x 200 cm), these works captured attentions of artists, curators and collectors alike and established his status as one of the Chinese contemporary ink pioneers. His work ‘Bear Beneath the Fruit Free’ was presented in the 1995 ‘Venice Biennale – Open Exhibition – Chinese Contemporary Art Exhibition’. He has exhibited widely in Mainland China, U.S., Italy, France, Spain, Belgium, Canada, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan and Hong Kong. His works have been exhibited in prominent institutions including National Art Museum of China, Central Academy of Fine Arts, Shanghai Duolun Museum of Modern Art, Shaanxi Art Museum and more, and have been collected by Zhongnanhai, Central Academy of Fine Arts, China National Academy of Painting, Guangdong Museum of Art, Centre d’Art Santa Monica and Xi’an Wanlong Group.

China Union International Culture is proud to present Zhang Jin’s works in the exhibition ‘Flow of Ink’. His works embraces the simplicity and naturalness of Taoism, through his never-ending search of innovation and novel expression, Zhang pays tribute to the long-standing Chinese culture and draws with modern aesthetics. To the artist, Chinese ink is a form of lifestyle and a state of mind – the most important thing in his art is to feel the energy and harmony nature offers to human beings; and through his works, not only has he contributed to the development of Chinese ink as an artist, but also demonstrated his belief as a Taoist.