Modern Ink: The Art of Xugu - Softcover

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0824851463 ISBN 13: 9780824851460

Publisher: The Mozhai Foundation, 2015

Synopsis

The enigmatic Chinese monk-painter Xugu (1823–1896), with his daring brush techniques and implicit expression of spiritual insight, stands out among notable innovators in the late Qing period. Despite the political upheaval and cultural decay of his day, he tapped the creative spring of Chan (Zen) Buddhism to develop a highly personal and modern visual language within the calligraphic idiom of traditional scholars' art. His portraits and landscapes, along with his depictions of flowers, fruits, and animals, convey quiet elegance, sensitivity, ethereality – and at times humor – even as they surprise with their unconventionality and tendency toward abstraction. This monograph, illustrated in full color, examines seventeen paintings and one rare work of calligraphy by this extraordinary artist in the context of his life and stylistic development. The inclusion of a portrait by two of his close associates provides perspective on the enduring impact of Xugu's vital breakthroughs on the burgeoning art center of nineteenth-century Shanghai and beyond.

About this title

About the Authors

Britta Erickson is an independent scholar and curator, who received a PhD in Chinese art history from Stanford University. She currently serves as artistic director at INK Studio, a Beijing gallery devoted to contemporary ink artists, and includes among her projects the production of a film series, The Enduring Passion for Ink.

J. May Lee Barrett is an independent writing and editing professional with a focus on Chinese art.

Edition details

• Publisher: The Mozhai Foundation
• Publication date: 2015
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0824851463
• ISBN 13: 9780824851460
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 108
• Editor: Erickson Britta, Barrett J. May Lee