Language of Ink

Wang Dongling

A prominent modernist Chinese calligrapher, Wang Dongling is associated with the ’90s experimental ink movement, which elevated the form of gestural markings over content. Wang, however, shares the performative concerns of traditional calligraphy, which places emphasis on the act of writing as an expression of the relationship between art and the body. He experiments with his use of brush, and the movements of his fingertips, wrists, arms, and his entire body.