Synopsis

The Enduring Passion for Ink: A Project on Contemporary Ink” is a proposed exhibition, book, and film series designed to introduce the viewing public to the burgeoning field of contemporary ink painting in China today. The artists included in the series span a wide range of ages, educational backgrounds, artistic approaches, and philosophies. So far the most challenging part of the project, the series of documentary films, has been completed. The films address fundamental choices confronting the ink artist: Why did s/he choose ink as a medium? How is ink’s expressive range distinct from that of other artistic media? How does the artist go about creating an ink work? How does the artist approach issues such as tradition, creative innovation, and personal expression? Each film will feature the artist addressing these questions and show him or her at work in the studio in the process of creating a work of art. Through time-lapsed photography, the film will also show that same painting’s evolution from start to finish. Because of the real-time performance aspect of setting ink into an absorbent ground, film is a particularly fitting means to not only demystify the ideational process of the artist but to enthrall the viewer in the physical act of painting with ink. In this respect, “The Enduring Passion for Ink: A Project on Contemporary Ink Painters” is absolutely unique; as a means to re-introduce this ancient art language to international audiences today, it is nothing less than essential.