|
The Mystery of Empty Space
An exhibition of twentieth century Chinese painting in the Ashmolean
Museum
Tradition in twentieth century Chinese painting
The principles of the
Chinese painting tradition derive from Daoism, which emphasises the
unity of humanity and nature together with the release of an
individual’s creativity. The stressing of empty space or void is also a
Daoist feature. Twentieth century China experienced enormous political
and cultural changes, that had tremendous impact on the traditions of
Chinese painting, which faced unprecedented challenges from both
political interference and from the massive influx of Western ideology.
Followed the May 4th Movement in 1919, Chinese painting
started the process of ‘wedding of the East to West’, during which its
historical traditions were challenged. Politically, since the 1940s,
Chinese art centred around Mao Zedong’s (1893–1976) dictum that ‘art
should serve the masses’, consequently traditional forms and subject
matters suffered, especially during the so-called ‘Cultural Revolution’
(1966–76), when very few well-known artists escaped persecution, losing
their right to create artworks. Together with traditional philosophies
which were replaced by Marxism, Leninism and Maoism, the literati
painting tradition was replaced by a revolutionary realism, based on a
Western-derived academic realism. Following the implementation of the
‘Open Door Policy’ in 1978, freedom gradually returned to the artists,
the Chinese painting tradition was painfully revived and since the mid
1980s, artists have explored and experimented with a wide range of ideas
in response to the forceful tide of Western art, causing a fierce debate
about whether traditional Chinese painting should be abandoned as an art
form or whether it should be modernized or westernized. However, looking
back over twentieth century Chinese painting, its unique traditions have
not only miraculously survived but have been infused with a new vitality
by artists such as Wu Changshuo (1844–1927), Qi Baishi (1863–1957),
Huang Binhong (1864–1955), Huang Qiuyuan (1914–79), Pan Tianshou
(1897–1971) and many others.
The concept of empty space
Empty space is a
philosophical concept, it is a synonymy of void or nothingness. Daoism
advocated ‘attaining the limit of empty space, retaining extreme
stillness (Lao Zi 16), further regarding that ‘only the Dao (Way)
accumulates space. Space is the fasting of the heart’ (Zhuangzi
Chapter 4, Worldly Business Among Humans). Empty space is
regarded as the beginning of the myriad things, so it can be regarded as
a foundation of Daoist philosophy. The Chan (zen) school of
Buddhism also emphasises that ‘what is form that is emptiness, what is
emptiness that is form’ (Paramita Hridaya Sutra). Chinese
painting has been mainly influenced by these two schools, therefore, the
concept of empty space has had a significant impact on Chinese painting.
Empty spaces and solids
One prominent
characteristic of Chinese painting is its treatment of empty space as
solid space. Lao Zi stated, ‘Knowing the white, retaining the black, it
is the form of the world’ (Lao Zi, Chapter 28). White in Chinese
painting suggests emptiness whilst black signifies solidity. In Chinese
calligraphy, empty space is named ‘designing the white’; The very charm
in Chinese literature lies where it is without words; in music, where it
is soundless conveys more than sound; in
painting it is that if one’s mind can reach there, there is no
need for the touch of any brush and ‘formless is the image grand’ (Lao
Zi, Chapter 41). In Chinese art, empty space is usually more
difficult to deal with than solids, as it needs to convey information by
means of a lack of image, the sizes and contours of the spaces are
usually various, often akin to living creatures, so the very absence of
content can itself create rhythm and consonance. If the picture space is
filled, it is blocked making the viewer take a glance yet leaving no
after taste. Certainly, the relationship of the two elements is that if
there is no solid likewise there is no empty space and vice versa. In a
landscape painting empty space often indicates cloud, mist, sky, water
or smoke, partly depending on the suggestions that the solid forms
supply. Nonetheless, the real mystery of the emptiness is that empty
space refers to qi (chi), a cosmological term which is
formless, but bestows life to Chinese painting.
Empty space and qi
Without qi,
empty space cannot be differentiated from blank space. The first canon
of Chinese painting describes its rhythmic vitality, which refers to
qi, a metaphysical concept of a cosmic power. The original meaning
of qi is applied to the air we breathe or to all gaseous
substances. Since air is essential for us to breathe, qi has been
considered as the principle of life in painting, and if qi is
lacking, a painting will appear lifeless. Qi comes from an
artist’s inner self, it is a result of the interaction between the
artist and the object. Empty space in a painting is where qi
dwells or flows. When qi is still, a painting appears tranquil;
when qi moves then a painting is dynamic and full of life.
PDF Version with illustrations (designed by Graeme Campbell )
|
