The White into the Blank
Group Exhibition Whitebox Art Center, Beijing, B07, 798 Art District, No.2 Jiuxian Qiao Road, Chaoyang District

Artists: LIANG Shaoji 梁绍基 | 

2020.05.16 - 2020.07.15
Opening Time: 2020.05.16, 15:00
Curator: Xia Kejun
Producer: Sun Yongzeng

"The White into the Blank" aims to present the classical Chinese art in a contemporary form. The concept "White into Blank" is different from Malevich’s “Suprematist Composition: White on White”, Rauschenberg’s abstract painting the blank “Untitled”, Ryman’s minimalistic “White”, Li Yuhuan's monochromatic painting of “White in White”. Different from the various original artistic languages and philosophies embodied by the aforementioned representative artists, "the White into the Blank" activates the traditional blurry whiteness in China- naturally activates the concepts of keeping white and blank. Furthermore, after the dialogue with the aforementioned concepts, “White into Blank” instills vitality into Taoism philosophy featured by the emptiness and “whiteness arising from the void”. The new art independently generated from whiteness absolutely is a contribution to graphic art, a novel infra-mince art and the internationalization of Chinese painting.

In the exhibition, artistic works from six artists are showcased to the public: Lin Shouyu, Li Huasheng (both Lin Shouyu and Li Huasheng are decreased), Qiu Shihua, Liang Shaoji, Cao Jigang and Qin Yifeng. Their masterpieces are also the contemporary transformation and extensive dialogue between Chinese classical materials. The transformation from ink painting to oil painting, from porcelain and jade to Tempera, from silk to photos creates an innovative philosophy for Chinese contemporary art: the poetic growth of blurry whiteness. Whether it is abstract world, nature, concept or temperament, “White into Blank” reflects the instinct of life in a void and white way, and the calm and transcendent oriental spirit halo. They are presented in formal languages, with certain working methods and spiritual values.

There are five different whites absorbing the eternal circulation from five elements. Pure white–as white as a dazzling halo; gas white–growing into a hazy halo; sweet white–a touch of mild patina; snow white–poetic calmness of nature; margin white–the echo of blankness."White into Blank" integrates all sorts of whites to create whiteness: the fusion of light and gas, time and space. It is not a monopole principle. Instead, it is the separation from the middle and the force to maintain the sophisticated transition in the vagueness. The sensation will therefore linger.

“The White into the Blank” is an important opportunity for Chinese contemporary art to present its original language. Zhao Wuji's explored Chinese abstract painting in Paris, France in 1960s. Then, Lin Shouyu's white minimalist works created in London already reached international standards. In the 1980-90s, artistic creation in the mainland China, like Qiu Shihua’s empty canvas and Li Huasheng’s Maximalism were already different from the art language of Zhao Wuji. Then, in the 21st century, silk paintings of Liang Shaoji, Tempera infra-color aesthetics paintings of Cao Jigang and absolute gray scale photography works of Qin Yifeng, all reflect the contemporary transformation of Chinese classical aesthetics in different materials and different styles. This exhibition will display the artistic and cultural undercurrent with a long history, which awaits the discovery of academic community. “the White into the Blank” will become an academic exhibition for Chinese contemporary art to rewrite its own art history and marks a new era for the graphic art in the world.

Whitebox Art Center hopes that the delicate installation in using different spaces can create opportunities for the white porcelain from Song and Ming Dynasties to have a dialogue with these contemporary works. The real and immersive experience shows deep thoughts linking Chinese classical elegant aesthetics to contemporary art.

Blank says- says nothing. Saying nothing means telling everything, which is the most mysterious beauty of Chinese language. Returning to whiteness refers to returning to zero. Only through starting from the scratch, can we return to the original connection between life and nature. Especially after the global disaster in 2020, our nation and even the whole world, need the art of whiteness to purify our body and mind.

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