Calligraphy, an art with formal beauty
Shao Yan, born in 1962, from Shandong, is a researcher at the National Academy of Painting and a member of the Calligraphy Association. He has participated in more than 80 major exhibitions at home and abroad, and is known as one of the representatives of modern Chinese calligraphy. However, Shao Yan has recently caused a lot of buzz on the Internet because he has created a unique calligraphy technique - ink.
Ink shooting refers to the way Shao Yan uses a needle to absorb ink and spray ink on paper to create. This method of calligraphy has caused controversy on the Internet, with some believing it to be a new art form and others believing that it misleads the public about the understanding of calligraphy. So, is inkjet calligraphy at all?
Calligraphy can be understood on three levels. First of all, calligraphy is the plastic art of Chinese characters, through the artistic processing and expression of the form and structure of Chinese characters. Secondly, calligraphy is the art of lines, pursuing the smoothness, rhyme and beauty of lines. Finally, calligraphy is the art of writing Chinese characters, focusing on conveying emotions and artistic conception.
Of these three levels, form and writing are the more important aspects of calligraphy, while the expression of lines is only auxiliary. In calligraphy, art that emphasizes lines is easily confused with abstract painting, resulting in blurring the boundary between calligraphy and painting.
Calligraphy works focus on form rather than content, and are more about attracting discussion about the form of calligraphy. People comment on the quality of calligraphy, but do not pay too much attention to the content of the calligraphy expression, which is different from the literary world. In calligraphy, the content of Chinese characters is simply a medium to express the art of calligraphy, used to convey the emotions and imagery of the calligrapher.
In addition to traditional calligraphy, innovation is also the inevitable development of calligraphy art. As an art form, calligraphy is indispensable for innovation. However, nowadays, the sense of innovation in the calligraphy industry is declining, which may be influenced by market interests and limited by education.
Shao Yan's inkjet works have been questioned by some as a calligraphy art, explaining that this is not just calligraphy, but a way of creating that is higher than calligraphy. He has been creating this way for a decade, not for hype, but as an artist's mission.
Although inkjet works are not understood and accepted by most people, Shao Yan has not given up his pursuit. His performances at home and abroad aroused the curiosity of many people about calligraphy and also evoked an in-depth discussion of calligraphy. Although some people think that Shao Yan misled the perception of calligraphy, the innovation of calligraphy has a certain meaning, just like the innovation of anything.
The development of calligraphy requires preserving tradition and constantly innovating. Although inkjet works are not yet understood, many art forms that were initially unaccepted in the field of art have become precious many years later. Inkshoot may be an art form that is not understood now, but it may become a sought-after art in the future.
For those who do not know calligraphy, learning about inkjet works may lead to a curiosity about calligraphy, which in turn leads to a gradual understanding of the various forms of calligraphy. As a part of traditional Chinese culture, calligraphy should be passed on, but it also needs to be innovated and developed.
In this era of innovation, the innovation of calligraphy is not a mistake, time will tell us. Every innovation contributes to art, and perhaps inkjet works can become an important part of the calligraphy world in the future.
