IN MARKING MOMENTS-Solo exhibition of Xu Jing
As calligraphy is separated from the day-to-day life and evolves into an art form, it can be approached from different directionsas an integrated conventional experience as a whole. In the case of Xu Jing, she separates the elements in calligraphy, the writing brush, ink, paper, and frame, and further expands their possibility; meanwhile, new materials and contexts are introduced to expose calligraphy to the essence and form of today’s experiences—this is a modernization of calligraphy.
Above all, Xu Jing expands the external space of calligraphy. She practices calligraphy on various materials, such as music papers and picture frames, and always attempts to mount and present her works in different ways. In these experiments, she is actuallypracticing calligraphyin the concept of contemporary art, viewing it as a “cultural ready-made.”
Yet more importantly, Xu explores, or digs deeper into, to be specific, the inside of calligraphy, which is mainly demonstrated in her series work“Wine Calligraphy.”Xu got to write calligraphy with ink mixed with wine at chance.The mingling of ink and wine enables her to achieve a special effect: the edges became sharper, and the separation between water and ink wasstrengthened as well—all thesegreatly increased the sensitivity of the marks of media. Due to the properties of the new material, Xu practices calligraphy at varying speeds and creates more changes. In this way, the name “Wine Calligraphy” not only refers to the original materials, but also implies the ultimately achieved sensibility: the calligrapher and the work integrate as one, makingher forget all—just asthegod of wine.
Such spirit is part of the modern appeal of aesthetics. It opposes the existing order, be it natural or rational, and pushes the aimless will as a liberating power to the front stage. This is thebiggest impression we get from Xu Jing’s work. The present, improvisation, speed, brushes, moves, body, and will—the strokes of ink and wine make the marking moments.
Hence in this exhibition, the title “In Marking Moments” refers to a calligraphy style which is deliberately rendered, and an approach to present the properties of media and body in a simultaneous and unbridled manner. Meanwhile, it also implies a consciousness of time, namely the compliance with the microcosmic, individual and unpredictable period of time of today. From these two perspectives, calligraphy can truly approach its modern possibilities.
