Chinese artists presents ink landscapes of the cosmos in Chicago

Deeply influenced by the Song Dynasty (960-1279) art, Beijing-based ink artist Tai Xiangzhou has invested a lot of time in studying the philosophical meanings behind the mountain-and-water genre of classical Chinese paintings created by Song master painters, who were also learned in music, literature, geography and astronomy. He is fascinated by ancient Chinese's outlook on the relations between human and nature, and the universe being presented under the strokes of those painters.

But Tai has no intention repeating how artists centuries ago viewed the world in his own output. He employs the style of classical Chinese landscapes to show the dynamics of ink, while his monochromatic ink paintings are imbued with his reflections on technological advancements, such as modern astronomy and progress in space missions.

Tai's ongoing exhibition at the Art Institute of Chicago, Cosmoscapes: Ink Paintings by Tai Xiangzhou, until Sept 20, shows 14 works in which he bridges Chinese ink traditions and contemporary artistic practice, the ancient Eastern philosophy and modern ventures into the space.