INSPIRED BY DUNHUANG Re-creation in Contemporary Chinese Art

Transcription

1 INSPIRED BY DUNHUANG Re-creation in Contemporary Chinese Art [Foyer] Dunhuang 敦煌 Dunhuang, an oasis town strategically located in western Gansu province, was once an important hub of east-west trade and China s gateway to the Silk Road. Established as a Chinese garrison in 111 BCE, it became a transit point for caravans of luxury goods, fine Central Asian horses, diplomatic missions, monks going east to spread the Buddhist doctrine, and pilgrims going west to bring back Buddhist scriptures. Over the course of time political control of the area would shift, and events elsewhere would bring different peoples to settle here. The religions, cultures, and intellectual ideas of several different civilizations met, mixed, and left their traces in Dunhuang s sacred cave shrines. Construction of the nearly eight hundred caves which make up the Mogao Caves, Yulin Caves, and Western Thousand Buddha Caves began in 366 CE and continued for another thousand years. The southern section of the renowned Mogao Caves houses more than 2,000 painted sculptures, more than 45,000 square meters of murals, and the remains of wooden architecture. These works are major masterpieces of Buddhist art and provide an important resource for studying not only the evolution of artistic styles but also

2 the religious practices, social history, and culture of the widely diverse ethnic groups in the region. In addition, the tens of thousands of manuscripts and relics hidden in the Library Cave, discovered in 1900, are considered a virtual encyclopedia of the medieval period in ancient China and Central Asia. [Photos By Front Door] Top: View of the Northern Area of the Mogao Caves of Dunhuang Bottom: Entrance Gate of the Mogao Caves Above: Interior view of Mogao Cave 45. High Tang period ( ) Photo Courtesy of Dunhuang Academy Left top: Interior view of Mogao Cave 432 with Central stupapillar. Western Wei dynasty ( ) Photo Courtesy of Dunhuang Academy 2

3 Left bottom: Recumbent Buddha in the Parinirvana scene along the west wall of Mogao Cave 158. Mid-Tang period ( ) Photo Courtesy of Dunhuang Academy [Photo in Foyer] Exterior view of Mogao Cave 96 (Nine Story Building protecting colossal Buddha sculpture). Early Tang period ( ). [Introduction Outside South Gallery] Inspiration fuels creativity. Artists seek it from nature, from tradition, and from their own experiences. This exhibition presents works by modern and contemporary Chinese artists that have been inspired by the magnificent ancient Buddhist cave shrines outside the oasis city of Dunhuang in Gansu province. Situated on the Silk Road at the intersection of civilizations, Dunhuang played an indispensable role in transcontinental trade and the transmission of Buddhism in Asia. The western gateway to China, Dunhuang boasts more than 800 extant caves in its environs. They are distributed among three sites dating back to the fourth century: the celebrated Mogao Caves, a UNESCO World Heritage Site; the Yulin Caves; and the 3

4 Western Thousand Buddha Caves. Their ancient murals, sculptures, and reliefs preserve an unparalleled overview of one thousand years of Chinese art. The rich multicultural history of Dunhuang and its various artistic traditions provide an endless spring of inspiration. Considered China s best-known and most prodigious twentieth-century artist, Zhang Daqian ( ) studied and copied the murals at Dunhuang in the 1940s. After nearly three years, an exhibition of his paintings in imitation of Dunhuang murals drew attention to the previously ignored site. These murals fundamentally nurtured his art throughout his life. Since Zhang s time, Dunhuang has become an artist s dream destination and has had a profound influence on generations of artists. This exhibition is a pioneering exploration of the historical, literary, artistic, and conceptual nature of the inspiration and influence exerted by Dunhuang s thousand-year-old tradition on contemporary artistic creation. It highlights the works of fifteen Chinese artists in the diverse media of ink painting, oil painting, sculpture, drawing, short film, book illustration, calligraphy, and photography. Taken together, they reflect the great transformative power of the Dunhuang experience. 4

5 [South Gallery] [West Showcase] 陆楣 李驱虎丝路起点 ( 缩小复制 ) Lu Mei (b. 1942) and Li Quhu (b. 1973) Scale replica of Starting Point of Silk Road, 2013 Forged copper Collection of the artists The work exhibited here is a replica of the signature sculpture of the Tang West Market Museum of Xi an that was completed by the artists in It is scaled to fit within China Institute Gallery. This sculpture resembles a twisting silk ribbon in the form of a Möbius Band on which names and iconic imagery of twenty-five cities along the Silk Road are presented in relief. A camel bell hangs at the highest point of the sculpture, evoking the jingling sound of camels crossing the landscape. This unique work of art is a salute to the historical and cultural significance of the Silk Road, the cultural character of its different places, and the special role of the Silk Road on the world stage. [Cat. no. 1] 5

6 常莎娜敦煌壁画临摹稿 Chang Shana (b. 1931) Sketches for copies of Dunhuang murals (10 photographs of the originals) Courtesy of the China National Silk Museum Chang Shana s artistic career began at Dunhuang; she worked very hard at copying various figures and patterns found in the Dunhuang murals. These renderings show the clothing and personal adornment on various donors of different eras depicted at Dunhuang s Mogao Caves, as well as a selection of designs from past dynasties. About two years ago, she donated hundreds of such copies that she had accumulated over the years to the China National Silk Museum. In both her teaching and artistic practice, she has appropriated pattern designs from Dunhuang and implemented them in diverse forms across the applied fine arts. [Cat. no. 2] 6

7 常莎娜 中国敦煌历代服饰图案 Chang Shana (b. 1931) Patterns of China Dunhuang Dresses and Adornments in Different Ages Beijing: China Light Industry Press, 2000 Book Collection of China Institute This 262-page hardcover catalogue, edited by Chang Shana, is compiled to systematically display the designs on dresses shown in the murals and painted sculptures of Dunhuang; it is a great achievement. The book is divided into three parts: first, an essay titled Brief analysis of designs on clothing and adornments from Dunhuang in different ages, written by Chang Shana; second, 312 plates, mainly line drawings and color designs, covering the Sixteen Kingdoms ( ), Northern Wei ( ), from the Western Wei ( ) to Song dynasty ( ), and the Western Xia ( ), and Yuan dynasty ( ); third, renderings of costume from different ages. [Cat. no. 3] 7

8 常莎娜 中国敦煌历代装饰图案 Chang Shana (b. 1931) Decorative Designs from China Dunhuang Murals Beijing: Tsinghua University Press, 2009 Book Anonymous collection This 386-page hardcover book, edited by Chang Shana, was published to commemorate the 65th anniversary of the Dunhuang Academy and the 105th birthday of Chang Shuhong, Custodian of the Treasures of Dunhuang. The book includes three important forewords, written respectively by Fan Jinshi, current director of the Dunhuang Academy; Chang Shuhong, former director of the Dunhuang Academy; and Lin Huiyin, a cultural celebrity. Following the preface written by Chang Shana, the designs of different periods at Dunhuang are arranged in ten sections according to their type or location: caisson ceiling designs; flat ceilings with chessboard, or laternendecke, motifs and designs on gabled ceilings; designs on niche lintels; painted canopy designs; halo or aureole designs; personal adornments; border designs; single motifs; designs on carpets and tablecloths; and floor tile patterns. Each section has an explanatory introduction and representative color illustrations. The appendices include Dynasties Relating to Dunhuang and an Index to the Plates. [Cat. no. 4] 8

9 刘巨德 夹子救鹿 草图 Liu Jude (b. 1946) Sketches for Jiazi Saves the Deer, 1984 Ink and gouache on paper; Ink on paper Collection of the artist In 1984, Liu Jude completed his graduate studies at the Central Academy of Fine Arts and drew illustrations for the children s book Jiazi Saves the Deer. The story comes from one of the popular narratives at Dunhuang. It is about a kind-hearted boy who rescues a deer by using his own body to block the hunter s arrow; in return the deer revives him. From right to left: Jiazi is talking to a little squirrel. Jiazi is dressed in deerskin to divert the attention of the hunter. Jiazi is depicted fallen to the ground, shot by the hunter. [Cat. nos ] 9

10 夹子救鹿 Jiazi Saves the Deer Shanghai: Xiaonian ertong chubanshe, 1984 Book Adapted by Xing Hua Illustrated by Liu Junde The story told in this book is derived from the narratives illustrated at Dunhuang. In this tale Jiazi, a boy who loves animals, sees hunters chasing the deer. He puts on a deerskin and pretends to be a deer to distract the hunters. On these two pages, Jiazi is shown lying on the deerskin after being shot dead. The text poetically states: The birds are flying back; the deer are running back. How sad they are to see Jiazi with his eyes closed. The deer licks the blood on Jiazi and applies a leaf to cover his wound. The bird has brought the leaves of immortality from the cliff to put into Jiazi s mouth. After these actions by the deer and bird, Jiazi eventually comes back to life. To see the entire story in animation, please watch the short film on the other wall. 10

11 高鹏敦煌. 丝路花雨 ( 设计图稿 ) Gao Peng (b. 1962) Sketch for Tales of the Silk Road Dunhuang, 2004 Pencil on paper Collection of the artist Together with his colleagues at the Dunhuang Academy s Institute of Fine Arts, Gao Peng participated in designing the public art for the city s central square. This is his draft design; the final work was completed in bronze relief. In the draft, the iconic Nine Flight Tower on the exterior of the Tang dynasty Cave 96 at the Mogao Caves serves as the central focus. It is surrounded by the famous Eight Views of Dunhuang: Dawn Twilight Crescent Spring; Sacred Cliff of the Thousand Buddhas; East Hill at Weifeng; Flowing North at Dangshui; Evening View of the Ancient City; Clear Sound at Sand Dunes; The Ruins of Two Passes; and finally, Beautiful Land with Spring Plows. [Cat. no. 6] Upper Left: Gao Peng s finished design in bronze relief on one of the buildings in the central square of Dunhuang city. Lower Row: Public art in the central square of Dunhuang city. 11

12 [Zhang Daqian s Introduction] Zhang Daqian ( ) was one of the best-known and most prodigious Chinese artists of the twentieth century. He was born in Neijiang, Sichuan province, and his ancestral hometown is Panyu county in Guangdong province. He was an expert in painting, calligraphy, seal carving, and poetry. His greatest achievements are his landscape paintings, especially, in his new style of splashed ink and splashed color. Recognized as one of the earliest modern artists to visit Dunhuang, Zhang Daqian arrived there in 1941, when still relatively young, with an entourage of family members and four Tibetan lamas from Qinghai province who assisted him in his work. He was surprised by the richness of the art in Dunhuang and lengthened his stay to nearly three years, during which he studied the murals and did almost three hundred copies. In 1943, he held an exhibition of these works in Lanzhou; it brought attention to the almost disregarded Dunhuang site. Over his lifetime, Zhang put forth a body of work copies and variations, forgeries and original works steeped in his rare technical knowledge of the past. He left a legacy, more importantly, that drew other artists back into the remote past, sometimes to Dunhuang itself. 12

13 This rare black and white photo shows him at work in one of the caves. [Zhang Daqian in Dunhuang] Zhang Daqian and two assistants at the Yulin Caves, located east of the Mogao Caves, Dunhuang, Photograph by James Lo, courtesy of The Lo Archive [Photo] Zhang Daqian s copy after mural detail. Flying Apsara, after detail from Mogao Cave 39, High Tang period ( ). Color on Silk. From Shanxi Museum and the Sichuan Museum, ed., Boundless Universe: A Selection of Zhang Daqian s Copies of Dunhuang Murals (Taiyuan: Shanxi People s Publishing House, 2012) 张大千美人 Zhang Daqian ( ) The Beauty, 1944 Ink and color on paper Collection of Wanxin Zhang In the decade or so after studying and copying the murals at Dunhuang, Zhang began to choose models for brushwork from an earlier historical period than he had before. He abandoned the complicated brush 13

14 movements and the rich brush-and-ink textures he had used in imitating and copying Ming and Qing period scrolls for the plainer brush movement of Tang and pre- Tang large-scale murals. He also exchanged the palecolored, irregularly-shaped washes of the later period for the evenly-applied, brightly-colored washes that he studied at Dunhuang. His figure paintings now included ancient clothing, as well as depictions of the numerous minority figures of Dunhuang s northwestern region. This painted courtly beauty illustrates his use of the Tang legacy. Her elaborate hairpiece a bird-shaped cloud among cloud-shaped feathers perhaps attracts the white parrot (more properly, a cockatoo) perched on her right shoulder; the bird s white feathers match the beauty s immaculate white robe and cloud-design sash, while its small red beak matches her compact red lips. Throughout, the painting displays the conventions learned from Dunhuang: meticulously smooth and scarcely modulated brushstrokes, black lines reinforced by gray; highly saturated red, blue, and green pigments, likewise unmodulated; the methods used for drawing drapery folds and fingers. [Cat. no. 7] 张大千青绿山水 Zhang Daqian ( ) Landscape Blue and Green Style, 1947 Ink and color on paper Private collection 14

15 Done less than four years after he studied ancient painting at Dunhuang, this work shows the impact of this experience on his art. The model for this painting was Zhang Sengyao of the sixth century. Although no real work by that artist is known to have survived, his reputation as an artist who helped transmit South and Central Asian styles to China did survive, and Zhang Daqian imagined his colorful style from what he knew of Dunhuang paintings of that period. The painting was done for a close friend, who was probably a collector or painter himself. [Cat. no. 8] 张大千出岫图 Zhang Daqian ( ) Emerging from the Grottoes (probably mid-tolate 1960s) Ink and color on paper Anonymous collection By the early 1960s, with the fall of the Nationalist government and his departure from mainland China, Zhang Daqian had become one of the pioneer modernizers of traditional Chinese painting techniques. His works became more abstract, freely playing with the spontaneous effects of brush, ink, and color. At the same time, he drew on the ancient Chinese tradition of splashed ink, dating back to the late eighth century. 15

16 Here he does this in combination with highly saturated pigments under the influence of the richly colored traditions he found at Dunhuang. Increasing problems with his vision is sometimes cited as a reason for this new direction in his work, as is his need to generate a Western audience. But these works did not leave Chinese tradition behind, nor were they a simple or quick solution to these problems. Rather he worked long and patiently, coming back and back again to improve each work until it met his own stringent standards. [Cat. no. 9] [East Showcase] 西行, 西行 To the West, To the West Photography and Poems by Teachers and Students of Xi an Academy of Fine Art Published by Shanxi Lüyou Chubanshe, 2008 This 170-page softcover book includes nearly 90 photographs and over 150 poems by the teachers and students of Xi an Academy of Fine Art. In late fall of 2007, this group of graduates led by their teachers started their journey from Xi an to the west, crossing many parts of the ancient Silk Road, to observe Chinese art and relics. Along the road, many scenes and artworks inspired their teacher, Mr. Zhou Xiaolu, the leading professor, and also a poet. He was constantly 16

17 making poems that stimulated the entire group to compose poems which continues a tradition that was practiced by the Chinese literati for thousands of years. This book recorded this special journey and cultural phenomenon. These pages show the poem by Professor Zhou Xiaolu on the right, titled Observing Cave 220 (Tang dynasty, ), and his student Ms. Zhou Junling s poem on the left, titled My Thoughts After Visiting the Dunhuang Caves. 周晓陆西行诗草 Zhou Xiaolu (b. 1953) Poems on the Silk Road, 2013 Ink on paper Collection of the artist Zhou Xiaolu s self-cultivation and extensive practice in writing poems and verses since an early age enable him to compose poems anytime, anywhere. He is a true poet, and poetry is his life. In 2007, he led a group of graduate students from the Xi an Academy of Fine Arts on a research trip to the west. Throughout the journey, inspired by Dunhuang and encouraged by the poet, teachers and students on this trip produced more than a hundred poems and verses which were then published together in one book. Afterwards, the poet went back to Dunhuang several times and composed over a hundred poems. 17

18 For this exhibition, Zhou Xiaolu was specially invited to select forty poems, composed between 2007 and 2010, and produce them in the form of calligraphy. Over the course of a few months, the poet focused his attention on ink and brush. Employing the cursive script, he transcribed the poems by heart onto a hundredmeter-long scroll. His hand and mind were synchronized, and the writing flowed effortlessly with remarkable energy. [Cat. no. 10] [Label 2] The section of the scroll on view in the exhibition is a transcription of the poem Mogao Grottoes : Mogao's fame is as high as the sound of thunder up above the sky; It is hard to approach with my aging legs. Guanyin's image transformed into thirty-three icons; Queen Vaidehi lingers on in sixteen spiritual contemplations. In a stroke of genius Sui rabbits dwell in the ceiling center; Wonderful Tang music winds around flying apsaras. The beauty of the woman from the Cao family is most unforgettable; Thousand-year fragrance of her hair returns with colorful mist. 18

19 [ 莫高窟 ] 雷响莫高不可攀, 蹒跚老腿最难堪 观音反复三三相, 国后留连十六观 隋兔奇思盘藻井, 唐琴妙响绕飞天 最萦怀在曹家女, 千载香鬟彩雾还 Composed on October 16, 2011, this ancient-form shi poem in seven-syllable regulated verse describes various painting subjects in Dunhuang s caves: the physical transformations of the bodhisattva Guanyin (Avalokiteshvara); the story of Queen Vaidehi; the peculiar Sui design of three rabbits in a circle; the splendid dance scene from the murals; and the beauty of the woman from the Cao-family donors. [Label 3] The poet has also been a seal engraver since his teenage years. Carved by his own hand, the seals add an enchantment to this calligraphic work, which exudes a remarkable artistry inspired by the fragrance of wine. This long handscroll includes the following seal impressions: Shenian (Year of the snake, i.e., 2013; square, intaglio); Xiaolu (square, intaglio); Zhou Xiaolu zi Xiaolu (square, intaglio); square relief legend, Chang an (square, relief); Jiuxiang (Fragrance of wine; square, relief); and Shishe (Snake Poet; rectangular, relief). 19

20 Yuan Yunsheng (b. 1937) Water Splashing Festival Song of Life, 1979 Acrylic on canvas Terminal 1 at Beijing International Airport Murals have become another popular form in contemporary public art; they embellish public spaces such as hotel lobbies, airport terminals, and waiting lounges. In addition to directly painted murals, there are also murals formed from fired ceramic tiles to present a long-lasting image for appreciation. The revival of Chinese murals is evidenced by Water Splashing Festival Song of Life by Yuan Yunsheng, created for a terminal building of the new Beijing Capitol Airport in This wall mural measures 3.4 meters high and 27 meters wide. The composition, which depicts the Water Splashing Festival celebrated by the Dai ethnic minority, is divided into two parts: one is a scene of people carrying water, splashing, and dancing; the other is of young people bathing and chatting. In the latter part, two beautiful young nude girls can be seen bathing. This mural contains the largest nude scene shown in public since New China had been established (see detail). It was praised at one moment and criticized the next; it was first hidden with cloth and then with wooden panels. None of that matters now. Still, Mr. Yuan s contribution to the revival of this old artistic form was significant. He tells of his study of Dunhuang s art and 20

21 its influence. And he strongly believes a new education system should be re-established in order to teach Chinese students to understand Chinese forms of beauty, Chinese aesthetics, and the essence of Chinese spirit. Besides merely learning about Chinese traditional art, they should come to appreciate and be inspired by it. [Photo Above] View of Yuan Yunsheng s mural Water Splashing Festival-Song of Life at the Beijing Capitol Airport, Terminal 1. Photo courtesy of the artist [On Left] Partial view of Yuan Yunsheng s Water Splashing Festival-Song of Life. Photo by Willow Weilan Hai 21

22 袁运生敦煌写生 7 Yuan Yunsheng (b. 1937) Dunhuang Sketch No. 7, 1981 Ink and color on paper Collection of the artist Yuan Yunsheng joined Dong Xiwen s studio in Dong ( ) was an artist/educator who had gone to Dunhuang at an early stage in his career; he had always stressed that China needed to have its own unique art education. The experience of working alongside him gave Yuan Yunsheng a distinct perception of Dunhuang. When Yuan visited Dunhuang in the 1980s, he didn t pursue realistic replication when making his copies. Instead he wanted to capture the characteristic manner of the figures and his own impressions of the subject s appearance. This work clearly depicts two bodhisattvas. The fluidity of the lines and colors seems to have cleansed the image of its substance, leaving only a sense of the main bodhisattva s calm and thoughtful devotion to be conveyed through his humble posture, standing with his feet together and leaning slightly forward. [Cat. no. 5] 22

23 刘巨德 夹子救鹿 Jiazi Saves the Deer, 1986 Shanghai Animation Film Studio, 1985 Video (DVD, 18:27 min.) Collection of Liu Jude The Shanghai Animation Film Studio liked Liu Jude s illustrations for the children s book Jiazi Saves the Deer and invited him to participate in the design of the animated film with the same title. Liu went through a rigorous design development process, combining the figures depicted in the early murals of Dunhuang with his own life experience. After amending the draft six times he finalized the character of Jiazi a lovable boy who is true, good, and beautiful. The film was unanimously awarded the Golden Award for Short Film at the International Film Festival in India in

24 [Introduction Outside North Gallery] 灵感是创造的火花 自然 传统和各自的生活经历, 均可赋予艺术家以灵感 这个展览展现了位于甘肃省西陲的敦煌石窟 这一佛教圣地千年以来的传统艺术对现当代中国艺术家的启示 敦煌作为中国的西部门户, 位于丝绸之路东西文化的交汇处, 对横贯大陆的贸易和佛教在亚洲的传播, 起到了不可或缺的作用 敦煌最早的佛窟始建于公元四世纪, 延续千年之久, 包括著名的莫高窟 ( 联合国教科文组织世界遗产 ), 榆林窟和西千佛洞, 目前仍拥有八百多个洞窟, 这些石窟里的壁画 雕塑及浮雕是中国艺术集大成的代表 敦煌丰富的多元文化历史及它的各种艺术传统为后人提供了无尽的灵感源泉 被认为中国二十世纪最著名及最富有传奇色彩的绘画大师 张大千 ( ) 于上世纪四十年代在敦煌研究复制壁画 三年后, 他模仿敦煌壁画的展览引起了人们对先前忽视的洞窟的注意 在敦煌临摹壁画的经历也从根本上影响了张大千一生的艺术创作 从张大千的年代开始, 敦煌成了艺术家的梦想之地, 并深刻地影响了之后的几代艺术家 这个展览开创性地探索敦煌千年传统对当代艺术创作在历史 文学 艺术和观念上的各种影响 重点展示了十五位用不同媒介创作的艺术家们的作品, 包括水墨画 油画 雕塑 图书 动画片 草图 书法和摄影作品 综 24

25 上所述, 这些作品反映了艺术家从他们各自独特的敦煌体验中所获取的灵感 [North Gallery] [From the Right] 王满晟山峦夜色 Wang Mansheng (b. 1962) Night, 2013 Ink and color on cardboard Collection of the artist Like the murals inside Dunhuang s caves, this landscape is reduced to basic surface patterns, with a strong emphasis on color. Lacking much vegetation, Dunhuang s desert landscape changes less with the seasons than it does with the changing light throughout the day. The soil s surface reflects a wide range of colors, which Wang Mansheng has captured in a series of paintings of which this is one. Here, nightfall casts the land in a deep blue hue. [Cat. no. 17] 25

26 王满晟山间泉响 Wang Mansheng (b. 1962) Sound in the Mountains, 2010 Ink, walnut ink, and color on cardboard P. Y. and Kinmay W. Tang Center for East Asian Art, Princeton University The landscape surrounding Dunhuang s Buddhist caves was shaped by wind and rain. The result was, in Wang Mansheng s words, "soft but solid"; its contour lines were entirely clear. For the artist, the dry Dunhuang desert landscape, largely devoid of vegetation, was very much like a nude figure, allowing him to focus on the pure form of the earthen body. [Cat. no. 16] 王满晟寂静系列 Wang Mansheng (b. 1962) Silence Series, 2008 Ink and color on paper Collection of the artist Wang Mansheng s first serious experience of Buddhist art came as a television documentarian sent in 1987 to Dunhuang, where some of China s earliest woodblockprinted Buddhist images were made. There and from the stone-carved Buddhist caves at Yungang and Longmen in his native province of Shanxi, Wang learned the devotional virtue of making multiple copies of the 26

27 Buddha s image, as well as compositional techniques for combining large primary images with numerous smaller ones. After hurting his back in producing hundreds of such images on the ground, Wang turned to carving stamps with many images each. By inking the stamp unevenly with a roller and touching up the print with a brush, the artist made each figure look unique. But by looking closely at the work, one can see the outlines of his multi-figured stamp. [Cat. no. 15] 田芳芳冲突 Tian Fangfang (b. 1987) Conflict, 2010 Mixed media Collection of the artist Fangfang went to Dunhuang in her third year at the Central Academy of Fine Arts on an organized field research trip. In the face of the ancient art of Dunhuang, this young artist felt the conflict between ancient and modern civilizations. The layering of fiberglass in this work seems to refer to Dunhuang murals that had been painted over throughout the dynasties. Depictions of horse carriages, off-road vehicles, and space shuttles are added to represent the conflict and contradiction between ancient and modern civilizations. [Cat. no. 18] 27

28 田芳芳寻源 1 Tian Fangfang (b. 1987) Searching Origin 1, 2012 Mixed media Collection of the artist In the Searching Origins series, Searching Origin, Tian Fangfang paused and thought hard about her feelings on the relationship between tradition and the contemporary world. People of both past and present times had used their wisdom to build up civilization and order, but at the same time they constantly destroy the very civilization and order they had established. On the multiple layers over the clay bricks, she painted an ancient travel scene to represent culture and tradition and juxtaposed it with a burning modern high-rise building to suggest man-made destruction. [Cat. no. 19] 成瑞娴无题 Emily Cheng (b. 1953) Untitled, 1993 Oil on canvas Collection of the artist Using her unique choice of motifs robes and drapery Emily Cheng explores different representative forms and ideas of the East and West. In this untitled painting, the patches of green are the same color seen at Dunhuang. 28

29 The white and red forms are derived from renaissance costume, while the red and orange robes are reminiscent of those worn by Tibetan religious figures. The strong contrast between the colors seems to suggest some difference in cultures. [Cat. no. 20] [BOOK] Emily Cheng encountered Dunhuang at the famous Strand bookstore in Manhattan s East Village, where she bought The Art Treasures of Dunhuang: Ten Centuries of Chinese Art from the Mogao Grottoes (1981). Its attractive cover illustration features a mural detail dominated by a distinctive copper green color, which contrasts with the yellow color of the book title. The detail depicts a secular scene of two figures dressed in voluminous loose robes with wide sleeves in an almost boneless painting style, that is, colored shapes without outline. Cheng has been enchanted by Dunhuang ever since seeing this book. 29

30 刘丹鸣沙空竹 Liu Dan (b. 1953) Mingsha Diabolo, 2013 Ink on paper Collection of artist Liu Dan was self-educated in the arts through years of careful and unusually skillful copywork, but at Dunhuang, rather than copying as most students did, he mostly just looked and absorbed. His studies at Dunhuang taught him one thing above all: to see the world and invest his art with his own independent imagination. Combining both sides of this education, he painstakingly uses his realistic techniques to create a precisely described world, but one that could only exist in the artistic imagination. This is, at the same time, an extension of the ancient art of landscape painting, to which the artist remains deeply devoted, and a uniquely modern transformation of it. [Cat. no. 21] 30

31 孙秀庭思维 Sun Xiuting (b. 1955) Speculation (1 & 2), 2013 Oil on canvas Collection of the artist Sun Xiuting studied oil painting and is skilled in the style of Impressionism. However, he has a strong feeling for the Buddhist figure Vimalakirti, who obtained Buddhist enlightenment without leaving his house. This form of meditative devotion connects the Buddhist realm with the secular world. From the moment Sun Xiuting saw the draft of a popular line drawing in the 1970s, he had come up with the idea of reinterpreting line drawings with the visual language of oil painting. When he eventually visited the Mogao Caves in 2008 and saw with his own eyes the Tang dynasty rendering of Vimalakirti in caves 220 and 335, he could no longer contain his excitement and immediately used this figure as a model, creating two paintings with rich colors and impassioned brushstrokes. The unpredictable nature of the mind is represented by this artistic transformation from representative to abstract. His art has been able to evolve and diversify through this process. [Cat. no. 22] 31

32 张宏图雙猴 ( 山海經 ) Zhang Hongtu (b. 1943) Two Monkeys (The Classic of Mountains and Seas), Mixed media and oil on canvas Anonymous collection Wandering over mountains clearly derived from early Buddhist murals at Dunhuang, the monkeys here are the product of Zhang Hongtu s own imagination. While Zhang prefers these animals to remain free from explanation, they are a symbol of freedom, although not their own. In his series of monkey paintings, these creatures are usually constrained by the ecological encroachments of today s human environment and modern civilization, from which one can be freed only by a liberated mind. [Cat. no. 24] 张宏图敦煌习作 7 Zhang Hongtu (b. 1943) Dunhuang Study No. 7, 1981 Ink and gouache on rice paper Collection of the artist When Zhang Hongtu first went to Dunhuang in 1981 to study jewelry design, he was surprised by the spontaneous use there of bright colors and freedom from realistic constraints, especially in the earliest 32

33 centuries of Buddhist mural paintings. In this study of a Dunhuang narrative painting depicting the Eight Beggars Who Went to See the Buddha, what impressed him most was that the eight travelers, dancing on top of the mountains and bigger than the mountains themselves, had nothing to do with the original story. Even as copywork, study paintings like this helped to liberate Zhang from the routines of socialist realist propaganda style and began the development of his artistic imagination. [Cat. no. 23] 33

34 喻红天问 Yu Hong (b. 1966) Questions for Heaven, 2010 Acrylic on canvas Private collection Between Yu Hong s first visit to Dunhuang in 1986 and her revisit in 2008, she had become more respectful toward and knowledgeable about tradition. Her solo exhibition Golden Sky was held in the Ullens Center for Contemporary Art in Beijing in 2010, showcasing the four ceiling paintings she had spent more than one year to create: Atrium, Questions for Heaven, Natural Selection, and Sky Curtain. Drawing inspirations from Chinese traditional paintings, Dunhuang murals, the Thousand-Buddha Caves in Kizil, Xinjiang, and Western paintings, these artworks blend ancient and modern imagery and scenes from religious and secular life to ultimately form a dreamlike reality. The expression of various facets of contemporary society through inspirations drawn from tradition has become a unique feature of her work. Yu Hong says, Questions for Heaven was based on the Gathering of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas painted on the ceiling of the main niche located along the west wall of Mogao Cave 321 at Dunhuang (see image below). The mural depicts a Buddha and bodhisattvas ascending into the sky, shrouded in auspicious clouds, en route to hear the Buddha preach. I was inspired by this complex 34

35 and dynamic composition to create a painting with a perspective where the audience looks upward, as if peering through an invisible glass ceiling. The figures are seen walking, seeking, waiting, and watching against the backdrop of a golden sky. Its name, Questions for Heaven, comes from Tianwen (Questions to Heaven) in the Chuci (Verses of Chu), written two thousand years ago by the well-known poet Qu Yuan. The one hundred and seventy or more questions raised in Tianwen cover everything in the universe, including matters concerning logic, species, spirits, society, and history. I used this as a conceptual device to express how people in a rapidly developing Chinese society think and question the variables relating to the world, life, and morals and ethics. [Cat. no. 14] [PHOTO] Gathering of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, mural from ceiling of niche on the west wall of the main chamber in Mogao Cave 321, early Tang dynasty ( ). Photo by Li Bo, courtesy of Dunhuang Academy 35