Ink and Wood: Modern Chinese Paintings in the Scholar’s Studio

Description

Entitled Ink and Wood, the exhibition showcases 24 modern Chinese paintings from a private local collection and 240 objects from Liang Yi Museum’s classical Ming and Qing dynasties collection.

This is the museum’s first inter-disciplinary exhibition, as well as the largest exhibition to put the spotlight on antique Chinese wooden scholar objects, while allowing visitors to experience the aesthetic environment of the wenfang, a scholar’s studio. This environment was first used by an elite minority of influential Chinese literati in the Northern and Southern dynasties (420-489) to fulfil their scholarly lifestyle and aspirations, such as painting, composing poetry, playing music, burning incense and holding literati gatherings. Functional yet inspiring artefacts and furniture pieces, for instance painting tables, daybeds, incense or flower stands, brush pots and table screens were placed in the wenfang for these activities.

Ink and Wood considers how furniture making and ink painting, two of the most enduring Chinese artistic traditions have actually existed in tandem throughout history, both practically and philosophically, despite having been studied categorised and exhibited under separate academic disciplines.

It features wooden artefacts from the museum’s collection, including 200 rare scholar objects, including book chests, brush pots, incense boxes, scroll pots, table screens, display stands and table-top storage, which will be displayed alongside invaluable modern Chinese paintings spanning the 1600s to the present.