The Importance of Lines: The Modern Calligraphy of Wang Dongling and Qiu Zhenzhong

Abstract

Over the past few decades, modern calligraphy artworks have presented very strong visual arts attributes and Chinese modern calligraphy art is no exception to this phenomenon. Chinese modern calligraphy as a bridge between traditional, Western, modern and contemporary art, demonstrates a definite relationship with and reciprocal influences between Chinese modern calligraphy, and global art. In the formalistic practice of calligraphy art, line has always been the master content of traditional and modern Chinese calligraphy. Understanding the Chinese concept of line is the essential factor in recognising the aesthetic experience. In this paper, the author’s analysis of lines is focused on the artworks of Wang Dongling and Qiu Zhenzhong in terms of modern Chinese calligraphy in order to explicate divergences from lines in traditional calligraphy and to analyse the strength and emotional expression of the lines in the works of the two artists.

Keywords: Calligraphy, Modern calligraphy, Chinese modern calligraphy, lines, emotional