Wang Dongling 王冬龄

Biography

b. 1945 in Rudong, Jiangsu province, lives and works in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province

Wang Dongling's artworks ground the modernist engagement with gestural abstraction and the post-modern skepticism of language and power in the pre-modern practice of embodied action and performance originally developed in Chinese calligraphy. Wang Dongling himself is widely recognized as China's greatest living calligrapher and is perhaps the only artist to have been granted three solo exhibitions at the National Art Museum of China. Although he is perhaps best known for public performances of monumental "mad" cursive script calligraphy, his artistic practice can be highly experimental and includes "enormous, swashbuckling abstractions" (Roberta Smith, New York Times, [December 12, 2013]) and calligraphy in new media, such as chemical photography, in which Wang's calligraphic actions are directly captured on silver-gelatin photographic paper.

Wang Dongling's innovations notably reinterpret for a new era two aspects of historical calligraphy practice-its creation through performance and its embrace of gestural abstraction. In his performances writing monument-scale calligraphy or abstraction, he lays bare to the public the connection between brush-and-ink and the body; he exposes the work of art as shaped directly by the artist's reach, stamina, and physical movement. In his calligraphic abstractions, Wang liberates calligraphic gesture, form and space from the bounds of text. The history of non-objective painting in twentieth-century Modernism and Minimalism is rife with references to calligraphy and its early embrace of gestural expression.

Wang Dongling is currently Director of the Modern Calligraphy Study Center at the China National Academy of Arts, Hangzhou. He graduated from the calligraphy department of the China National Academy of Art in 1981. His calligraphic work found rapid recognition in China where he exhibited in solo shows at the National Art Museum of China in Beijing (1987) and at the China National Academy of Art (1987). In 1989, Wang traveled to the United States where he taught the practice of calligraphy to Western art students and began his own exploration of pure abstraction. While in the United States, he exhibited in solo shows at the University of Illinois, the University of Kansas and the University of Minnesota (1989), again at the University of Minnesota and Montreal University (1990), and the University of California, Santa Cruz (1991). Wang was welcomed back to China for his second solo exhibition at the National Art Museum of China (1994) and throughout the 1990s participated in group exhibitions at the Hayward Gallery in London, which showed works that had been collected by the British Museum (1990), at the Yale University Art Gallery (1993), and at the National Art Museum of China in Beijing (1997). His work was featured in the New York exhibitionChinese Art & Civilization of Five Thousand Years at the Guggenheim Museum (1998), the Konsthall Gallery, Malmö, Sweden (1998), the British Museum (2002), the World Exposition, Nagoya, Japan (2003), the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York (2006), The Louisiana Art Museum, Denmark (2007), the Art Academy of Rome (2007), and the Third Chengdu Biennale (2007). Wang had his third solo exhibition at the National Art Museum of China in 2007 and a solo exhibition at the Zhejiang Museum of Art in 2011.

Most recently, his works have been exhibited at the Hong Kong Museum of Art (2014), and at the Metropolitan Museum's Ink Art: Past as Present in Contemporary China show (2014). He is the subject of a documentary film, The Enduring Passion for Ink, and a forthcoming monograph, The Origins of Abstraction, edited by Dr. Britta Erickson.

Wang Dongling had his opening exhibition at Ink Studio in November 2013 where he showed his latest calligraphy-based, abstract ink paintings including One's Own Way (2013), his most ambitious abstraction in terms of scale to date, and his most recent experiments in "photographic calligraphy."

Wang Dongling's works can be found amongst others in the collections of the Metropolitan Museum, New York, the Guggenheim Museum, New York, the British Museum, London, the Palace Museum, Beijing, the National Art Museum of China, Beijing, the Zhejiang Museum of Fine Art, Hangzhou, the Yale University Art Gallery, Harvard University, and the University of California, Berkley.

1945						Born in Rudong, Jiangsu Province, China


EDUCATION
1966						B.A. Fine Art Department of Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, China
1981						M.A. Calligraphy Department of Zhejiang Academy of Fine Art (now China National Academy of Fine Arts), Hangzhou, China


POSITION
Professor of Calligraphy, Calligraphy Department of China Academy of Art, Hangzhou, China


AWARDS & HONORS
2012						"Orchid Pavilion Prize: The Art Prize" in The 4th Chinese Calligraphy Orchid Pavilion Exhibition
2011						Named “Annual Influential Artist,” 6th Award of Art China (AAC)
						Named “Annual Top Ten Persons in Chinese Calligraphy”
2006						"Orchid Pavilion Prize: The Education Prize (The First Prize)" in The 2nd Chinese Calligraphy Orchid Pavilion Exhibition
2005						Named "Annual Top Ten Persons in Chinese Calligraphy"
1997						"The Grand Prix" in Worldwide Calligraphy of Jeollabuk-do Biennale


SELECTED SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2017						Poetic Rainbow: The Calligraphy of Wang Dongling, Hanart TZ Gallery, Hongkong S.A.R., China
						Wang Dongling: The Bamboo Path, Exhibition halls A and B OCAT, Shengzhen, China
2016						Public performance of chaos-script (luanshu) calligraphy, Vancouver, Art Gallery, Vancouver, Canada
						Public performance of chaos-script (luanshu) calligraphy, Library and Archives Canada, Vancouver, Canada
						Between Heaven and Heart, Imperial Ancestral Temple Art Museum, Beijing, China
						Public performance of calligraphy, Guiyang Confucius Academy, Guiyang, China
						Wang Dongling: Contemporary Calligraphy, Gus Fisher Gallery, Auckland, New Zealand
						Public performance of chaos-script (luanshu) calligraphy, British Museum, London, UK
						Public performance of chaos-script (luanshu) calligraphy, Victoria and Albert Museum, London, UK
						Public performance of chaos-script (luanshu) calligraphy, Imperial Ancestral Temple Art Museum, Beijing, China
2015						“The Heart Sutra* in Chaos Script,”* public calligraphy performance, Brooklyn Museum, New York, USA
						Public calligraphy performance, Universität Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
						“‘Drinking by the Lake: Clear Sky followed by Rain’ by Su Shi,” public calligraphy performance, Apple Store West Lake, Hangzhou, China
						Writing Non-Writing: Calligraphic Works by Wang Dongling, Sanshang Contemporary Art Museum, Hangzhou, China
						Wang Dongling·The Heart Sutra, Wenzhou Contemporary Art Museum, Wenzhou, China
						New Works, Chambers Fine Art, New York, USA
2014						Public performance of monumental cursive-script calligraphy, Nordiska Akvarellmuseet, Skärhamn, Sweden
						Public performance of monumental cursive-script calligraphy, Metropolitan Museum, New York, USA
						Beside the Ancient Road, Jinwan Faculty of Humanities of Tianjin Water Park, Tianjin, China
						The Moon over the River on a Spring Night: The Art of Calligraphy by Wang Dongling, Hong Kong Museum of Art, Hong Kong S.A.R., China
						Small Calligraphic Works by Wuzhai, Jingcai Gallery, Hangzhou, China
2013						Wang Dongling: The Origins of Abstraction, Ink Studio, Beijing, China
						Wang Dongling: Brushing the Ties, Hanart TZ Gallery, Hong Kong S.A.R., China
						Calligraphy Performance and New Media, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong S.A.R., China
						The Moon over the River, Wang Dongling Public Performance of Calligraphy, Hong Kong Museum of Art, Hong Kong S.A.R., China
2012						Decanter Ink: Hangzhou Cross-year Exhibition - Wang Dongling Solo Exhibition, Sanshang Art Museum, Hangzhou, China
2011						Wang Dongling: The Daoism of Calligraphy, Zhejiang Museum of Art, Hangzhou, China
2007						Share the Peripatericism: Calligraphy Exhibition by Wang Dongling, National Art Museum of China, Beijing, China
2006						“Preface to the Riverside Gathering” (Linhe Xu), public calligraphy performance, Lanting International Calligraphy Festival, Shaoxing, China
2003						Calligraphy by Wang Dongling, Yilanzhai Art Museum, Nanjing, China
						Calligraphy by Wang Dongling, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong S.A.R., China
2002						Works of Wang Dongling, Goedhuis Gallery, New York, USA
2001						It is Not Calligraphy, Ethan Cohen Fine Arts Gallery, New York, USA
						Writing With Ease, Jincai Gallery, Hangzhou, China
						Calligraphy of Wang Dongling, Lanting International Calligraphy Festival, Shaoxing, China
1999						Calligraphy of Wang Dongling, Shenzhen Art Museum, Shenzhen, China
1998						Calligraphy by Wang Dongling, D.P. Fong Gallery, San Jose, USA
						Muthesius Hochschule & Polytechnic School for Art, Kiel, Germany
1997						Calligraphy by Wang Dongling, Nagoya Zie Mien Gallery, Nagoya, Japan
1994						Wang Dongling: Calligraphy and Painting, National Art Museum of China, Beijing, China
1993						Calligraphy by Wang Dongling, International Press, Tokyo, Japan
1992						Calligraphy by Wang Dongling, Minnesota State Exhibition Center, Minneapolis, USA
						Calligraphy by Wang Dongling, D.P. Fong Gallery, San Jose, USA
1991						Calligraphy by Wang Dongling, University of California, Santa Cruz, USA
						Calligraphy by Wang Dongling, North Dakota Museum of Art, Grand Forks, North Dakota, USA
1990						Calligraphy by Wang Dongling, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, USA
						Calligraphy by Wang Dongling, D.P. Fong Gallery, San Jose, USA
						Calligraphy by Wang Dongling, Montreal University, Montreal, Canada
1989						Calligraphy by Wang Dongling, Krannert Art Museum, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, USA
						Calligraphy by Wang Dongling, Macalester Gallery, St. Paul, USA
						Calligraphy by Wang Dongling, University of Kansas, Kansas, USA
						Calligraphy by Wang Dongling, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, USA
						Calligraphy by Wang Dongling, Art School of Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, USA
1987						Calligraphy by Wang Dongling, China Academy of Art, Hangzhou, China
						Calligraphy Exhibition of Wang Dongling, National Art Museum of China, Beijing, China


SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2017						Boundless: On Going Chinese Ink Art, Art Museum of Sichuan Fine Arts Institute, Chongqing, China. The Unusual West Lake: The First Art Scene of West Lake Photo Exhibition, CAA Art Museums, Hangzhou, China
2016						Open Books: International Artists Explore the Chinese Folding Book, Library and Archives Canada, Vancouver, Canada
						Shan Shui A Manifesta, Gong Wang Art Museum, Hangzhou, China
						Shan Shui Within, Museum of Contemporary Art, Shanghai, China
						Light Writers 2016, Light Gallery, Hangzhou, China
2015						10^th World Calligraphy Biennale of Jeollabuk-do, Jeonju, Korea
						Magic Mountains, Hong Kong S.A.R., China
						Hangzhou International Modern Calligraphy Exhibition and Writing Nor-writing Document Exhibition, Museum of Contemporary Art of CAA, Hangzhou, China
						China 8 – Contemporary Art from China at Rhine & Ruhr, Kunstmuseum, Gelsenkirchen, Germany
2014						Kochi-Murizis Biennale - Collateral Project "Janela-Migrating Forms and Migrating Gods", Mill Hall Compound, Kochi, India
						Orchid Pavilion Calligraphy Biennial, Zhejiang Art Museum, Hangzhou, China
						Guanshan Gathering: Works by Zheng Shengtian and Wang Dongling, Chambers Fine Art, New York, USA
						Ink and the Body, Ink Studio, Beijing, China
						China's Changing Landscape－Contemporary Chinese Ink, Nordiska Akvarellmuseet (Nordic Watercolour Museum), Goteborg, Sweden
2013						Ink Art: Past as Present in Contemporary China, Metropolitan Museum, New York, USA Beyond Black and White: Chinese Abstract Ink, Pearl Lam Galleries, Shanghai, China Guanshan Gathering: Works by Zheng Shengtian and Wang Dongling, Chambers Fine Art, Beijing, China
2012						Images and Words: Since Magritte Era, Chinese Art Museum, Beijing, China Inner and Outer Transformation: A View on Chinese Contemporary Art, Istanbul Modern, Istanbul, Turkey Textual Logic: Works by Wang Dongling, Qiu Zhenzhong and Xu Bing, He Xiangning Art Museum, Shenzhen, China
2011						International Modern Calligraphy Exhibition, Wiesbaden International Arts Festival, Baden and Hamburg, Germany Hollow Stroke Style: Dimension of Chinese Character, Chengdu Biennial Special Invitation Exhibition, Chengdu, China
2010						Hangzhou International Modern Calligraphy Art Exhibition, Hangzhou, China Breaking out, Zhejiang Contemporary Art Exhibition, Hangzhou, China Beauty of Chinese Characters: Chinese Calligraphy Exhibition, Paris, France
2009						The Orchid Pavilion: The Art of Writing in China, Royal Museum of Fine Arts of Belgium, Brussels, Belgium Black and White Image - Wang Dongling & Joao Carlos Almeida, Museu do Oriente, Lisbon, Portugal
2008						Seoul Calligraphy Art Biennial, Seoul, Korea Water & Wood Wonderland, BFA International New Media Art Triennial, Beijing, China The Sixth International Brush Painting Biennial - Ink · City, Exhibition, Shenzhen, China Eighteen Teaching Plans - Experimental Art Teaching Plan Exhibition, Hangzhou, China Classic Calligraphy - Silent Night Calligraphy Activity, Hangzhou, China
2007						In the Hand of Paper, Art Academy of Rome, Rome, Italy Reboot, The 3rd Chengdu Biennale, Chengdu, China Opening Fun - International Modern Calligraphy Exhibition, Taipei, Taiwan, China Made in China - Contemporary Art Exhibition, Louisiana Art Museum, Louisiana, Denmark
2006						Ink & Brush - Chinese Writing Art Exhibition, Metropolitan Museum, New York, USA Yellow Box, Qingpu China Space Contemporary Art Exhibition, Shanghai, China
2005						The Calligraphy Is Not Calligraphy: The Open Calligraphy Space - International Modern Calligraphy Exhibition, Hangzhou, China International Calligraphy Exhibition, World Exposition, Nagoya, Japan
2004						Maze: The 2nd National Media Art Exhibition, Hangzhou, China The 8th National Calligraphy and Seal Exhibition, Xi'an, China
2003						Calligraphy Exhibition, Sydney, Australia International Modern Ink Color Exhibition, Xi'an, China Hello, Chinese Calligraphy, Modern Chinese Calligraphy Exhibition, Finland The 1st Exhibition of the Works of Chinese Leading Calligraphers, Tokyo, Japan
2002						Silent Music - Contemporary Chinese Calligraphy Exhibition, London, UK Brushes with Surprise: The Art of Calligraphy, British Museum, London, UK
2001						Borderless China: Exhibition of Chinese Paintings, New York, USA Spirit of Ink & Brush, Chinese Calligraphy Exhibition, Seoul, Korea
1999						Exhibition of The Works of 46 Contemporary Chinese Artists, Shanghai, China; Melbourne, Australia Grand Exhibition of Chinese Calligraphy in the 20th Century, Tokyo, Japan
1998						Contemporary Chinese Calligraphy Exhibition, Paris, France Exhibition of Contemporary Chinese Calligraphy & Paintings, Konsthall Gallery, Malmö, Sweden Contemporary Chinese Calligraphy Exhibition, Columbia University, New York, USA Chinese Art & Civilization of Five Thousand Years, Guggenheim Museum, New York, USA
1997						Calligraphy Exhibition of the 21st Century, National Art Museum of China, Beijing, China
1994						Modern Calligraphy Exploration Exhibition, National Art Museum of China, Beijing, China
1993						Chinese Seal Exhibition, Yale University, New Haven, USA
1992						The 2nd International Art Exposition, Miami, USA
1991						Chinese Art and the West - Chinese Art Exhibition, San Diego, USA
1990						Brush Dancing & Ink Singing, collected by the British Museum, Hayward Gallery, London, UK
1989						Sino-Japanese Calligraphy Exchange Exhibition, Hong Kong S.A.R., China Paper Art from Hangzhou, Hamburg, Germany
1987						Lanting Sino - Japanese Calligraphy Exhibition, Shaoxing, China Exhibition of Contemporary Chinese Calligraphy Treasures from Mainland China, Taipei, Taiwan, China


SELECTED PUBLIC COLLECTIONS
British Museum, London, UK Military Museum of the Chinese People's Revolution, Beijing, China The Palace Museum, Beijing, China National Art Museum of China, Beijing, China Zhejiang Art Museum, Hangzhou, China Peking University, Beijing, China National Library of China, Beijing, China Yale University, New Haven, USA University of California, Berkeley, California, USA North Dakota Museum of Art, North Dakota, USA Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, USA Guggenheim Museum, New York, USA