As one of the most important figures promoting Chinese painting and calligraphy in New York during the 20th century, C.C. Wang (also known as Wang Jiqian, 1907-2003) explored various ways to promote the fundamental concept of "bimo" (brush and ink) and actively attempted to integrate Western contemporary art language with the use of Chinese traditional brush and Xuan paper into Chinese painting. His study of Impressionist works, curiosity about graffiti artist Basquiat (1960-1988), and further education at the Art Students League of New York were all undertaken with this goal and idea in mind. Indeed, throughout his proficient artistic career, he created many innovative artworks, such as using the irregular textures formed by crumpled paper to construct the basic framework of landscapes, or purely using lines to compose pseudo-Chinese character calligraphic works, as well as creating artworks with modern art language pieces with sophisticated curved lines drawn with a brush and color filled in. All these were C.C.'s efforts to make Chinese calligraphy and painting known to Western audiences, especially those in New York. However, towards the end of his artistic career, what C.C. found most comforting might still be those works that could represent the traditional literati. For instance, "Scholar Rock," featured in the current exhibition, created in 2001, when Wang Jiqian was already 95 years old. In this piece, he used randomly sized and shaded ink dots as a background. The main rock has a unique shape, rising from the ground and winding upwards, giving the impression that the scholar's rock is immersed in a misty drizzle. The folds and crevices of the rock are thick and resolute, and the specially arranged circular holes allow viewers to see through the rock to the background. Although centuries apart, this bears a remarkable resemblance to the "Wondrous Rocks" of Sun Kehong, also in the exhibition. Perhaps, this is the kind of spiritual heritage that the so-called literati represent, a connection through something as simple as a rock across time and space.

作为20世纪在纽约推广中国书画艺术最重要的人物之一，王己千尝试了很多不同的方式去推广「笔墨」的概念并积极尝试着将西方当代艺术语言通过中国传统媒介融合到中国绘画中。王己千对印象派作品的研究，对涂鸦大师巴斯奎特的好奇，在纽约艺术联盟学校的进修无不是抱着这样的目标与想法。诚然，他漫长艺术生涯中所创造了很多风格新颖的艺术作品，如将纸张褶皱所产生的不规则纹理而形成山水的基本骨架，亦或纯粹使用线条组成似是而非的书法字体，还有通过毛笔所挥洒出的高质量的弯曲线条配以颜色填充而形成的富有现代艺术语言的作品，都是王己千努力将中国书画推送给西方观众，特别是纽约观众的努力尝试。但是到了其艺术生涯的最后，最让王己千感到舒适的创作，可能还是那些可以代表传统的文人作品。如本次展览的《文人石》，就是作于2001年，彼时王己千已经95岁高龄。在这件作品中，他以深浅不一、大小不一的随机墨点作为背景。主体的石头造型独特，拔地而起，整体蜿蜒上升，让人感觉此块文人石似乎沉浸在微雨朦胧中。石头上的褶皱厚重而又刚毅，特别安排的圆孔让人可以穿过石头看到背景。虽然时间跨越千年，但是与孙克弘的石头有异曲同工之妙。所谓的文人，或许就是这样一种精神的传承，时空与地理的间隔可以通过一块石头而联通起来。