• Fu Qiumeng Fine Art is delighted to present “The Mountains Show and Hide: Color in the Landscape Paintings of Arnold...

    Fu Qiumeng Fine Art is delighted to present “The Mountains Show and Hide: Color in the Landscape Paintings of Arnold Chang,” the first solo exhibition of Arnold Chang (張洪) in New York since 1996. While Chang in his fifty-year career as an artist has painted ink landscapes in the traditional Chinese literati manner, this exhibition, showcasing Chang’s landscape paintings of the past ten years, marks his newly developed approach of seamlessly integrating color into his personal vision of landscape. The exhibition is curated by Joy Xiao Chen, Ph.D. candidate in Art History at the University of California, Los Angeles and the former Sylvan C. Coleman and Pam Coleman Memorial Fund Fellow in the Department of Asian Art from 2021 to 2023 at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.

     

    The exhibition is set to take place at our New York City space located at 65 East 80th Street, with the opening reception scheduled for Thursday, April 25th, from 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM. The first rotation will be on view from April 25th, 2024, through May 25th, 2024, and the second rotation will be on view from May 28th, 2024, through June 22nd, 2024. An insightful artist’s dialogue with the exhibition curator followed by the artist’s demonstration is planned for May 26th, 2024, and the other conversation with Xian Fang, the former Head of Sales and Vice President in Classical Chinese Paintings Department at Sotheby’s New York, who has been working with Chang for over a decade, about the history of the classical Chinese paintings market in New York, will take place on June 16th, 2024.

     

    In contrast to most classical Chinese literati paintings, where color was often an afterthought that followed the forms realized through ink lines and washes, Chang treats ink lines and flat color washes as separate components. In this new series as featured in Autumn Landscape (2023.02) and Landscape (2023.11), he utilizes the juxtaposition of blocks of colors to differentiate the faces of bulbous, multi-faceted mountain forms. With a purposeful blend of trees and plants that guides the viewer’s eye, the audience is invited into a trek across uncertainty, excitement, and meditation all conveyed through a juxtaposition of color patterns combined with the artist’s signature mode of subtle brushwork that resonates with the old masters. Here, color works in tandem with ink to create majestic peaks that resonate harmoniously but somewhat independently of each other. It is a creative and original approach that has evolved naturally out of Chang’s deepening knowledge of color in Chinese art history and his mature understanding of aesthetic principles, traditional and modern, Chinese and western. With the incorporation of color into landscape painting, Chang further challenges and helps to redefine Chinese art in the contemporary era.

     

     

  • The Mountains Show and Hide: Color in the Landscape Paintings of Arnold Chang Author: Joy Xiao Chen “Color! People who...
    Figure 1. Arnold Chang.Kaleidoscopic Landscape 2014.03,2014.Erased pencil, ink and color on paper, 28 ½ x 56 ½ inches(72.4 x 143.5 cm).

    The Mountains Show and Hide: Color in the Landscape Paintings of Arnold Chang

    Author: Joy Xiao Chen

     

    “Color! People who are familiar with my work may be surprised by the abundance of color displayed in these two new works. Most of the more memorable paintings that I have exhibited in the past have been monochrome ink landscapes, but I love color! With these recent works I feel I have moved a bit closer to my ultimate goal of combining a deep appreciation of nuanced brushwork with my love of color,” said Arnold Chang (b. 1954), when his work in color, Kaleidoscopic Landscape, was first shown in the exhibition “Shuimo: Ten Thousand Blossoms Spring” in New York. It was early spring, back in 2015 (Figure 1).

  • Ten years later at Fu Qiumeng Fine Art, Chang now presents his first solo exhibition in New York since 1996, titled “The Mountains Show and Hide.” While Chang’s previous landscape paintings, created in the traditional Chinese literati manner, predominantly featured a monochromatic palette, this exhibition marks and introduces a ten-year exploration of incorporating color into his personal vision of landscape. This shift carries a significant meaning that western audiences may not immediately grasp, as color plays such a common and vital role in their practice and appreciation of art. In Chinese art history, by contrast, in most classical literati paintings color was often an afterthought that followed the forms defined through ink lines and washes. Chang’s experimentation with color as illustrated in the twenty exhibits here reflects his reimagining of the relationship between ink lines and flat color washes. 

     

    In his portrayal of landscapes, Chang treats ink lines and flat color washes as separate components and gives the two equal value. Here, color and ink work in tandem, creating monumental landscapes that resonate harmoniously yet retain a sense of independence from each other. Ink lines and color washes are seamlessly integrated in a multitude of ways. Sometimes lines act as borders, delineating blocks of color to differentiate the faces of multi-faced, bulbous  mountain forms. In this case, color maintains its vibrancy within the lines, without necessarily being modulated like ink in monochromatic works. 

  • Arnold Chang, Landscape 2023.03, 2023 (Larger version of this image opens in a popup).
    Arnold Chang, Landscape 2023.11, 2023 (Larger version of this image opens in a popup).
    Arnold Chang, After Lu Zhi 2014.06, 2014 (Larger version of this image opens in a popup).

    Figure 2. Arnold Chang, Landscape 2023.03, 2023, ink and color on paper, 25 ½ x 37 in (64.8 x 94 cm)

  • In other instances, Chang applies spontaneous transparent color washes that cover certain lines, blending them into one organic whole. Alternatively, the interaction between ink lines and color washes may not perfectly align upon overlaying. This unexpected juxtaposition, however, results in more heightened vibrancy and visual resonance (Figure 2). In more realistic seasonal scenes, Chang also artfully places trees, plants, and other motifs in different colors amidst majestic peaks, inviting the audience into a trek across visual excitement and nuanced emotions, both conveyed through a juxtaposition of color patterns combined with the artist’s signature mode of subtle brushwork that resonates with the old masters (Figure 3). In some other imaginary and more abstract landscapes, which are disoriented by a seemingly incoherent spatial structure, Chang’s patterns of color combined with light ink washes are introduced to induce a dream-like milieu, where one may escape the chaos of contemporary life (Figure 4).

     

  • Chang’s approach is fundamentally art historical and intellectual. It has all evolved from his unique artistic background as an American-born-Chinese who grew up in New York City and is also a great synthesis of the amalgam of influences that he has encountered in various historical specificities. As is widely known, Chang’s artistic journey started with a deep immersion in traditional Chinese literati painting from his youth. He studied Chinese art history with Professor James Cahill and earned his master’s degree from the University of California, Berkeley (Figure 5). He subsequently befriended and studied ink painting with the eminent artist and collector C.C. Wang (1907-2003) for more than twenty-five years  (Figure 6). Under the tutelage of Wang, whose collection of historical Chinese paintings was recognized as one of the greatest private collections in the world, Chang was given the rarest opportunity to study masterpieces up close and to faithfully copy these works, enabling him to absorb the most intricate nuances of bimo (traditional Chinese brush and ink) techniques and to internalize the brush idioms of the old masters for his own recreation of landscapes  (Figure 7.1;7.2). 

  • Not surprisingly, one of the striking features of the genre is its predominantly monochromatic palette. This is of course not...

    (Left) Figure 7.1. Dong Qichang (Chinese, 1555 - 1636), Landscape after Wang Meng. 1621-1624. Album leaf; ink and color on paper, 22 x 13 ¾ in (55.88 x 34.93 cm). Collection of The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art.

    (Right) Figure 7.2. Arnold Chang, Copy of an album leaf by Dong Qichang. n.d. Ink and Color on Paper, 24 ½ x 16 ¾ in (62.6 x 42.5 cm). Collection of Artist.                         

    Not surprisingly, one of the striking features of the genre is its predominantly monochromatic palette. This is of course not viewed negatively; it reflects the historical emphasis on brushwork placed by literati artists even to the present like Chang. This stemmed from its close association to calligraphy, considered the most elite form of art in Chinese history. Chang believes that color was therefore not as seriously explored as ink in traditional landscape paintings. Instead, it was generally employed to only accentuate the painted structure, sometimes applied in two or three tones, warm or cool. In his Dong tian qing lu ji when commenting on the Northern Song artist Li Gonglin (1049-1106), one of the most lavishly praised literati painters in Chinese art history, the renowned connoisseur Zhao Xihu already wrote, “[Li Gonglin] only made ink paintings and did not work in color.” Likewise, Zhao Mengfu (1286-1319), another greatest painter and calligrapher of the Yuan Dynasty once criticized modern painters as “only know how to use the brush in a detailed manner and apply colors abundantly, and then think that they are competent artists.” Color were regarded simply as color, with brush and ink given priority simply because they were brush and ink. As Chang recounted this history of ink-oriented literati art to me in his studio, he sensed an underlying urge, almost subconscious, to reassess this historically black-and-white language of landscape. 

  • Figure 8. Detail. Wang Yuanqi (Chinese, 1642–1715), Wangchuan Villa, 1711, Handscroll; ink and color on paper, 14 in. x 17 ft. 10 ¾ in. (35.6 x 545.5 cm). Collection of The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.
  • This does not imply that there weren’t any great literati artists who excelled in color in their landscape art. There,...
    Figure 9. Detail. Arnold Chang.Landscape After Qiu Ying. Hanging scroll, ink on paper, 25 ½ x 23 ¼ in (64.8 x 59.1 cm). Private Collection.
    This does not imply that there weren’t any great literati artists who excelled in color in their landscape art. There, of course, were talents, as Chang names, like Wang Meng (c. 1308-1385), Qiu Ying (1494-1552), Wang Yuanqi (1642-1715), and Shitao (1642-1707) whose use of color combined with ink display unprecedented artistic virtuosity. I still recall viewing Wang Yuanqi’s handscroll Wangchuan Villa with Chang at the Metropolitan Museum of Art (Figure 8). We were repeatedly awestruck by Wang’s understanding and treatment of color, especially those vibrant hues that were often disparaged by literati painters. He washes the mountain mass with reddish-brown tones, with dark washes in blue and green interspersed, building solidity into the rocks. Occasionally, he accents the otherwise unadorned yellowish background with intense tones like turquoise blue. Little red maple trees coupled with blackish willows are artfully placed amidst the mountains, entertaining viewers’ eyes and reminiscent of the archaic use of heavy color by Qian Xuan (1235-1305). Chang also admires Qiu Ying for his bright-colored landscape paintings, typically executed on silk using mineral pigments. One of Chang's earliest works, titled After Qiu Ying, was completed in 2001 (Figure 9). Interestingly, Chang was not consciously thinking of Qiu Ying during the creative process. However, upon completion, he could not shake the feeling that its color palette bore some kind of resemblance to Qiu Ying's style, although it seemed impossible to fundamentally reconstruct (Figure 10). These individual masters, as Chang argues, possessed a natural ability to understand color, perhaps stemming from their extensive use of ink, which inherently encompasses color. However, there seems to be no cohesive lineage or continuing history of color drawn from these fragmented figures. Chang was fully aware of this neglected aspect from earlier periods and had harbored aspirations to explore it further someday.
  • Figure 10. Detail. Qiu Ying (Chinese, 1494 - 1552), Saying Farewell at Xunyang, Ming dynasty (1368-1644), Handscroll; ink and full color on paper, 13 ¼ × 157 ½ in (33.66 × 399.73 cm). Collection of The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art.
  • “Then at one point, through some mutual friends I met Bob (Robert) Kushner. We became friends. He came to my...

    Figure 11. Robert Kushner

    Image Courtesy of  Robert Kushner's official website

     
     

    “Then at one point, through some mutual friends I met Bob (Robert) Kushner. We became friends. He came to my studio. I taught him Chinese painting, and in exchange he taught me western approach to color.” Chang recalled his early story of color learning during my preparatory interview with him in his studio. Robert Kushner (b. 1949), an American contemporary artist who is especially known as one of the founders of the Pattern and Decoration movement (Figure 11). Kushner’s pioneering exploration in color and the integration of decoration and art started in the 1970s when he began combining geometric patterns with floral and figurative elements across a full spectrum of colors. A devoted admirer of Henri Matisse (1869-1954), Kushner often accompanied Chang through various painting galleries at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The two would spend hours immersed in paintings without mentioning stylistic differences or painting schools. Their topics instead spanned from the use of color, the palette, brilliant or subdued, to the ways color guides one’s eyes across the painted surface. Though it took years for Chang to fully internalize these “lessons,” his exchange of experiences in color with Kushner has left a profound impact on his color experiment in recent years.

  • When asked about why it was only in recent years that he started to focus on color, Chang reflected for...
    Figure 12. Mark Rothko. No.3/No.13,1949. Oil on Canvas, 71 ½ x 65 in (216.5 x 164.8 cm). Collection of The Museum of Modern Art, New York.

    When asked about why it was only in recent years that he started to focus on color, Chang reflected for a moment. “It is basically maturity. I’m now more confident with my brushwork. As I started to do more abstract, free brushwork, omni-direction, and natural forms, I realized that’s the point. I realized now I can sort of separate the lines from the [ink] washes, also color washes, so I’m thinking what Bob [Kushner] said, ‘in essence one way to look at painting is [through] bimo, lines [that] moves your eye; the western is color,” said Chang. In particular, Western artists like Mark Rothko (1903-1970) played with colors, creating a dynamic vibration through the simple juxtaposition of hues (Figure 12). This idea—that there is a dynamic interplay between colors—is akin to Chang's emphasis on brushwork. A similar sense of expression is found in Shitao's renowned album created for Daoist Yu (Figure 13). In this work, Shitao engages in a pioneering act of capturing fleeting lines that are not only expressive in their own right but also depict the contours of the mountains. The subject matter is secondary; it is the combination of lines that imbues the work with vibrancy and allows for interpretation. Now it was these two concepts - lines and colors - that Chang attempted to integrate - both of which vibrate, in a harmonious sync or in a syncopated rhythm. This can lead to disturbance or interruption as lines and colors may not always align exactly, but it is precisely this tension that amplifies the overall vibrancy in Chang’s landscape paintings (Figure 14). That explains perfectly the transient quality of his new series, where viewers can still discern mountains and waters rendered through color and ink. Yet, simultaneously, the landscape may vanish as one recognizes how those dancing lines and colors interact and become immersed in the abstract qualities and expressiveness of the forms themselves.

  • (Left) Figure 13. Detail. Shitao (Chinese, 1642–1707). A Mountain Pavilion, Landscapes for Yu Daoren, album of 12 leaves, ink or ink and color on paper, each leaf 9 ½ x 11 in (24 x 28 cm), leaf 3, ink and color on paper. Collection of C.C.Wang Family

    (Right) Figure 14. Detail. Arnold Chang, Autumn Landscape 2023.02, 2023, ink and color on paper, 30 x 56 ½ in (76.2 x 143.5 cm)
  • On the other hand, by drawing lines and filling them with flat colors, Chang imparts a decorative quality to some...

    Figure 16. C. C. Wang. no title (Abstract Work with Blue and Green), 1998. Ink and color on paper, 33 ¾ x 15 ⅝ inches (85.7 × 39.7 cm). Collection of Pao Yung Chao. 

    On the other hand, by drawing lines and filling them with flat colors, Chang imparts a decorative quality to some of his new works that he finds delightful (Figure 15). Those familiar with C. C. Wang’s abstract art and the mentorship between Wang and Chang may recognize the conceptual similarities (Figure 16). Wang’s ambition in combining color and ink can be found from an early note he wrote in the 1930s,  “Van Gogh’s vibrant coloration, Cezanne’s self-possession, Gauguin’s severe classicism…all share some methods and flavors of Chinese painting…Chinese painting emphasizes brushwork, and Western painting color, each with its special aim…If one day in the future, these can be synthesized, that would be an outstanding achievement in the global art scene.” However, Wang's lines are born from his daily calligraphy practice—a discipline Chang, who is not a calligrapher, does not share. Despite this, Chang maintains the loose and free employment of lines in his landscapes, opting for a more subtle expression. He aims to preserve the essential nature of traditional Chinese landscape art, transcending mere patterns to embed nuanced designs within the landscapes themselves. After all, landscape is probably the one and only genre that tolerates all kinds of natural textures. In addition, unlike C. C. Wang, who integrates lines with washes of ink or color across the entire artwork to create one unified field, Chang experiments with more color washes in different sections of the image. His new approach is a process, a personal struggle that is still firmly rooted in the tradition of Chinese literati painting.

  • Figure 15. Arnold Chang, Landscape With Waterfalls 2020.07, 2020, ink and color on paper, 18 ½ x 28 ¾ in (46.7 x 73 cm)
  • Included in the exhibition are also works that eschew traditional brushwork in favor of pure color, as demonstrated in Chang’s...
    Figure 18. Shitao (Chinese, 1642–1707).Wilderness Colors, 1700.Album of twelve paintings; ink and color on paper.Image (each leaf): 10 ⅞ x 9 ½ in. (27.6 x 24.1 cm). Collection of The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.

    Included in the exhibition are also works that eschew traditional brushwork in favor of pure color, as demonstrated in Chang’s Boneless Landscape , which premiered during this year's Asia Week (Figure 17.1). The boneless (mogu) technique, a distinguished method in Chinese painting, forgoes the use of outline strokes that are used to define the basic structure of the image. Instead, forms are rendered through the layering and gradation of color washes, creating a composition with mountain contours implied rather than overtly defined. With roots in the Tang Dynasty, mogu gained prominence among flower-and-bird painters and was also adopted by some of the greatest literati painters like Shitao, whose album leaf from Wilderness Color in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art exemplifies the method adapted into landscape painting (Figure 18). Here, Shitao stacks moist gradations of contrasting hues, adding depth and substance to his landscapes, giving a liberating and ethereal quality to the natural scenery. Likewise, Chang in his Boneless Landscape creates a complex landscape scene through the meticulous layering of colored lines and washes. He declares, “many contemporary ink painters use ink as if it is watercolor, I try to use watercolor as if it is ink! It is like we are viewing an ink landscape through a prism—refracting the ink tones into a spectrum of color (Figure 17.2).”

  • I introduce shan-se-you-wu-zhong (山色有无中), literally meaning the color of mountains between presence and absence, as an overarching theme for understanding Chang’s trajectory of his past-decade practice in color. It is a poetic line from Hanjiang lin tiao (A View of the Han River) composed by Wang Wei (699-759), one of the most distinguished painters and poets and the earliest literati artist in all of Chinese history. Transporting the audiences to the banks of the Han River, this line encapsulates the idea of perceiving the essence of landscape not only in its physical presence but also in its absence or even in the ambiguous space in between. This transient and transformative essence of landscape captured by Wang Wei is precisely what Chang’s artistic exploration of color combined with ink is all about. In his creations, mountains are simultaneously visible when ink lines and color washes represent landscapes, and invisible when color and line are used to emphasize formal qualities in their own right. Or one can enjoy a personal contemplation of the interplay between what is visible and what is not in his landscapes.

  • Detail. Arnold Chang, Snowscape 2024.01, 2024, ink and color on paper, 27 ½ x 55 ¼ in (70 x 140.5 cm)