The World of Lou Zhenggang
Contemporary Iterations of Sung and Yuan Dynasty Painting
Source : Whitestone Gallery TOKYO, May 2020
“The World of Lou Zhenggang, as a young master -Contemporary Iterations of Song and Yuan Dynasty Painting and Calligraphy-“ at Whitestone Gallery, Tokyo in Japan
There are certain heights that only geniuses can reach. Theirs is a dimension of instinct, of a direct connection prior to conscious thought between mind and body. It may be that all such people are visited by revelations. However, without skills, ideally assimilated at an early age, those revelations may be difficult to realize or come to nothing. Genius appears only through early exposure to training and encounters with extraordinarily inspiring individuals.
Lou Zhenggang was a child prodigy among Chinese calligraphers. Rather than seeking worldly values of fame and wealth, however, she was consumed by the larger question of ‘What is my purpose in this world?’ Her own uninterrupted independent universe was, more than anything else, necessary in order to resolve this question.
She moved to Japan in the 1980s, relinquishing guaranteed social prestige and status in China. In time, she transitioned from ink to paint. She said she just wanted to express herself, to seek answers within herself.
“The World of Lou Zhenggang, as a young master -Contemporary Iterations of Song and Yuan Dynasty Painting and Calligraphy-“ at Whitestone Gallery, Tokyo in Japan
Dynamic splashes, forceful centripetal curves, abundant open space to engage viewer imagination – indeed, the foundation of Sung and Yuan Dynasty Painting* is evident in the world of Lou Zhenggang. Her studio located in Izu, she is able to burnish her sensitivity to the vicissitudes of the sea and nature. Flowing swift lines, brush strokes that seem to unfold freely at random – the passion of an artist having pushed herself to the limit of introspection coalesces in the surge of her internalized technique. Abstraction is inevitable.. This is not extracted from tradition. Modern art has the power to reinvigorate the classics. The few who are able to do this are worthy of being called great masters of art.
Lou Zhenggang’s visceral trajectory flourishes on the canvas. Her strong will and humble disposition coexist in perfect balance. Bold and delicate. A realm where the accidental and the predestined reconcile. Lou Zhenggang’s struggle as a young master continues. At the same time, she is tirelessly and powerfully revitalizing Sung and Yuan Dynasty painting as never before.
*Sung and Yuan Dynasty Painting:
In the 5000 year history of painting in China, Northern Sung, Southern Sung, and Yuan Dynasty painting developed around 1000 years ago (in the 10th–14th centuries). At a time when Western painting was depicting a religious world, Chinese painters depicted nature in a particular spatial representation. In the West, nature was a creation of God. In Sung and Yuan painting, nature was the universe within which humanity resided. In Meiji era Japan (1864 – 1912), Okakura Tenshin, along with his teacher Ernest Fenollosa, regarded Sung and Yuan painting highly and encouraged their appreciation in Japan and the broader world. Sung and Yuan paintings may be considered precursors of present day ‘ecology.’