A Brush with Eternity: Discover the Majesty of Contemporary Ink Painting
Simple yet profound, serene yet in motion, Liang Zhenming's ink paintings capture the rugged grandeur of formidable rocks
- Text by Cherry Chen
- Paintings by Liang Zhenming
Weathered by tumultuous ocean waves, the rocks depicted by Taiwanese artist Liang Zhenming stand as rugged forms sculpted by the mysterious force of nature. Their intricate textures, captured masterfully by Liang, appear to conceal cryptic inscriptions with hidden meanings just waiting to be deciphered by the viewer.
Inspired by ancient Chinese literati artists, Liang has practiced ink painting for over 30 years, channelling the art form’s spirit of creativity and philosophy into modern-day creations. An ardent lover of verse, Liang also emulates his most beloved poet, Li Bai, by roaming freely through mountains and rivers, at times pausing on his travels to teach the art of painting to the next generation.
To unravel the enigmatic poignancy of Liang’s artworks, let us delve deeper into his exquisite world of ink painting.
Eternal truths
Liang’s recent paintings depict arresting coastal landscapes and rock-strewn terrains. Through his expressive brushwork, the artist brings the canvas to life with his distinctive and refined style of landscape painting.
At first glance, Liang’s portrayal of mountains and reefs appears more realistic than those of traditional ink paintings. His creations are imbued with distinctive three-dimensional textures, a hallmark of Western realism. However, upon closer inspection, his paintings also convey the Chinese concept of “true portrayal” (xiezhen), which guides the artist to transcend a surface depiction of the subject to capture its timeless essence amid the passage of time.
Liang names Li Tang—a celebrated painter of the Southern Song Dynasty (1127–1279)—particularly his masterpiece, Wind in the Pines Among a Myriad Valleys, as one of his most significant creative influences.
“This painting demonstrates exceptional technique. The pine trees, streams, and nearby rocks are incredibly lifelike, yet Li Tang omits shading because he doesn’t confine the scene to a specific angle of sunlight. This painting reflects Li’s accumulated experience of constant observation, distilled into his own inner world through his interactions with nature,” Liang says.
This dynamic worldview is deeply rooted in the ancient Chinese philosophical concept of yin and yang, as illustrated in the Tai Chi diagram, which displays the perpetual interplay of black (yin) and white (yang) in harmonious equilibrium.
“The Chinese discourse on yin and yang primarily discusses their relationship and interaction not as a fixed or rigid conclusion but as something to be understood through such continuous variations. Amid life’s perpetual changes, however, there exists an unchanging essence—a universal truth waiting to be discovered, that is the Dao or the Way,” Liang says.
Through this enlightened lens, viewers can discern the timeless essence within Liang’s painted portrayal of coastal rocks and mountains, akin to those revealed in Li Tang’s Wind in the Pines Among a Myriad Valleys. That is because each brushstroke captures the raw essence of nature, reflecting Liang’s innermost sentiments materialized through his expert technique. The result is a vivid portrayal of the timeless majesty of colossal, ocean-shaped stones.
Transcending reality
Capturing and refining beauty and inner truth can often prove a long, arduous process. Liang, who is also a keen photographer, embraces this challenge wholeheartedly, often venturing onto the expansive coastline and admiring the canvas of ever-changing scenery that inspires his creative vision.
Year-round, with a camera as his faithful companion, Liang captures the spectacle unfolding across the four seasons—the azure skies stretching endlessly in the summer, the ethereal veil of winter rain, and the intricate patterns created by waves crashing against the shore.
“Sometimes I paint while looking at photographs, but I constantly remind myself not to be confined by them,” Liang says.
His creative process is intricate, marked by periods of deep introspection and contemplation of the natural landscapes he has admired. The resulting paintings depict the ocean waves and mountain boulders in a splendid and fantastical fashion.
Some works reveal a fusion of delicate and solid brushstrokes, painstakingly depicting the rugged textures of rocks. Others show a meticulous layering of ink dots, simulating the gradual formation of erosion marks on the rocks over time.
Liang’s renditions of his homeland’s shores linger like a reverie, transforming tangible scenes into ethereal visions that draw viewers into his inner world. Through his art, he invites audiences to revel in the aesthetic pleasure and divine revelation he has discovered in nature.
A time-honoured art
Liang rejuvenates traditional ink painting techniques by incorporating mineral pigments into his artworks, injecting vividness into the traditionally subdued tones of the art form.
“Eastern ink wash painting doesn’t emphasize colour or visual tension. It focuses more on lines, known as ‘xieyi,’ meaning ‘writing ideas,’” Liang says.
However, while he believes that innovation renders traditional ink paintings more attractive to contemporary audiences, he also finds it important to preserve the fundamental essence of the art form. “Traditional Chinese ink wash painting carries a unique taste and temperament that has developed over thousands of years. Preserving these time-honoured traditions is crucial, as veering away from these roots would result in a loss of the art form’s inherent beauty and essence,” Liang says.
One of the remarkable aspects of traditional ink wash painting lies in the inexhaustible variety of colours and shades available by simply using black ink. Through his mastery of subtle variations in ink density, brush pressure, and stroke techniques, Liang can conjure a boundless array of palettes, ranging from deep, velvety blacks to ethereal, translucent grays. His deft brushwork allows him to capture infinite nuances of light, shadow, and mood, infusing his artworks with an animated sense of life and emotions.
“Ink wash is a medium that’s difficult to master, requiring long periods of practice. For example, to paint a stone you may have to paint it a thousand times—even several thousand times—before you can successfully depict a perfect one. Only at that moment can you achieve the freedom to inject your own emotions into the painted stone, transforming it into a timeless vessel for expressing your inner beauty,” Liang says.
His dedication to Chinese ink wash painting, however, goes beyond his own paintings. Over his three-decade-long career, Liang has embarked on significant academic research into the art form, writing numerous papers and a book, The Truth of Ink Colours, in which he delves into the study of historical ink wash materials, such as brushes, paper, and ink sticks. Liang’s website is also replete with fascinating examples from his many years of study, in addition to insightful interactions with like-minded artists.
Of course, you don’t have to understand the specific nuances of brush and ink to appreciate the distinctive beauty of Liang’s art. Its captivating portrayals of nature resonate with the soul while its deceptive simplicity, perfected over decades of refinement, presents a universal meaning that transcends time and space.
Inspired for a Beautiful Life
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