Hailed as a pioneer of contemporary Chinese calligraphy, Wei Ligang presents Harmonious Tension, his second solo show at Gajah Gallery Singapore.

A former student of both mathematics and Chinese calligraphy, Wei melds the traditional forms with abstraction, giving rise to a unique style that is both structured and spontaneous, ancient and contemporary.

Featuring 18 new paintings, these works reveal Wei's latest experimentations with his signature motifs: constantly deconstructing and reconstructing Chinese characters, abstracting their forms as they evolve into organic, amorphous shapes. Some hint at traditional script-forms, containing the character's strokes, lines and structural elements; some erase the characters completely, transforming them into irregular circles outlined in gold. In others, natural imagery faintly appear, before being fused into bold and wild black strokes.

Gold acrylic paint recurs throughout his works, juxtaposing the black ink of the characters. While acrylic is unconventional in the calligraphic practice, the intruding medium infuses freshness and vibrancy into a tradition dating back thousands of years.

Wei's contemplative abstract paintings strike a delicate balance between chaos and calm. His paintings explore a conceptual examination of the structure of Chinese characters, placing emphasis on the strokes and ink expression of the characters as opposed to the representative aspect of the words themselves - celebrating the tensions and imperfections that often emerge on the path to harmony.

Marrying rhythmic, abstract shapes with the unrestrained, emotive strokes of traditional calligraphy, Wei creates an atmosphere that is both one of thoughtful calculation and deep individual expression.

Wei's works have been collected by prestigious museums across the world, including the British Museum, London; the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston; and the National Art Museum of China, Beijing. Furthermore, he has participated in exhibitions at the Royal Museum of Fine Arts of Belgium, Brussels; and the Zhi Art Museum, Chengdu.

Press release courtesy Gajah Gallery.