WEI LIGANG
b. 1964, ChinaOriginally trained in mathematics and Chinese calligraphy, Wei Ligang (b. 1964 Datong City, China) has undoubtedly tapped into his analytical genius to revolutionize traditional calligraphy. Initially playing with the traditional rules and structures of classic calligraphy, Wei has since pushed past textual playfulness into a purely abstract form. He is well known for his ‘Wei squares’ formula in which individual characters are deconstructed and reformed within the boundaries of a square (or circular) shape, resulting in the abstraction of traditional forms, while maintaining their roots in Chinese culture. Recently he has been experimenting with new materials like lacquer and propylene, attempting to bridge the divide between avant-garde calligraphy and Western art forms.
A recipient of the 2005 Asian Cultural Council Fellowship for Visual Art, Wei was featured in the group show Brushes with Surprise: The Art of Calligraphy in Mode n China, British Museum, UK (2002), and solo shows China in Ink & Wash: Exhibition of Wei Ligang’s Works at the Shanghai Art Museum (2006), followed by Wei Ligang Calligraphy Art at the National Art Museum of China, Beijing (2007). Alisan has worked with Wei Ligang since 2004 and held two solo exhibitions for him (2006, 2015). We included his works in the ACC Fellows group show in 2011, Ink Asia in 2015, and three times at Art Basel Hong Kong (2013, 2015, 2018). His work is collected by British Museum, London, UK; Asian Art Museum, San Francisco, USA; San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, USA; Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Seattle, USA; Cernuschi Museum, Paris, France; Francois-Henri Pinault Family, France; National Art Museum of China and National Museum of China, Beijing, China.
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