This is the fourth installment of the Vox Lacunae artist interview series. Vox Lacunae features work by Sobia Ahmad, Sera Boeno, Marta Gutierrez, Nilou Kazemzadeh, Jason Kuo, Kim Llerena, and Yuli Wang.

Artists Jason Kuo and Yuli Wang | Exhibiting in Vox Lacunae from July 18th to August 22nd, 2018 at The Stamp Gallery | University of Maryland, College Park | Interview by Cristy Ho

I’d like to start by asking some basic questions. Where are you from? Where have you studied? What do you do?

Jason Kuo: I’m from China. I got my bachelors from Tianjin Academy of Fine Arts. I went to graduate school at Central Academy of Fine Arts in Beijing. I’m part of the faculty at SLLC and I teach Chinese language and traditional art, such as calligraphy and painting.

How do you two know each other? Have you collaborated on anything before?

Jason Kuo: We’re colleagues (Jason Kuo and Yuli Wang are both faculty members at the University of Maryland). Yes we have, we’ve collaborated on Shanghai visual arts research.

The Vox Lacunae exhibition explores the connection between language and visual art in various cultures. Could you elaborate on how these two things are intertwined in Chinese culture?

Jason Kuo: In Chinese calligraphy, language and aesthetics are both important. From ancient times, there have been many changes to the script. The earliest form of the language is pictography, which is more similar to visual art. Writing calligraphy and painting both use the same brushes so the lines and strokes are basic elemental forms in the culture. In Chinese culture, the people think painting and calligraphy constitute one entity.

 

Now, I’d like to discuss Lotus. There is such a beautiful use of positive and negative space. I love how delicately the leaves in this painting are angled, and I love how elegantly the flowers in this painting flow upwards, representing growth. Is there a particular reason why you were drawn to painting this plant? 

Yuli Wang: I wanted to explore vertical composition of the plant and more importantly to highlight the beauty of the brushstroke lines. The lotus plant has big leaves and colorful flowers, so the visual effect of the dot-line-plane aesthetics can be experienced.

Lotus looks modern, while also being very reminiscent of old traditional Chinese art. How does your painting style compare to the typical traditional painting style in regards to the techniques and materials that you used?  

Yuli Wang: Good point. The lotus I painted has a traditional feeling but is different from traditional because of the materials used. Traditional Chinese painting uses rice paper or silk or dried leaves, but I used fabric and didn’t use traditional brushes but fabric marker. So in this piece, I used modern techniques and tools with traditional intentions to connect the traditional and modern in a practical way. It’s also more suited for modern aesthetics needs.

The materials you used here also seem to complement the idea behind this painting. The semi-sheer fabric background allows light to shine through, emphasizing the greens and blues you painted. Could you explain the significance of light in this artwork and how it may relate to Buddhist concepts? 

Yuli Wang: There is no connection to Buddhist concepts. I didn’t think of religion when I was painting this. I just liked the intrinsic beauty of lotuses. In this Chinese calligraphy-based art, there exists traditional influences and more importantly, I have added Western style techniques regarding color. Different layers create different colors, through which dynamic variations of colors can be observed. At different times in the day, the sun can cast different colors through the painting. This is my style.

Now I’d like to discuss the materials used to create the calligraphy piece Buran/No Pollution. Is there a reason you used a fox hair brush as opposed to other types of brushes? Is there also a reason why you chose to paint on red paper? 

Jason Kuo: Buran is speaking about a state of purity rather than no pollution. It is a purity of spirit, the purity and simplicity that is sought after. There are different brushes for different purposes. It’s the calligrapher’s choice of what to use. It’s also related to which script is being written. Some scripts require specific bushes. Black on red is traditional Chinese style.

 There are many ways to write both of the characters in this piece, and you chose just one expression of “buran”. Is there a reason why you chose this one expression above the other ones?

Jason Kuo: The two characters bu ran  are taken from a classical Chinese phrase chu wu ni er bu ran, meaning “emerging unstained from the filth” and referring to the potential for spiritual rebirth in Chinese and Buddhist philosophy.

What artworks, artists, or calligraphers would you recommend to someone who is new to Chinese culture?

Yuli Wang: For calligraphy, I would recommend Wang Xi Zhi, Yan Zhen Qing, Liu Gong Quan. For artists, I recommend (Zhu Da) pseudonym Ba Da Shan Ren and Xu Wei. For artists, Zhu Da’s bird and fish, Xu Wei’s ink grapes.

Lastly, are there any paintings or calligraphy pieces you are currently working on?

Yuli Wang: Yes, I have painted lilies and ducks as well as different lotuses and birds and peonies.

Jason Kuo’s and Yuli Wang’s works are included in Vox Lacunae at The Stamp Gallery of the University of Maryland, College Park, from July 18th to August 22nd, 2018.

For more information on Vox Lacunae and related events, visit thestamp.umd.edu/stamp_gallery.