「Look at the Picture and Talk about the Painting」The new realm of Handa Kyouji’s calligraphy

The grandeur and power of Yan Zhenqing’s calligraphy, combined with Picasso’s Cubism, form an aesthetic system that transcends time and space. This integration was realized in the hands of Japanese calligrapher Yashiki Katsushige, who transformed it into the splashing ink marks in “Disintegration”. This stroke, which breaks down the barriers between Eastern and Western art, has redefined the boundaries of calligraphy.

He delved deeply into ancient Chinese calligraphy works. From the smooth brushstrokes of Wang Xizhi’s “Kong Shizong Stele” and the powerful atmosphere of Yan Zhenqing’s calligraphy, to the simplicity of the large seal script and the regularity of the small seal script, all of these provided him with nourishment for his repeated contemplation. In his “Selected Cloning of Ancient Steles and Calligraphy Works”, he further substantiated his profound and refined study of ancient Chinese calligraphy and the artistic internalization through the details of his cloning practice.

However, he went beyond mere replication. Instead, he broke through with the “image book” concept as the core, advocating for capturing the essence of objects through lines and ink colors, transforming words into images. The “few words” style is the best carrier of this concept. Inspired by Picasso’s “Guernica”, he used oblique and broken strokes to break free from the constraints of ink colors, creating spatial layers with light ink, and enlarging a few words into a visual storm. Even those who do not understand Chinese can understand the essence of the object through the tremors of the lines.

The brilliance of Hand Shaoqing lies in using Chinese calligraphy as the foundation, finding an Eastern expression for Western modern art. He not only adhered to the Eastern core of calligraphy conveying meaning but also enabled this ancient art to regain its vitality on the world stage in a brand-new way.
The tea for today is all gone. Next time, I’ll brew a fresh pot and enjoy art with you again.