An examination of the innovations in calligraphic art, the exhibition Line, Form, Qi: Calligraphic Art from the Fondation INK Collection highlights experimental works of modern and contemporary calligraphic art. Combining the written word with graphic script, this art form has a millennia-long history in East Asia, originating in the Shang dynasty (circa 1600–1050 BCE). Today, artists engaging with this history are part of an international contemporary scene where calligraphic practice is thoroughly intermixed with avant-garde art.
Featured in the exhibition is Taiwanese contemporary artist Yahon Chang, who brings together traditional Chinese ink-wash painting and Western forms of artistic expression to produce a synthesis of East and West. Typically standing on large sheets of linen cloth or xuan paper and wielding a brush almost as long as he is tall, Chang creates works imbued with performative energy characterized by large, sweeping brushstrokes.
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To mark the opening of Line, Form, Qi on Sunday, April 6, Chang will be at LACMA for Hiding Place, a live performance in which he will be accompanied by classical pianist Steven Lin. It will address the impact of the L.A. fires, aiming to provide a space for reflection, safety, and spiritual rejuvenation through art. After the performance, Chang will join the exhibition’s co-curator Susanna Ferrell, Wynn Resorts Associate Curator of Chinese Art at LACMA, to discuss the work he creates that day as well as his work in the exhibition.
RSVP for Running Lines: A Calligraphy Demonstration by Yahon Changon on Sunday, April 6, at 2 pm. Line, Form, Qi: Calligraphic Art from the Fondation INK Collection will be on view through October 19, 2025, in the Resnick Pavilion.