Drawing Dialogue in Seoul: Four Gentlemen

Mia Liu

This work is not only the installation of a long hanging scroll (940 x 55 cm) but also the

continuation of Dialogue among Bamboos – Drawing with Liu Liang, Ling-Fang (my late

grandmother) in 2014 and the Dialogue Series: Kyoto in 2016.

At the end of 2018, I had been participating in an artist-in-residence programme for two

months in Seoul. During my residency, I visited the flea markets of every kind, big and small,

and eventually bought 10-odd ink and wash paintings that I was particularly fond of. These

paintings were “processed” in pencil after I brought back to my studio. Range upon range of

pencil drawings were delicately blended with the shades of the existing ink, so that the

rhythm of geometric lines added in pencil and the choppy flow of black ink scattered up and

down could create an interesting landscape, both abstract and figurative, freehand and

realistic. The Eastern and Western techniques and the different materials existing individually

are seemingly not related to each other but quite naturally combined together.

From these ink and wash paintings purchased in the flea markets, I specially select eight

works signed by an unknown painter named Dao Tian. Among the eight, there are four works

on the respective themes of Plum Blossom, Orchid, Bamboo, and Chrysanthemum (i.e. the

Four Gentlemen). They were originally supposed to be mounted separately, but I decide to

rearrange and mount them onto a 940-cm-long scroll. This is the first time I have tried to

mount my work in the Chinese way in hopes of going deeper into the artistic world of Eastern

painting and calligraphy. For this work, the Four Gentlemen are arranged in pairs as Plum

Blossom is collocated with Orchid and Bamboo with Chrysanthemum. Both pairs are

mounted towards the heart of the scroll, which deliberately breaks the timeline of reading the

scroll and the direction of displaying the work. Generally speaking, the scrolls are suspended

vertically or unfolded horizontally. Unlike such traditional way, however, this work is hung

up in the air. By so doing, it is hoped that the work can be read from multiple perspectives and

different directions.

Moreover, I was accidentally aware that the fabrics used for mounting painting and

calligraphy are actually derived from clothing cultures of the times after having long been

collaborating with Lin Huan-Shen Conservation Company. As I hope to use the modern and

fashionable geometric pattern fabrics for the mounting of this work, I often strolled around

the Dongdaemun Market to get the various patterns of fabric during my residency in Seoul.

The large area of mounting fabric is displaced to the back of the work; through the calculated

layers of traditional mulberry paper, the fabric patterns which are like watermarks just slightly

reveal alongside of the ink. The front of the work remains the simplicity of black and grey

between pencil and ink. When the entire piece is bent and hung in the white exhibition space,

the ink and pencil drawings in the front and the patterns of mounting fabric in the back can be

viewed as a whole, and furthermore it creates a visual delight of the third dimension for this

work.

In the course of making this work, I was full of curiosity about Dao Tian (the painter) as I had

wondered what kind of person he would be, what kind of life he might live, and what kind of

situation it could be when he made these paintings. Such questions on my mind further led me

to hope that this work could be linked up with the visual culture of everyday life in today’s

Korea. At length, I boldly collaged the various patterns of black nylon mesh fabric I bought in

the Dongdaemun Market and stuck them on the paintings of this work, which creates the

effect very similar to the screentone in the comics. Besides a dialogue between Dao Tian’s ink

and wash paintings and pencil drawings, the added collage of ready-made objects produces a

visual effect which is different from drawing but close to the image comprised of screentones

and forms a more harmonious relationship with the gradient ink.

The whole work is like a witness to my two-month residency in Seoul. Because of Mr. Dao,

pop culture of clothing in the Dongdaemun Market, and those experiences I gained during my

residency, my Dialogue Series reaches a richer visual state. For me, it also opens up a broader

path through artistic creation.

Finding the old ink paintings at the flea market, Seoul.

Finding the old ink paintings at the flea market, Seoul.

Finding the old ink paintings at the flea market, Seoul. Finding the mounting fabric from the biggest fashion market in Asia “The

Dongdaemun Fabric Market”, Seoul.

The fabric samples from the Dongdaemun Fabric market, Seoul.

Arranging the old ink paintings from the flea market.

The old ink paintings after mounting and repairing by the professions.

Trying to match the modern fabric with the ink painting as mounting Trying to collage the fish mesh fabric on top of the ink painting which

fabric. makes a comic drawing effect.

The studio during my artists in residency in Seoul.

Finally selecting the black and white geometric fabric as the mounting The drawing process of the work “Drawing Dialogue in Seoul: Four

fabric for the work “Drawing Dialogue in Seoul: Four Gentlemen”. Gentlemen” in the studio, Taipei.

The note for the mounting design of the work “Drawing Dialogue in Seoul: Four Gentlemen”.

Trying to hang the work “Drawing Dialogue in Seoul: Four Gentlemen” up in the studio.

The mounting fabric of the work “Drawing Dialogue in Seoul: Four The design layout of the wooden box for the work “Drawing Dialogue

Gentlemen” on the board is waiting for dry. in Seoul: Four Gentlemen”.

The documentation of the mounting process in the Lin Huan-Shen Conservation Company.

Storging the work with the protect wooden box which is called Futomaki.

The experiment of the hanging hook which is linked to hanging The silk ribbon is to tie the work and wooden stick up.

wooden stick.

The documentation of the mounting process in the Lin Huan-Shen Conservation Company.

The process of installing the work “Drawing Dialogue in Seoul: Four Gentlemen” in the studio.

The process of installing the work “Drawing Dialogue in Seoul: Four Gentlemen” in the studio.

Custom-made wooden box for the work “Drawing Dialogue in Seoul: Four Gentlemen”.

Custom-made wooden box for the work “Drawing Dialogue in Seoul: Four Gentlemen”.

The work “Drawing Dialogue in Seoul: Four Gentlemen” is installed at the OCI Museum, Seoul.