IS Gallery & Asian Heritage Month Toronto present

Calligraphy-ism: Exhibition and Symposium

A multi-perspective exploration of the art and culture of Chinese
calligraphy in the contemporary world

May 11- May 16, 2008

Cedar Ridge Creative Centre
225 Confederation Drive
Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Phone: 416-396-4026
Hours: Monday to Thursday: 9AM-9PM; Friday: 9AM-4 PM.

Opening, symposium and performance: Sunday, May 11, 1:00-4:00 PM

Curated by Henry Ho and Doris Sung

Artists Toronto: Tien Chang, David Cheung, Sharon Cook, William C. Fahn,
Henry Ho, John Koo, Houston Lok, Peng Ma, Ted Rettig / China: Chen Wei,
Chui Pui-chee, Eric Leung Shiu-kee, Paul Wong, Wang Da-chuan

Calligraphy-ism is the first exhibition of its kind in Canada. The art
show and symposium bring together traditional and contemporary works that
explore the concepts and elements of Chinese calligraphy. Works in the
exhibition consist of traditional calligraphy, conceptual calligraphic
art, installation and performance. Showcasing works by artists in Toronto
and China, this event is a multi-perspective, intercultural forum that
aims to introduce the creative approaches of Chinese calligraphy to the
Canadian art world.

In the exhibition, works of traditional calligraphy will be shown
alongside those that defy the aesthetic, cultural and social boundaries of
the calligraphic artform and practice. While the works by Houston Lok and
William Fahn best exemplify the essence of traditional Chinese literary
culture, Sharon Cook questions the literary function of calligraphy in her
interactive installation. Cook explores the cognitive power of words and
non-words through experimenting with the transformative states of ice,
water and ink. Through contemplating the work of an 11th Century Buddhist
poet and calligrapher, Johnny Koo creates an installation to interpret the
meditative quality of calligraphy in the 21st Century. Although David
Cheung and Paul Wong's writings may seem offensive and nonsensical, the
works play with the subversive power of calligraphic practice in public
space. Henry Ho's outdoor installation of calligraphic inscriptions on
long rolls of paper further questions the sign systems of Chinese writing.
The 14 artists bring to this exhibition their unique interpretations of
the rich tradition of calligraphy in Chinese culture.

The symposium aims to create an opportunity to inform and engage the
artists, scholars and audience in dialogues on the aesthetic and
philosophical concepts in Chinese calligraphy. Among the panelists of the
symposium will be Professor Jay Goulding (York University), who will talk
about the practice of calligraphy in relations to Chinese mind and body
theory; independent scholar Dr. Lien Chao will discuss the connection
between calligraphy and abstract painting. Also at the opening, Henry Ho
and Houston Lok will collaborate on an interactive performance based on
the somatic nature of calligraphy.

For more information, please go to http://www.dorissung.com/shufa

Contact: Doris Sung shufashugmail.com

--
Doris Ha-Lin Sung
Artist - http://www.dorissung.com
PhD candidate, Social and Political Thought, York University
http://www.yorku.ca/spt