At the end of the 1970s, a classically trained Chinese painter, Qiu Deshu, being inspired by the traversing cracks on an aged stone slate pioneered a highly experimental and distinctive approach to the traditional art of Chinese ink. With his profound knowledge of traditional painting and paper mounting techniques, he pushed the expressive power of the xuan paper to an exceptional height, changing the media’s traditionally passive and subsidiary status. By tearing, carving and rubbing, Qiu Deshu creates irregular tears and feathering of the paper that will later bear different color schemes and shapes to suggest landscapes evocative in traditional Chinese paintings.

In Untitled, Qiu Deshu returns to his roots in classical Chinese ink painting. The brushstrokes move forcefully against the stark white background, capturing both vitality and tranquility. Qiu Deshu’s excellent control of the brush shines through from the varying thickness, intensity and curvature of these lines, reminiscent of the rhythm and aesthetic often seen in Chinese calligraphy. Despite the lack of any literal meaning, Qiu Deshu utilizes the brush to convey a visual effect of freshness and simplicity.