"Ink Flux" - 7 Narratives of Contemporary Chinese Ink

Bluerider ART London • Mayfair proudly presents “Ink Flux”— 7 Narratives of Contemporary Chinese Ink, opening 27 March 2026. Bringing together seven rising contemporary Chinese ink artists from China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan.

Chinese Ink art, as a crucial visual carrier of Eastern aesthetics, is founded upon dual dimensions. First, material: a medium system comprising brush, ink, paper, and water. Through variations in density, moisture, bleeding, and negative space, it generates rich layers that embody the subtle nuances known as “five colours of ink” Second, aesthetic and philosophical: rather than centring on single-point perspective and chiaroscuro, it employs shifting perspectives and the cultivation of spirit resonance to construct a spiritual space between the tangible and the intangible. This responds to core aesthetic principles such as “spirit resonance and vital motion” from the Six Principles of Chinese Painting, and the philosophy of “knowing the black, keeping the white.” To comprehend the unique context of Chinese ink art, one must recognise the differences in its spatial construction and material logic compared to the Western painting tradition. Since the Renaissance, Western classical painting has developed linear perspective and chiaroscuro, emphasising visual representation and spatial volume. Chinese ink art, conversely, has developed a multi-perspective structure and the “Three Distances” (high, deep, and level distances), guiding viewers to wander through the composition and creating an immersive experience where one can “journey and dwell.” Furthermore, while oil paint allows for layering and repeated corrections, the bleeding and irreversibility of ink on Xuan paper highly depend on the momentary control of brushwork and breath. This characteristic of pursuing boundless realms with limited brushstrokes constitutes the spiritual core of Chinese aesthetics: valuing the spirit over physical resemblance. Tracing the evolution of Chinese ink art, a grand and comprehensive system of landscape painting gradually formed from the 10th to 12th centuries (Five Dynasties to Northern Song). By the 10th to 13th centuries (Song Dynasty), a landscape emerged in which meticulous court painting (gongbi) and literati ink wash developed in parallel. Between the 13th and 20th centuries (Yuan, Ming, and Qing Dynasties), the literati tradition further amplified the painterliness and subjective spirit of the brushwork, elevating landscape painting from natural representation to a profound integration of inner expression and cultural symbolism. Chinese Ink subjects (landscapes, bird-and-flower, figures) and ink techniques (xieyi, gongbi) have carried the transformations of cultural politics and spiritual cultivation across different historical epochs. Entering the 20th century, particularly driven by globalisation and cross-media experimentation, Chinese ink art gradually shifted from the inheritance of technique to a re-evaluation of the medium itself and cultural identity. Contemporary artists view ink art not only as a traditional technik but as a cultural language and conceptual medium. Through material deconstruction and cross-disciplinary fusion, they respond to contemporary issues including the urban experience, individual anxiety, and identity, seeking new narrative structures situated between continuation and transformation. Ink Flux unfolds within this context of fluidity and transformation. Seven artists approach Chinese ink art from distinct angles—medium, gongbi, landscapes, figures, bird-and-flower, and brushwork—establishing a dialogue between historical context and contemporary experience to experiment, explore, and present the multifaceted possibilities of Chinese ink art in the present day. • Dai Junpeng (China, b.1996): Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts MA. Continues the dialectical spirit of the tangible and intangible in landscape painting, responding to contemporary viewing with an aura of “emptiness” and “elegance” , seeking balance between subjective brushwork and natural imagery. • Dai Yinglun （China, b. 1987): Lu Xun Academy of Fine Arts Chinese Painting MA. Employs a scattered, flattened style depicting the myriad states of life. Transcending a binary perspective, he illustrates a dual observation of both the collective and the individual, establishing a lively and vibrant visual language. • Eunice Cheung Wai Man (HK, b.1986): Chinese University of Hong Kong, MA. With meticulous gongbi, she depicts an anthropomorphic, hyper-realistic aesthetic of birds, flowers, and animals, emphasising animal protection and a creative philosophy that respects all living things. • Li Liangchen（China, b. 1997): Central Academy of Fine Arts Art History and Theory, MA in Fine Arts and Calligraphy from the Chinese National Academy of Arts, where he is currently pursuing a doctoral degree. Uses blue-and-green as a landscape filter, combining text collage and fragmented symbols. Situated between classical motifs and modern narratives, he offers a multi-layered viewing experience inviting the viewer to wander and dwell. • Tseng Ting Yu（Taiwan, b.1983 ): Ph.D. from the Graduate Institute of Fine Arts at National Taiwan Normal University. Researches “ink art that departs from ink" painting, deconstructing the ways brush, ink, paper, and inkstone are perceived, while exploring the profound connections between “the self,” “ink,” and “the land.” • Wu Huaheng（China, b.1988) : BA from the Academy of Fine Arts at Hunan Normal University. Delves deep into the material properties of ink and paper. With a stark contrast between “extreme black” and “hard-edged white,” he constructs a unique visual language that challenges the traditional boundaries of brush and ink. • Ying Yefu (China, b. 1985) : China Academy of Art in Visual Communication Design, BA. Applies traditional gongbi line drawing with a slightly raw, single-line flat-fill style to figure painting—a new practice that renders the composition bizarre yet imbued with dramatic tension. The seven artists in Ink Flux demonstrate that Chinese ink art not only carries the weight of history but also possesses the capacity for continuous fluidity and self-transformation. At the intersection of historical depth and contemporary consciousness, Chinese ink art remains an aesthetic and cultural narrative still in the process of becoming. Participating artists: Dai Junpeng Dai Yinglun Eunice Cheung Wai Man Li Liangchen Tseng Ting Yu Wu Huaheng Ying Yefu

What to expect:
Painting