Liang Jing's 'Black Void' Series

The Artist’s Statement  (written by Liang Jing [梁靜])

The Black Void Series [黑空系列]

When I close my eyes, I see black. Then, I dissect the black. I search my inner core of being, for the most profound truth, and for the impenetrable black, which is darker than any black. My paintings here are works-in-process, mere steps towards the completion of my journey.

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written by Natalia S Y Fang 

The Black Void Series (2016-2017) are the latest works of the Chinese artist Liang Jing’s (1959-  ), marking the continuity of several stages of his art for the past years during which he has created distinguished series, including Existence, Solo, Dream, Distance, Colour, Freedom, and space (in chronological order). These demonstrate the progress of his aesthetic evolution from semi-figurative to abstract paintings. 

The Black Void Series is group of works whose compositions are arranged in criss-cross, interlocked, overlapped, explosive, and orderly or chaotic patterns. Their blackness and abstraction may be reminders of Malevich Kazimir’s four variants of Black Square (from 1915 to the early 1930s) and of Rothko’s ‘Black-Form’ and ‘Black and Gray’ paintings (from the 1960s onwards) — both show the significance of rendering pictorial abstraction and spiritual feelings. Malevich’s Black Square is arguably referred to as one of the seminal works embarking on the beginning of modern art and abstract art in the Western painterly tradition. How about Rothko’s? They seemingly emanate spiritual luminosity, but are tragically contradicted by the sense that, ultimately, transcendence becomes impossible — and make his darkness indicate a closed form instead of a door into infinite space (‘a kind of unopened gate’ as perceived by the German art historian Werner Haftmann [1912-1999]). Seeing Rothko’s paradoxical state, Liang, in the line of progressing abstract art, constantly questions: ’What is modern art?’ Departing from Rothko’s works that he once admired, Liang’s patterned forms are charged with mythical symbolism and offer an enlightened context like an open gate, inviting more possibilities.             

 

Malevich Kazimir’s Black Square

Rothko’s ‘Black-Form’ 

German art historian Werner Haftmann [1912-1999]

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