Calligraphy 1978

Ding Yanyong made this calligraphy, probably with ink on paper, and who knows when? I really like the way he has created this work with a sense of freedom. Look at the dark ink and the way he allowed it to freely move across the surface. I like how the marks have a life of their own, almost as if each character is dancing on the paper. You can really see his spirit in the gestures, it is an extension of him. He’s really working with the push and pull of control and chance. I think back to other calligraphic works, especially the abstract expressionist painters, and it becomes clear that artists are always responding to one another, always echoing and building upon the past. This piece is not just an isolated creation, but one part of a very long conversation. What Ding Yanyong has created here is a space of endless possibilities. There are no mistakes, only openings.