Orchids 1922

This hanging scroll, Orchids, by Zhang Yujian, was made sometime after 1736 using ink on paper. There's something so bold about using just black and white to capture the delicacy of orchids. It's like he's saying, "I don't need a million colors to show you beauty." The way he uses the ink, it's not just about what he paints but how he paints it. Look at the strokes, how they dance and curve. There’s one particular curve where the orchid’s stem meets the rock; it's as if he's let the ink breathe, allowing it to pool and create a moment of depth that draws you in. It reminds me of calligraphy, where each stroke is a little performance. The negative space is just as important as the inked parts, creating a kind of visual rhythm. This piece makes me think of Franz Kline, but with a Chinese whisper. You know? Like a conversation across time, about energy and form. I find a lot of room for my own ideas in the work.