Both Jinwei and Bak Chiang have had years of training in Chinese ink painting. Absorbing the essence of traditional Chinese ink painting, they have been exploring technical innovation and seeking new interpretations to address contemporary sensibilities and aesthetics.

While the singularity of the artists’ works are visually apparent and demonstrates the depth and diversity of the possibilities in contemporary Chinese ink, It is also interesting to observe the aspects of universality in their works, despite their different backgrounds and age. This universality, whether deliberate or sub-consciously embedded in the artists’ works are the common denominator that links the contemporary ink movement back to the philosophy behind Chinese ink painting.

Like a language that connects people, the universality in Chinese ink painting empowers the ability to communicate across geographies, cultures and different generations of people. The beauty of the language, whether linguistic or this case visual, is also the capacity to accommodate individual idiosyncrasies of time and place that so often are the elements that define character and personality. The dialogues between the universal and individual, artist and audience, past and present, are the basis of the “Ink Dialogues – contemporary ink works” exhibition at Art Projects Gallery.