Wang Dongling 王冬龄, one of China’s most highly regarded contemporary ink painters, will demonstrate his luan shu (“chaotic script”) calligraphy in a special event in the Calderwood Courtyard. In this energetic performance, he will draw upon ancient texts and brush-painting traditions to create a large gestural work focused on the exalted West Lake poems of Su Dongpo (1037–1101). Located in Hangzhou, West Lake has served as a source of inspiration for generations of poets, scholars, and artists, including Wang.

Wang Dongling is professor of calligraphy and director of the Modern Calligraphy Research Center at the China Academy of Art, Hangzhou. He has held three solo exhibitions at the National Art Museum of China, and his work has been exhibited and acquired internationally. Like many artists of his generation, Wang’s education was interrupted by the Cultural Revolution (1966–76), but working outside the constraints of conventional art schools granted him the freedom to explore novel techniques. He returned to his studies in the late 1970s, incorporating foreign approaches into his work throughout the 1980s and 1990s.

The Harvard Art Museums offer free admission every day, Tuesday through Sunday. Please see the museum visit page to learn about our general policies for visiting the museums.

This program is made possible in part through the support of Shining (Christina) Sun.