Invented by Xu Bing between 1994 and 1996, “‘Square word calligraphy’ [puts] two kinds of totally different languages together” by transforming the English alphabet into components of Chinese characters.Guile, Carolyn. “Xu Bing in his own words,” in Carolyn Guile ed., Reading Space: The Art of Xu Bing. Hamilton: Colgate University, 2009: 55-63, 57. The conception of this project follows his Book from the Sky (1987-91), which consists of traditionally printed books and scrolls filled with illegible characters, and precedes his Book from the Ground (2003-present), whereby he composes a narrative using only existing signs, logos, and symbols of contemporary life. From composing texts that no one can read, to texts that only some can read, and finally to texts that everyone can read, Xu Bing has challenged and questioned the authority of words in this series of stimulating and thought-provoking projects. In the process, Xu has created “words without meaning, meaning without words.”For a monographic study of Xu Bing, see Britta Erickson, The Art of Xu Bing: Words without meaning, meaning without words. Washington, D.C.: Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, 2001. While trained as a print artist—with a sensitive eye and preference for the tactile—Xu Bing’s intellectual exploration of contemporary issues is always grounded in visual forms and aesthetics. This couplet which he created in 2009 is a case in point.

Although “square word calligraphy” was a project initiated in the mid-1990s, the fact that it is a “script” has allowed Xu Bing to use it continually to express his thoughts and to frame famous texts as works of art. Xu does not merely see the “script” as a tool, however, because he is also concerned about how it looks. He once wrote to Michael Sullivan, the doyen of modern Chinese art, asking for his opinion on the “square word calligraphy.” Sullivan responded that this playful invention could be made more compelling if the brushwork were more closely aligned with classical calligraphy.This correspondence occurred around 2003 or 2004, when I was Sullivan’s research assistant. Since then, Xu Bing appears to have paid more attention to his own brushwork and to the content as well. Compared to earlier works such as An Introduction to Square Word Calligraphy (1994-96) and Quotations from Chairman Mao (2001), the Seattle couplet (2009) features characters that are more angular, with subtle variations in the thickness of strokes. This attempt to make his script more calligraphic also attests to Xu’s respect and admiration for classical calligraphy.Indeed, one of his latest works, an animated video titled The Character of Characters (2012), which is shown in conjunction with the exhibition Out of Character: Decoding Chinese Calligraphy at the Asian Art Museum (October 5, 2012-January 13, 2013), is partly inspired by Zhao Mengfu’s (1254–1322) copy of the Lotus Sutra. The content of the Seattle couplet—learning from the past, moving forward in time—testifies to his improvement as a calligrapher.

On this note, the content of the couplet and the context of its creation will benefit from an explanation. When Director Emerita Mimi Gates retired from the Seattle Art Museum in 2009, I asked Xu Bing if he would consider donating an artwork in her honor. Admiring Gates’ achievement and contribution, Xu Bing graciously agreed to present a “square word calligraphy” that would complement another calligraphy—Zhang Daqian’s (1899–1983) yi gu wei tu以古為徒 —which he believed to be in the collection of the Seattle Art Museum. However, that was not the case, although the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, does have a calligraphic banner, Yu Gu Wei tu 與古為徒by Wu Changshi 吳昌碩 (1844–1927). While Xu Bing mistakenly thought it was in Seattle's collection, his intent directed my thoughts to his “square word calligraphy” and the couplet format. Since building connections to the past is central to the mission of museums, I took Wu Changshi’s calligraphy as a basis for the couplet, and composed Learning from the Past, Moving forward in Time. Xu Bing readily agreed to the content, and completed the work in summer 2009. In addition to bridging past and present, this work is also a vivid reminder that classical Chinese aesthetics—brushwork and the couplet format —are not necessarily at odds with contemporary experience.

© 2013 by the Seattle Art Museum