Tang Qishan: The Vision of a Sino-Western Synthesis

Text by WangYong (Researcher, Chinese National Academy of Arts)

Tang Qishan, a contemporary Hunan painter, is a visiting scholar at the "Wang Yong   TutorStudio" of the   China National Academy of Painting, where he has studiedmodern   Eastern and Western art theory under my guidance. While pursuing hisstudies, he continues his artistic practice, often traveling overnight by trainbetween Changsha and Beijing to save time, arriving early the next morning forsessions at the Academy or my home—his dedication is   truly moving.   Tang frequently consults me on the oretical questions in art and shares his   new works promptly for feedback. I am delighted to learn of his upcoming solo exhibition at   the Guangdong Museum of Art and extend my heartfelt congratulations.

Tang Qishan isan artist stead fastly committed to his path, continuously exploring and pursuing excellence. He practiced   calligraphy from childhood and developed a deep passion   for traditional Chinese art. In eighth grade, he attended a summerprogram taught by fine arts faculty from Hengyang Normal University,systematically studying Western drawing, color theory, and sketching. Duringhigh school, he held the "Tang Qishan Solo Painting and CalligraphyExhibition" in Qidong, Hunan. After university, he worked in sales atAusnutria Dairy, yet the flame of art within him never died. At the end of2018, he resolutely transitioned into the cultural arts sector. In 2023, hebecame a recommended artist of the Guangzhou Art Fair. He also holds a Master'sdegree in Cultural and Arts Management from a Swiss business school, aspiringto contribute to the global promotion of Chinese culture.

Tang Qishan'scontemporary art embodies both the forms of Western modern art and the essenceof traditional Chinese culture. His studies in France, Germany, Russia,Switzerland, the Netherlands, Belgium, and Southeast Asia have broadened hisinternational artistic perspective. His lifelong practice of Chinesecalligraphy has deeply rooted traditional culture within him. When he creates,elements of Eastern and Western art converge naturally—not as forced juxtapositions, but as genuine fusion. The concise, sublime aesthetic structureof Western art merges with the subtle, profound artistic conception of Chineseart, forming his unique artistic language and weaving a dream of East-Westintegration within his works.

The upcoming exhibition at the Guangdong Museum of Art will feature Tang Qishan's Forest Memory, Water Lilies, and Oracle Bone Script · Symbols series.

Tang Qishan's Forest Memory Series

Tang Qishan's Forest Memory Series

Forest MemorySeries: An Ode to the Cycle of Life

The inspirationfor the Forest Memory series originates from the boundless mountain wilds ofTang's hometown and the unnamed saplings covering the hills. These trees witherand flourish with each passing year, their resilient lives cycling endlesslythrough time. As Tang Qishan expressed: "They are rooted in the earth,keeping watch over the long passage of time. Even when winter cloaks them in iceand snow, the spark of life never extinguishes beneath the desolate surface,awaiting only the breath of spring to sprout anew." He draws inspirationfrom the ceaseless rhythm of life and death in these unnamed trees.

The brushworkand lines in his Forest Memory series are said to derive from childhoodmemories and ancient Chinese tradition. As a child, he was inspired by hisfather—then a carpenter—using an ink marker. Tang transformed this"carpenter’s ink line" into the long strokes in his paintings, whilethe shorter lines incorporate the character of oracle bone script strokes hepracticed in calligraphy. To convey strength and resilience in these lines, hechose to apply them with a painting knife. Viewing the Forest Memory series,one can directly feel how the knife-rendered lines express power and tenacitywith remarkable clarity. He recounts: "When I move the knife across thecanvas, I lose awareness of painting itself. I enter a pure, etherealstate—much like a carpenter intently snapping his ink line, or like our ancientancestors in the Stone Age, using sharp stones to diligently record significantevents on tortoise shells or animal bones, stroke by stroke."

The firm,powerful lines in his Forest Memory series benefit from over twenty years ofcalligraphy practice. In the diverse world of contemporary art, where"drip painting," "pointillism," and "curvilinearpainting" abound, he has charted his own path by choosing straight-linepainting. While seemingly simple and direct, lacking the subtlety of windingpaths, the great way is often simple. Each stark, straight line contains hisdistinctive insight into the world and his restrained expression of emotion.Unwilling to follow trends, he aims to carve out his own territory on the mapof contemporary art.

Tang Qishan's Water Lilies Series

Tang Qishan's Water Lilies Series

Water Lilies Series: The Ethereal Poetry of East-West Synthesis

Since theImpressionist Monet painted water lilies, few artists have attempted thissubject, as it is challenging to innovate upon. Tang Qishan's Water Liliesseries boldly pursues a breakthrough from traditional paradigms. Initially, headhered to minimalist principles, using simple lines and strokes to outlineforms, eschewing complexity to achieve a fresh, pure visual effect. Then, heskillfully incorporated the negative space technique of Chinese painting,instantly infusing the works with a lively, expansive spirit. The layout oflily pads, water grasses, and duckweed is balanced and rhythmically varied; theempty spaces act like windows to infinite imagination, enveloping the entirepainting in an ethereal, tranquil poetic atmosphere.

The centralelement—the lily pads—is simplified into symbols with unique expressive function, possessing strong visual identity. The artist also integrated Western compositional concepts, breaking the flat constraints of traditional two-dimensional painting.   Through thoughtful arrangement and design, he endowedthe   work with rich three-dimensionality and layers, expanding spatial depth andvisual tension.   To prevent the   minimalist   style from becoming monotonous ormediocre, he deliberately chose linen and   quartz sand as his materials,creating subtle, unique textures through rubbing and treatment. Although theseworks integrate Western artistic elements, the spirit of traditional Chineseculture flows deeply within them. Rather than clashing, Eastern and Westernelements blend and enhance one another, achieving a harmonious, symbioticartistic state. The ethereal lyrical realm of Chinese traditional art and thestructural tension of Western art complement each other, balancing the dual aesthetic qualities of simplicity and richness.

Tang Qishan'sOracle Bone Script · Symbols Series

Tang Qishan'sOracle Bone Script · Symbols Series

Oracle BoneScript · Symbols Series: Ancient Heritage Reborn in the Contemporary Era

The Oracle BoneScript · Symbols series represents Tang Qishan's exploratory journey into thedeep integration of ancient Chinese cultural heritage and contemporary art,driven by a strong sense of mission to perpetuate traditional culture.Long-dormant historical symbols—ancient   oracle bone script and the Yin/Yanglines of the Eight Trigrams—are imbued with   vibrant   life under Tang's hand. Hepondered deeply how to transform oracle bone script, sealed by the dust oftime, into fresh, dynamic symbolic forms. Through skillful stylization, thecharacters are reshaped into core visual motifs in his paintings. Incorporatingthe Yin and Yang lines from the Eight Trigrams further enriches the works'cultural depth and meaning.

Although ancientscripts and patterns are treasures of civilizational heritage, they facechallenges of public unfamiliarity today. With singular ingenuity, Tang Qishanemploys contemporary artistic forms to clothe ancient cultural cores in afashionable "exterior," cleverly transforming them into visualpresentations more aligned with modern aesthetic sensibilities. This opens newpathways for the inheritance and development of traditional culture in the newera, allowing these cultural treasures to shine with dazzling brilliance oncemore.

Through hiscontemporary art, Tang Qishan strives to fuse the essence of Chinese andWestern traditions, weaving a dream of cultural integration. He aims for thecontemporary form of traditional Chinese art to stand out distinctively--like agolden serpent dancing wildly—amid the   dynamic exchanges between Eastern andWestern cultures.

Artist Profile

◎ TANG QISHAN

Portraitof Tang Qishan

Tang Qishan(born 1986) is a contemporary Chinese painter and calligrapher. He holds aMaster's degree in Cultural and Arts Management from a Swiss business schooland has served as a visiting scholar at the China National Academy of Painting.He is a council member of the Shenzhen Art Industry Promotion Association,founder and art director of Prenta Culture, a deeply collaborating artist withthe Guangzhou Art Fair, and a member of the Hunan Calligraphers Association.

Tang has heldsolo exhibitions at the Guangdong Museum of Art, Nanshan Mangu, GuangzhouNanfeng International Convention and Exhibition Center, Qidong VocationalSecondary School, and other venues. His works are held in the collections ofthe Tibet Armed Police Force, Guangdong Museum of Art, Gansu Bamboo SlipsMuseum, Russia-China Chamber of   Commerce,   Moscow Omega-L, and otherinstitutions.

Under theguidance of Mr. Wang Yong from the Chinese National Academy of Arts, Tangsystematically studied Eastern and Western art theory. He also trained in calligraphyunder Mr. Liu Xiaobin, Council Member of the China Calligraphers Association.Alongside his art practice, he remains actively involved in charity, havingbeen repeatedly honored as an "Outstanding Volunteer."

Tang Qishan'sartistic practice is groundbreaking. He skillfully integrates moderncomposition with Eastern aesthetics, forming a unique artistic vocabulary. Hissignificant series include Forest Memory, Water Lilies, White Cranes, OracleBone Script · Symbols, Inheritance · Symbols, Origin · Beings, and LyricalCharm · Spiritual Delight. These works serve as gateways into his distinctiveartistic landscape.

Tang's profoundartistic mastery is indebted to his extensive travels and studies. He hasjourneyed through Russia, France, Germany, Switzerland, the Netherlands,Belgium, Malaysia, Kazakhstan, Thailand, Vietnam, and other countries,absorbing the essence of traditional painting and sculpture while closelyengaging with contemporary art. These cross-regional and cross-culturalexchanges have broadened his perspective, enabling him to integrate diversecultural elements into his work.

Tang's creativeprocess resembles a dialogue spanning three millennia. Drawing from elementslike oracle bone script and ancient totems, he deconstructs and reassemblesthem into visual symbols embodying both archaic mystery and contemporarytension. Through this approach, he interprets his profound reflections on"form and meaning" and "ancient and modern," demonstratingthe enduring charm of artistic evolution.

◎ Solo Exhibitions

2025 Bone-DeepUnderstanding: Tang Qishan Contemporary Art Exhibition

2025 BlendingNature and Symbols: Tang Qishan Contemporary Art Exhibition

2024 The Realmof Visual Mindscapes: Tang Qishan Contemporary Art Exhibition

2003 Tang QishanSolo Painting and Calligraphy Exhibition

◎ Group Exhibitions

2025 5th HunanMid-Aged & Youth Calligraphy Exhibition

2025 SpringDialogue Season IV: Contemporary Art Invitational Exhibition

2024 GuangzhouDesign Week

2024 OctoberBlooms: Louvre Home Art Season

2024 "BayArea Artistic Charm" Shenzhen Urban Art Exhibition

2023 Year of theDragon: Zodiac Art Exhibition

2023"Celebrating the Asian Games, Building Achievements in Sports" —Chinese Sports Art Exhibition

2023"Briefly Narrating China" National Bamboo Slip Calligraphy Exhibition

2023 1st"Ni Yuanlu Cup" National Cursive Script Calligraphy Exhibition

2023 5thNational Large-Scale Calligraphy Works Exhibition

2023"Celebrating Labor Day, Praising the Party" National Staff CalligraphyWorks Exhibition

2022"Chinese Calligraphy · Annual Exhibition" National Regular ScriptWorks Exhibition

◎Publications

Blending Natureand Symbols: Collection from Tang Qishan's Contemporary Art Exhibition

ContributingWriter, CG Animation Drawing Techniques

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