Photo of collection object Water • Fire Series
Zhang Jian-Jun. Water • Fire Series, 1992. Chinese ink, water, fire on paper, 30 × 22 in. (76.2 × 55.9 cm). Gift of Zhang Jian-Jun in honor of the new Chinese galleries, 2018.44. © Zhang Jian-Jun © artist or artist's estate.

Water • Fire Series

1992

Zhang Jian-Jun

Chinese, born 1955

Asian Art

In Water–Fire, Zhang Jian-Jun juxtaposes two circular forms. To make the upper circle, he set fire to black ink on the painted surface of the paper and painted the lower one with a diluted ink wash that looks wet even after it dries. The two circles clearly evoke the Daoist concepts of yin and yang in Chinese cosmology: two conflicting yet complementary elements that cannot exist without each other and at the same time are mutually transformative. In Chinese philosophy, water and fire are two of the five major elements, known as wu xing, that comprise the life-force called qi; the other three are earth, metal, and wood. Zhang’s experimentation with ink is also shown in a sculpture, Ink Rock, made of solid black ink, on view in the Arts of China galleries.
Maker/Artist
Zhang Jian-Jun
Classification
(not assigned)
Formatted Medium
Chinese ink, water, fire on paper
Dimensions
30 × 22 in. (76.2 × 55.9 cm)
Departments
Asian Art
Accession Number
2018.44
Credit Line
Gift of Zhang Jian-Jun in honor of the new Chinese galleries
Rights Statement
© artist or artist's estate
Dominant Colors

Have a concern, a correction, or something to add?

Similar Artworks

musefully

Open source Elasticsearch & Next.js museum search.

Let's Stay Connected