Jiechang Yang (b. 1956)

Ink wash art has consistently been regarded as merely two-dimensional in traditional Chinese art. Yet ink paintings by Yang Jiechang have departed from what is tangible; they give ink a three-dimensional texture in the stillness of time. Thousand Layers of Ink Series is a collection of works by Yang completed between 1989 and 1999. He continually applied layers of ink on the rice paper, until creased textures of lamina began to form; the accumulated ink glimmers with an ebony finish.

The pieces in this series, though similar, chronicle Yang's changing state of mind throughout the years and wistfulness over the passage of time, as indicated by the subtly different composition and shape. The square canvass and concentration of creases in the centre in Untitled (9029) guides your thought to shuttle between the gullies of heavy ink.