Curated by Dr Sophie McIntyre, Ink Remix brings together works by artists from mainland China, Taiwan and Hong Kong in an exhibition that emphasises new and innovative aspects of contemporary ink art.

In the west, ink art is commonly associated with traditional forms of Chinese painting and calligraphy. Yet contemporary ink art has emerged in recent years as one of the most important artistic trends in mainland China, Taiwan and Hong Kong.

This is the first exhibition presented in Australia to focus on this theme, and it features works in a range of media by 14 established and emerging artists. These artists share a common interest in the idea of ink as a mutable and fertile field of artistic enquiry that they are exploring in innovative, playful and sometimes subversive ways. East Asia has a long tradition of ink painting, yet it is often regarded as a quintessentially Chinese medium. In the West it is associated with ancient Chinese calligraphic scrolls and paintings depicting sublime, mythical landscapes painted in monochromatic washes using ink and brush. 

This exhibition offers new ways of thinking about ink as a multifaceted and dynamic form of visual expression that is being embraced and reinterpreted by increasing numbers of contemporary artists in the region. These artists are searching for a new language that is simultaneously local and global and connects the past with the present and future. 

The exhibition features works in diverse media including painting, photography, ink jet prints, video and animation, as well as works in Coca-Cola on silk, tea and biro. The majority of works of art in this exhibition have been produced within the last decade, and several artists have created works especially for this project.

Participating artists include: Chen Shaoxiong, Feng Mengbo, He Xiangyu, Hung Keung, Cindy Ng Sio Ieng, Ni Youyu, Pan Hsin-hua, Peng Hung-chih, Peng Wei, Qiu Zhijie, Wilson Shieh, Charwei Tsai, Yang Yongliang, Yao Jui-chung.

Floor Talk: Ink Remix:11 – 11.30am, Saturday, October 31

Join Dr Sophie McIntyre, curator, lecturer and writer for a guided tour through the exhibition Ink Remix. Sophie is a Visiting Fellow at the Australian National University and is currently writing a book on art and politics in Taiwan and China. She has worked in art museums for more than 20 years, in Australia, New Zealand and Asia, and curated over 30 exhibitions.

Ink Remix opens on Saturday, October 31 and continues until February 7.

Entry to the exhibition is by donation.