The Parkview Museum Singapore is pleased to present LINES OF AFFINITY—Calligraphic Visions in the Works of Master Hsing Yun. Tracing the accomplishments of Taiwanese Venerable Hsing Yun, the exhibition chronicles his vision for a humanist approach to Buddhism. A prominent feature in this exhibition is his 'one-stroke' calligraphy paintings—implying that no discontinuation is observed from the beginning to end of each brush stroke due to his weakened sight. Working under such strenuous conditions, he is forced to complete the entirety of the work in one single stroke. Perhaps out of such chance and serendipity, a new style of his own emerged. 

 

To the humble Venerable Hsing Yun, his handwriting is but a vessel that represent his heart and the following quote aptly sums up his sentiment: "Look [not] to my work, but into my heart." Despite having to write his calligraphy with shaky hands, he is still able to let his heart guide his hands in the completion of this series, making each piece of work an object of reality.

 

In this exhibition, each calligraphic series is complemented with elements of nature that is meant as a poignant reminder of the origins of humanity. Beyond the formal display of Venerable Hsing Yun's calligraphic works, the exhibition hopes to promote the Chinese culture and calligraphy as an art form along with the philosophy of Buddhism. 

 

 

About Master Hsing Yun (b.1927)
Born in Jiangsu Province in Chinea, Venerable Hsing Yun studied at various renowned Buddhist institutions such as Qixia Vinaya College and Jiaoshan, Jinshan Buddhist College. Venerable Hsing Yun founded Fo Guang Shan Monastery in 1967 with the primary goal of promoting Humanist Buddhism through cultural education, charity and propagation of the Dharma. He has been devoting his efforts for the advancement of Buddhist education, culture, social charity and the promotion of Buddhism. He integrates the ancient wisdom and the modern environment in devising organisational regulations and systems to bring Buddhism to a new lap. Over the years, more than 200 temples were established. Among them, prominent ones are Hsi Lai Temple, Nan Tian Temple and Nan Hua Temple which are the largest Buddhist temples in North America, Australia and Africa respectively. In addition, he also set up 9 arts museums, 26 libraries, a publishing house, 12 bookshops, 50 over Chinese schools, 16 Buddhist colleges, and Zhi Guang, Pu Men, Jun Tou etc primary and secondary schools as well as 4 universities, viz. Western University in US, Fo Guang University and Nan Hua University in Taiwan, Nan Tien University in Australia. Till this date, Venerable Hsing Yun continues to inculcate in his disciples and followers important life values such as joy and harmony, oneness and coexistence, respect and tolerance.

 

 

About Chen Lyu Sheng (Chief Curator)

Chen Lyusheng was born in 1956 in Yangzhong City, Jiang Su Province. In 1985, he obtained his Master’s Degree in Art History and Criticism from the Department of Fine Arts, Nanjing University of the Arts, having been awarded the Liu Haisu Scholarship twice during his studies. In the same year, he began working at the People’s Fine Arts Publishing House in Beijing as an editor, and afterwards became the director of the Department of Classical Art. In 2002, he became the director of the Research Department at the Research Institute of Traditional Chinese Painting. In 2004, he became the director of Academic Department I at the National Art Museum of China, and the deputy editor-in-chief of the monthly journal The National Art Museum of China. In 2010, he was promoted to the post of assistant director of the National Museum of China.

 

Chen Lyusheng has dedicated his past thirty years to researching art history, theory and criticism, while persisting in his creative works in fine arts. He has won many awards, including the first prize for the Central Academy of Fine Arts’ Professor Zhang Anzhi Scholarship for Criticism in the History of Fine Arts, Second Prize for the Beijing Literary Association Award for Art Criticism (2001), the Annual Award for Theoretical Innovation, issued in 2005 by the newspaper Wen Yi Bao, to name a few.