Abstraction in the Eyes of a Traditional Painter: An Examination of ZHANG Daqian’s Artistic Views

ZHANG Daqian approached the concept of abstraction in the West from a dialectical perspective and with a synthesizing mindset. ZHANG believed that abstraction emerges from mature and beautiful representations. In public, he asserted that the concept of abstraction in the West originated from China. However, in private correspondence, he acknowledged that abstraction in the East and West differed. He did not endorse the extreme distortions characteristic of the Western abstraction and instead emphasized the beauty within the abstraction of Chinese painting. As a practical artist, ZHANG’s interpretation of abstraction was not intended to guide his artistic practice but to establish the contemporary value and cultural autonomy of traditional Chinese painting. Regarding the origins of his painting techniques of ink splashing and color pouring, ZHANG firmly denied any influence from the Western abstract art. Therefore, he embedded his artistic endeavors within the unbroken lineage of Chinese painting, embodying both the foundational source and the dynamic flow that characterize its tradition. Through this distinctive painting style, he achieved a balance between his value system of drawing upon various traditions and his pursuit of personal expression.