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Wei Ligang

1964
Datong , Shanxi
Originally trained in mathematics and Chinese calligraphy, Wei Ligang has undoubtedly tapped into his analytical genius to revolutionize traditional calligraphy. Initially playing with the traditional rules and structures of classic calligraphy, Wei has since pushed past textual playfulness into a purely abstract form. He is well known for his “Wei squares” formula in which individual characters are deconstructed and reformed within the boundaries of a square (or circular) shape, resulting in the abstraction of traditional forms, while maintaining their roots in Chinese culture. Recently he has been experimenting with new materials like lacquer and propylene, attempting to bridge the divide between avant-garde calligraphy and Western art forms.

Wei, a recipient of the prestigious 2005 Asian Cultural Council Fellowship for Visual Art, has garnered recognition through his participation in various exhibitions. Notably, he was featured in the group show Brushes with Surprise: The Art of Calligraphy in Modern China at the British Museum in the UK (2002). Additionally, he has held solo exhibitions including China in Ink & Wash at the Shanghai Art Museum (2006), Wei Ligang Calligraphy Art at the National Art Museum of China in Beijing (2007), and Universality at the Zhi Art Museum in Chengdu (2019). Furthermore, he has an upcoming solo exhibition titled The Divine Matrix at GIO Art Centre in Beijing (July-October) and is set to have a major retrospective at the Datong Art Museum in Shanxi in September-October 2024.

Alisan has worked with Wei Ligang since 2004 and held three solo exhibitions for him (2006, 2015, 2020). We included his works in the ACC Fellows group show in 2011 & 2018, Ink Asia 2015, and four times at Art Basel Hong Kong (2013,2015, 2018, 2023), as well as ART SG 2023 & 2024. His works are collected by the British Museum, London, UK; Asian Art Museum, San Francisco, USA; San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, USA; Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Seattle, USA; Cernuschi Museum, Paris, France; Francois- Henri Pinault Family, France; National Museum of China, Beijing, China; Hong Kong Museum of Art.
Biography
Selected solo exhibitions
Selected group exhibitions
Selected publications
Videos
News

BIOGRAPHY
1964    Born in Datong City, Shanxi, China
1975    Learned Chinese opera and painting from his father when he was a child
1981    Graduated from Nankai University, Tianjin, China, with a major in mathematics
Student of famous Tianjin calligraphers Li Henian , Wang Xuezhong  and Sun Boxiang 
1985    Taught mathematics in Taiyuan, Shanxi, China
Began to study Fushan style calligraphy
1989    Published Wei Ligang’s Calligraphy and Seal Carving
1991    Graduated from an advanced course at Sha Menghai Calligraphy College, Ningbo, China
1992    Documentary programme , Fen River Loves You produced by UNICEF introducing his modern calligraphy
1995    Settled in Beijing, China
Guest lecturer at Qinghua University, Beijing, China
Established Song Feng Xuan Gallery, Beijing, China, the first gallery to showcase modern calligraphy
1998    Attended symposium The Development of Chinese Modern Calligraphy, Gaoyou, Jiangsu, China
Vice president of Chinese Modern Calligraphy Association and Director of its reviewing committee
1999    Published Calligraphy Album Pseudo-Masters
Organized Bashu Parade-99 Chengdu, Retrospective of Chinese Modern Calligraphy at the End of 20th Century with Pu Lieping
2000    Reuters produced a special programme introducing his modern calligraphy
2001    Invited to give a lecture on Chinese calligraphy in Australia
Organized 4-artists group exhibition The Dimension of Chinese Characters, Beijing, China
Organized Zero Degree Project, a Chinese contemporary behavior art and installation show, Beijing, China
Guest of symposia, He Xiang Ning Art Gallery, Shenzhen; Artist Commune, Hong Kong
2004    Opened the Senior Modern Calligraphic Workshop at Artist Commune, Hong Kong 
2005    Fellowship grantee of Asian Cultural Council Hong Kong
Travelled to New York to do research on recent development in contemporary art, and visited American Abstract artist Brice Marden’s studio
Professor of Beijing Normal University Zhuhai Campus, Guangdong, China
2011    Established International Shuxiang Society, Beijing, China
2017    Established Wei's Private Museum, Jiangxi, China
Invited to create logo plaque for Royal Huntsman
2021    Invited by Powerlong Museum, Shanghai to curate the exhibition featuring Japanese artist Yu-Ichi Inoue's modern calligraphy works
2022    Wei's new book Taking Chinese Characters as a Starting Point, How Can Calligraphy Illustrate Universality, published by Zhi Art Museum, Chengdu, China
2023    Collaborated with high fashion brand Dries Van Noten to develop the interior design for its Chengdu shop
Instructor, Chinese Calligraphy and Ink Art Workshop, Hangzhou, China
Present    Vice-President of Modern Calligraphy Art Association of China
Member of Beijing Art Committee of China Democratic League
President of International Shuxiang Society
Lives and works in Beijing, China

SELECTED SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2024

  • Wei Ligang Art Retrospective, Datong Art Museum, Shanxi, China (Upcoming in September/October)

  • The Divine Matrix: Wei Ligang New Work, GIO China Rennaisance Art Centre, Beijing, China (21 July-18 October)
2020
 2019

  • Wei Ligang: Universality, Zhi Art Museum, Chengdu, China

2018

  • Wei Ligang: Luminous Birds, Gajah Gallery, Singapore

  • Feast Gold, Art Taipei, Taipei World Trade Centre, Taipei, Taiwan
2017
  • The Opening Exhibition for Wei's Private Museum, Jiangxi, China
  • Beyond Three Perfections, Ireland Dublin Castel, Ireland 
  • Thinking Ink, Gajah Gallery, Singapore
2016
  • Songs of the Phoenix Mirror, Ink Studio, Beijing, China
  • Universal Things Examine: 20 Years Retrospective Exhibition, Beijing 3 Gallery, Beijing, China
2015
2014 
  • Wei Ligang: Chinese Palaces, Michael Goedhuis, New York, USA
2012

  • Zao Jian Wei’s Shi Xiang, Being 3 Gallery, Beijing, China


2011
  • Banquet of Magnificence-Shu Xiang: Wei Ligang, Being 3 Gallery,  Beijing, China
2010
  • Gold Union: 2010 Graphimage by Wei Ligang, Contrasts Gallery, Shanghai, China
  • China New Ink Painting, Goedhuis Contemporary, New York, USA
2008
  • Performance Calligraphy, Panties Castles, France

  • Wei Ligang: The New Ink Painting, Goedhuis Contemporary, New York, USA

2007
  • Zhi Kan: Wei Ligang’s Calligraphic Art Exhibition, National Art Museum of China, Beijing, China
  • Oriental Toem: Wei Ligang & Wash Exhibition, Shanghai Art Museum, Shanghai, China
2006
2004
  • On the Journey, He Xiang Ning Art Museum, Shenzhen, China
1999
  • Diary in Rongcheng, Taiyuan, China
1996
  • Worms, To Make Chinese Characters Cursive, Beijing, China
1992
  • Retrospective Exhibition of Calligraphy & Seal Carving, Taiyuan, China
1988
  • Calligraphy & Seal Carving, Tianjin; Beijing; Taiyuan, China
1985
  • Calligraphy, Paintings and Seal Carving, Tianjin, China
1983
  • Calligraphy Exchange between Kagawa University Japan and Nankai University, Tianjin, China

SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2024
 2023
 2022-2023
  • By the People: Creative Chinese Characters, Hong Kong Museum of Art, Hong Kong
2022
  • Being, Zhi Art Museum, Chengdu, China
  • Ink Mountains, Twin Peaks: Wei Ligang & Inoue Yuichi, Yangyun International Community, Shanghai, China
2021
  • Art Gallery's Eyes III, Art Museum of Chengdu Art Academy, Chengdu, China

  • Invitation Exhibition of Creative Calligraphy in China, Eastern Creative Calligraphy Institute, Shenzhen, China

2019 
 2018
 2017 
  • Changing China: Contemporary Ink Art, Michael Goedhuis, New York, USA
  • Christie's Spring: Contemporary Asian Art, Christie's, Hong Kong
  • Art 021 Shanghai Contemporary Art Fair, Shanghai Exhibition Centre, Shanghai, China
2016
2015
2013
2011
2010
  • New Ink Art, ART HK 10, Alisan Fine Arts, Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition Centre, Hong Kong
2009
  • The Orchid Pavilion: The Art of Writing in China, Royal Museum of Fine Arts, Brussels, Belgium
  • 1st Chinese Ink Travelling Exhibition, Linzhou; Shanghai; Beijing, China
  • Ink and Non-ink, Eastern Europe Travelling Exhibition, Museum of Cesarski Palace, Poland; Museum of Hungarian Agricultural, Hungary; National Museum of Contemporary Art, Romania; Sculpture Museum of Academy of Sciences and Arts, Croatia
  • Hong Kong International Arts & Antiques Fair, Alisan Fine Arts, Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition Centre, Hong Kong
  • Ink Painting, Calligraphy: The Third Abstraction, Contrasts Gallery, Shanghai, China
2008
  • Calligraphy-Painting, Huangcheng Art Mseum, Beijing, China
  • New Scene of Ink Art, Dresden National Museum of Art, Dresden, Germany
  • Ink and Non-ink, Shenzhen Art Museum, Shenzhen, China
  • Calligraphy Performing Art, Chateau Padiès, France
  • The Colour of Water, Today Art Museum, Beijing, China
2007
2006
  • Long Menzhen: Modern Calligraphy by Ten Artists, Luoyang Art Museum, Luoyang, China
  • Chinese Ink Painting During the Past Thirty Years, Nanjing, China
  • Modernity in Ink and Wash: Exhibition by Artists of Song Zhuang Ink Union, Beijing, China
  • Cursive Calligraphy, Performance collaborated with modern dancer Yin Mei, New York City University, New York, USA
2005
  • The Act of Writing and Non-writing: The Open Space for Chinese Calligraphy, International Exhibition of Modern Calligraphy, China Academy of Art, Hangzhou, China
  • Crossing Boundaries: Works by Asian Cultural Council Fellows 2005, Lee Garden, Hong Kong
  • Ink and Diffusion: International Exhibition of Modern Calligraphy, Seoul, South Korea
2004
  • Chinese Characters As a Resource, 4A Gallery, Sydney, Australia
  • Chinese Characters: A Confusing Situation, Today Art Museum, Beijing, China
  • 2 Ink Brushes, Chinese Calligraphy Bi-exhibition: Jat Seeyeu-Classical Hong Kong; Wei Ligang-Contemporary Beijing, Artist Commune, Hong Kong
2003
  • International Contemporary Art of Ink, Xi’an, China
  • New Experiences in Chinese Characters and Its Writing During the Past Twenty Years, Artist Commune, Hong Kong
2002
  • Brushes with Surprise: The Art of Calligraphy in Modern China, British Museum, London, UK
2000
  • The International Calligraphy Literature, Taiwan Museum of Fines Art, Taichung, Taiwan
1999
  • Bashu Parade-99 Chengdu, Retrospective of Chinese Modern Calligraphy at the End of the Century, Chengdu, China
1998
  • New Main Line Salon Exhibition, Taiyuan, China
1997
  • Seven Painters of Yuanming Yuan, Beijing, China
1995
  • Chinese Masters in Modern Calligraphy, Liuzhou, China
  • 1st International Biennale of Modern Calligraphy, Hangzhou, China
1992
  • Exhibition of Calligraphy: Shanxi China and Saitama Japan, Taiyuan, China

SELECTED PUBLIC COLLECTIONS
British Museum, London, UK
Asian Art Museum, San Francisco, USA
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Seattle, USA
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, USA
Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Los Angeles, USA
International Education Fund, USA 
Lucy Billingsley, Crow Collection of Asian Art, USA 
Bank of Switzerland, Switzerland
Credit Suisse, Switzerland
Origo Family Foundation, Switzerland
Francois-Henri Pinault Family, France
Cernuschi Museum, Paris, France
Buchmann Museum, Berlin, Germany
National Art Museum of China, Beijing, China
Today Art Museum, Beijing, China
Capital Club, Beijing, China  
China Red Cross Society of China, Beijing, China
Swiss Chamber of Commerce in China, China 
Daming Hall, Beijing, China
Chengdu International Convention & Exhibition Centre, Chengdu, China
Xunyao Chinese Characters Art Museum, Chengdu, China
Bizhen Art Foundation, Shenzhen, China
He Xiangning Art Museum, Shenzhen, China
Hong Kong Museum of Art, Hong Kong
Artist Commune, Hong Kong
Rotary Club, Hong Kong
Bank of Macau, Macau
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