Emperor Huizong and the 1,000 Characters

This work by Hilde Mertens is a rewrite of the 1,000-character poem about Emperor Huizong. "One thousand characters, each one unique and different in meaning and flow. Almost like a song, floating characters in the wind, and the mind again and again wants to learn more," she explains.

It is in the flow, energy, and empty space and quality of the brush strokes of the works of the traditional calligraphy masters that Hilde Mertens finds her inspiration to reinterpret traditional calligraphy and create unique contemporary interpretations of Chinese ink. For her, the magic happens in the space between technique and when she also breaks the rules or what she calls “the technique of no technique” and emptiness.

Dimensions: W34 x H106 cm