ZHANG DAWO, Australia / China



Moonlight Sonata. 45 x 131 cm. Ink on paper.


                                       

Born in 1943, Beijing/Australian calligrapher and visual artist, Zhang Dawo is known for his many facets of art including photography.

Dawo's artistic nature is deeply rooted in the ancient culture of Jin-Shi (artistic etching and engraving of symbols and writing on metal and stone - 4 000 BC), at the same time he has a fiery ambition of pushing the frontier of contemporary art.

For the first 40 years of his life he totally immersed himself in traditional forms. Since 1982, he has overcome the classical barrier, by moving from the two dimensional into the three dimensional, a visual revolution made largely possible by the rearrangement of the spatial construction and the use of different tones of ink on special calligraphic paper. An example of this modern calligraphy is 'Ce' (Volume) which is considered as being "in the period of present day Chinese art renaissance, unique and one of the most creative pieces of work".

After 1990 Dawo's work crossed the boundary of modern calligraphy into modern art pushing its frontier with the ink medium. 'Dawo Black in White Miaomo' has completely moved away from the recognisable characters. It is "a form of unique eastern abstract art with unsurpassable quality"; the style is "free and fluid", graceful and vivid: a forceful expression of romanticism and mysticism of the Oriental.

Dawo is member of the Association of Chinese Calligraphers and the Committee member of the Society of Modern Calligraphy and Painting (China).


He is the founder of the Australian Society of East-West Art, Writing and Modeling.

His artistic talent is revealed by the creative art work 'Dawo Miaomo'.


Since 1985 Zhang Dawo has participated in many national and international exhibitions, solo and group exhibitions.  His work is represented in many national and international public, corporate and private collections - such as the British Museum, Reuters China, UN Organisations, German Consulate in Beijing and also Rupert Murdoch.



Featured Exhibitions
2013     March: Miaomo Exhibition
2010     May - June: Contemporary Zen, with Junichi Tatsubuchi
2007     ART Singapore

         
                                Proud God. 68 x 69cm. Ink on paper.                                     Untitled. Ink and colour on Korean paper.