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‘The simplest curve is the hardest to draw ... this is self-cultivation’
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HU Jianjun is a master of traditional line drawing, holding a brush for several hours at a time, meticulously creating perfect, simple, rhythmical lines.
No color, no filling in, just the lines.
It’s demanding but for Hu it’s also relaxing and a source of tranquillity.
Originating in the Eastern Jin Dynasty (AD 317-420), traditional line drawing emphasizes accurate brushwork in black and white.
Some people compare it to Western sketches but Chinese line drawing is simpler, purer, Hu would say.
Whether a Buddha, orchid, leaves and fruit, all have a different feel.
“That’s the appeal of line drawing,” says Hu. “When all the ‘contents’ are taken out, leaving only a shell of the subject, then a zen touch seems to permeate it.”
Born in 1976 in Zhenhai, Zhejiang Province, Hu often jokes that she was born in the wrong era.
She is so enamored of traditional Chinese art, poetry, objects and lifestyle that she wears traditional costumes and laments that the current era is not suitable for women like her.
“Some of my good friends suggest that I should go back to the period of the Republic of China (1911-49),” Hu says.
“Perhaps they are right. I try to pretend that I am living in that period.”
She also collects antiques and old silver jewelry and ornaments.
“Look at the design of some silver from the Tang Dynasty (AD 618-907). Even today they appear very modern. I am amazed at the aesthetics of our ancestors,” she says.
She speaks of an “emotional link” with traditional line drawing and cites a visit in 2001 to Gansu Province and Dunhuang Caves filled with Buddhist art.
“The murals are so awesome — they took my breath away,” she says of the works that have inspired her.
“Line drawing is a piece of art that demands your time and energy,” she says, adding that once she begins, she cannot let her brush pause until a curve is finished.
“For me, the most difficult part in line drawing is not those complicated patterns. The simplest curve is the hardest job,” she says.
One completed work may represent 10 failures because a minor mistake, such as the shade or direction of a stroke, can affect the entire work. It can take hours to complete.
“But I don’t feel exhausted,” she says. “On the contrary, my heart and soul are fully devoted to the rice paper. For me, this is self-cultivation, a great enjoyment.”
Resume
Born in 1976 in Zhenhai, Zhejiang Province
Obtained doctoral degree from the China Academy of Fine Arts
Master’s tutor in crafts research at Academy of Fine Arts, Shanghai University
Authored a series of books on traditional line drawing
Paintings widely collected in China and overseas
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