Spatial Essence

Xuguang Liu has long explored lexical lineages and their relationship to both individual and cultural memories. As a Chinese artist completed his PhD at Beijing’s Tsinghua University and continued his studies with art-focused visits to Japan. Liu became fascinated with a single character from the oldest Chinese character tradition, known as marks of “bu” (卜) found on Chinese bone writing. In his own artistic practice, Liu repeatedly returns to this character to create dynamic compositions, often using large sheets of rice paper to sketch a dense web of “bu” (卜) marks, drawn with ink made of iron dust by himself. Each of his drawings featuring the “bu” (卜) marks are distinctive renderings, intentionally unique despite their shared motif. In this way, they manifest the multivocal nature of global society and the material of social memory.