Order 2006.03.19
Gao Ge
高歌
Production date
2006
Object Detail
Media
Yunlong paper, acrylic, Chinese ink, coloured pencil, pencil
Measurements
95 x 95 cm
Notes
The Order series (2006 – 2007) consists of works mostly using Chinese ‘yunlong’ paper, made with acrylic, pencil and Chinese ink; they embody Gao Ge’s ambition to reveal the connections between Confucian, Buddhist, Daoist and Christian teachings, and the interconnectedness of man with the universe. Subtle and almost monochrome, they suggest the explosion of a dandelion flower with seeds drifting through the air, a microcosm of potential. Others might interpret the works as diagrams of the creation of the universe. The artist likens the constant, unsettling change in Chinese society to the explosive energy of the Big Bang: in this metaphor, living in Beijing feels as if all physical matter is in a state of flux, and nothing is certain or fixed. To cope with this uncertainty, and seeking peace and serenity, Gao has turned to an ancient Chinese idea, ‘Tian Yuan Di Fang’ – literally meaning ‘round heaven and square earth’ – a notion linked with Daoist beliefs about cosmic order.
‘Tian Yuan Di Fang’ implies wholeness: yin and yang, positive and negative, reason and emotion, nature and culture. The square represents the order and rational knowledge of man, and the circle represents the cycles and abundance of nature. This concept may be seen in Chinese mandalas, the plans of Buddhist temples, the design of traditional gardens, even in the relationship between the square Water Cube and circular Bird’s Nest stadium designed for the 2008 Beijing Olympics. The term ‘Tian Xia’ in Chinese literally translates as ‘under heaven’, but its meaning is far more complex. Rooted in Buddhist, Daoist and Confucian philosophies, it refers to the order of things, the wholeness of the universe, as well as to physical geography and the metaphysical realm of mortals. Far beyond the visible and physical world, ‘Tian Xia’ and ‘Tian Yuan Di Fang’ imply a cosmology covering earth, heaven and everything in between, including the social, psychological and political worlds constructed by humankind. Ancient jade carvings, temple structures and sacrificial platforms designed using the square (‘cong’) and the circle (‘bi’) — a symbology of the cosmos — have been discovered by archaeologists. The archetype of round heavens above and square earth beneath also formed the ancient symmetrical axis of the design of Beijing. Significantly, given Gao Ge’s beliefs, Jesuit missionaries in Beijing in the eighteenth century saw this notion as not entirely incongruent with Christian belief systems.
Similarly, in Gao Ge’s works on paper we see these essential forms of square and circle. Each drawing consists of intricately detailed, fine webs of lines radiating from a central axis, circular forms within a square field, made on paper ninety centimetres square. They grow organically from the central point. Although abstract, the drawings are informed by the artist’s keen interest in the natural world, though he is distressed by the lack of respect for nature that he sees today. ‘In the end, we will find out that the trees, stones and rivers are more powerful than we are,’ Gao says.
‘Tian Yuan Di Fang’ implies wholeness: yin and yang, positive and negative, reason and emotion, nature and culture. The square represents the order and rational knowledge of man, and the circle represents the cycles and abundance of nature. This concept may be seen in Chinese mandalas, the plans of Buddhist temples, the design of traditional gardens, even in the relationship between the square Water Cube and circular Bird’s Nest stadium designed for the 2008 Beijing Olympics. The term ‘Tian Xia’ in Chinese literally translates as ‘under heaven’, but its meaning is far more complex. Rooted in Buddhist, Daoist and Confucian philosophies, it refers to the order of things, the wholeness of the universe, as well as to physical geography and the metaphysical realm of mortals. Far beyond the visible and physical world, ‘Tian Xia’ and ‘Tian Yuan Di Fang’ imply a cosmology covering earth, heaven and everything in between, including the social, psychological and political worlds constructed by humankind. Ancient jade carvings, temple structures and sacrificial platforms designed using the square (‘cong’) and the circle (‘bi’) — a symbology of the cosmos — have been discovered by archaeologists. The archetype of round heavens above and square earth beneath also formed the ancient symmetrical axis of the design of Beijing. Significantly, given Gao Ge’s beliefs, Jesuit missionaries in Beijing in the eighteenth century saw this notion as not entirely incongruent with Christian belief systems.
Similarly, in Gao Ge’s works on paper we see these essential forms of square and circle. Each drawing consists of intricately detailed, fine webs of lines radiating from a central axis, circular forms within a square field, made on paper ninety centimetres square. They grow organically from the central point. Although abstract, the drawings are informed by the artist’s keen interest in the natural world, though he is distressed by the lack of respect for nature that he sees today. ‘In the end, we will find out that the trees, stones and rivers are more powerful than we are,’ Gao says.
Accession number
2012.014