Reshaping, An Exhibition of Stone ArtOverview of an Exhibition of Stone Art in Beijing, China
By Thomas S. Elias, October, 2019
Last month, a dramatic change in the way people look at classical Chinese viewing stones was unveiled in the exhibit Reshaping
that opened in the trendy AroundSpace Gallery in downtown Shanghai. An exhibition of eighteen traditional stones—mainly Lingbi, but also some Taihu and Ink stones—were displayed by artist Masaru Takanashi. Each stone on display had a deliberate and conspicuous cut surface. A few stones were cut twice. These works of stone art were jarring to those who revere the natural abstract forms of the stones just as their ancestors have for the last 1,000 years in China. However, others, mainly members of the art community, viewed these stones as objects of art and a fresh new way of appreciating stones, one that was revealing the inner core as well as the form and surface features. As a result, this is a controversial exhibition. Viewing stone enthusiasts should be exposed to a different way of looking at stones. Artists now use stones as a medium for creating art. Enhancing stones to make them more attractive has a long history in China.
Takanashi wanted to revolt from the long-standing ways of appreciating stones that has led to what he refers to as “appreciation inertia.” He thinks that placing a traditional rock in a home today is old-fashioned and makes no sense for current times. His stone cutting approach in contemporary art is to transition from a focus on natural features to new forms that stand on their own merits and not on tradition. Opening the door to new thinking and experiences with stones is Takanashi’s goal. Lingbi stones have been collected and appreciated in the same manner in China for over a hundred decades and now we have a new approach to experiencing these stones.
His inspiration for this new approach to Chinese stone appreciation was strongly influenced mainly by Western artists. Beginning with the ruggedness of Rodin’s works, the vitality of Henry Moore’s sculptures and the use of negative space by the more recent Barbara Hepworth, Takanashi’s concepts of contemporary art emerged. However, he was more strongly influenced by the works of Isamu Noguchi than any other artist.
The works in this exhibit are not viewing stones but stone art. I describe some of my favorites below:
A vertical oriented stone (above left) was sliced nearly midway to expose several small hidden cavities and three holes. The stone’s matrix provides a frame for the holes, passageways to another realm.
A large twin-peaked landscape Lingbi stone (above right) with a contrasting natural peak and its adjoining peak that was cut in half made a bold statement. The exposed surface showed the intricate network of calcite veins that were once tiny cracks in the stone. Some of these ran from top to bottom, showing the inner beauty of the stone. Surely, artists will look at these stones from a different perspective than viewing stone enthusiasts.
Both the external and internal features are beautifully displayed in a large yellow Lingbi stone (above), one of the largest in the exhibit. It is cut on both sides creating a layered appearance with cavities, nocks, and crannies. Fine irregular black lines appear on one of the cut surfaces. This is a piece of stone art to study and contemplate up close as well as from a distance. This stone is 110 cm long, 30 cm wide, and 55 cm high.
The strongly water eroded ink stone from Guangxi province (above left) was one of the more interesting pieces in the exhibit due to its many folds, depressions, and holes that contrasted sharply with the cut on the upper right shoulder of the stone. This enhanced stone fits very well into the Anthropocene period we are now experiencing. This is a time when people are altering the natural landscape to a greater degree than natural forces are altering it.
The two smallest stones (above right) are displayed in small alcoves that only permit the viewing to see the cut surface. I would have preferred to see these stones from all sides to compare the natural form and texture with the enhanced surface.
This was an exciting exhibition for me, a stone collector and student of Asian stone appreciation. The distinction between viewing stones and stone art is as wide as a calcite vein running through one of these stones. At both ends, they seem far apart, but I believe that they come together where one approach transitions into the another. Many viewing stones have been altered to make them more attractive and acceptable to collectors. But these alternations are hidden in order to make the stones appear natural. In this exhibit, the alterations are obvious and intended to open the door for new thoughts and experiences.
Viewing stone collectors may be quick to dismiss Takanashi’s works as passing as a spring breeze. But informed stone connoisseurs will recognize that he is one of the world’s most knowledgeable experts on classical Chinese stones. His thoroughly researched The Imperial Rocks
(2000) and his Classical Chinese Rocks
(2002) are two of the finest references published on Chinese stone appreciation in the last fifty years. These were published under his English pen name, David Ren. His views on contemporary stone appreciation must be taken seriously and carefully evaluated. Takanashi’s new approach is opening the door to a new way of appreciating stones as serious works of art. We members of the global viewing stone community should not rush to condemn this approach but realize that this is another facet of enhancing stones for our pleasure and for contemplation.
