The Significance of ‘Absence-Void Space’ In Chinese Traditional Painting

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to elucidate the formal idea of “absence,” the so called ‘void-white area’ or ‘negative space’ that can be perceived within any of the Chinese Ink Painting styles. This area describes the form in which the appeal symbol recognizes the existence of the positive – negative spaces, playing an important role in the visual hierarchy of a composition. Chinese Traditional painting (Guó Huà - 国画), examines the theory and practices of the ‘Six Principles of Chinese Painting’ (绘画六法 - Huìhuà Liùfǎ); and the quote: ‘emptiness is not empty’, has a special context, as a pure art form. It also examines the technical spirit of ‘one stroke, one painting’ detailed by Shih-t’ao (Shí Tāo - 石涛) from his writing (Huà Yǔlù - 画语录) ‘Comments on Painting’ or ‘painting quotes’, where he speaks of ‘a style of no style’ and the importance of a single brushstroke. It is an art form that reveals the truth and the meaning of the works and exposes the signifier's object of knowledge, where this signifies "absence." Shí Tāo (石涛), known as the founder of contemporary Chinese painting, uses the spiritual symbol "Painting may follow the heart: the rule is self-reliance" to represent the pure "harmonious" style of Chinese painting, which transmits the spirit of the union of the three faiths and the transcendence of mediocrity.