An exhibition themed on oracle bone scripts was unveiled at 798 Cube Art Museum in Beijing's 798 Art Zone on Friday, and plans to run through Oct 8.
The exhibition, titled White Holes: The Mysteries and Modern Perceptions of Oracle Bone Script, features a collection of 87 pieces or sets of contemporary artworks from 38 artists. Divided into three sections - "form", "sound" and "meaning" - the exhibition also includes a special segment called "Origin" and a piece of public artwork named "Drowned". Through artistic expression, the exhibition explores the significance and power of Oriental Chinese characters (hanzi).
Teng Yanbin, the executive director of 798 Culture and Technology Company, said at the opening ceremony that the exhibition seeks to interpret traditional culture through modern art, fostering the creative transformation and innovative development of fine traditional Chinese culture while also encouraging contemplation on civilization and human wisdom among the audience.
"As Chinese characters are widely familiar to most people, while oracle bone scripts remain quite distant, Hanyi hopes to utilize new language and mediums to inherit the history of hanzi culture and illuminate Chinese modern art through the exhibition", Xie Liqun, the chairman and general manager of Hanyi Fonts company said at the ceremony.
Oracle bone scripts from the Shang Dynasty (c. 16th century-11th century BC), were the origin of Chinese characters, which was not only a symbol of civilization and a mark of Chinese culture, but also a testament of China's continuous civilization system.
The exhibition's main title, "White Hole", is a deliberate contrast to the concept of a Black Hole in astrophysics, as it represents the creative and innovative nature of Chinese characters. It draws inspiration from the cosmological idea that "white holes radiate energy", symbolizing the hope and far-reaching influence of oracle bone scripts on Chinese characters.
At the opening ceremony, audiences were taken on a journey to immerse themselves in the ancient civilizations of oracle bone scripts through new media works and live performances.
In addition, the exhibition will showcase modern art pieces that incorporate oracle bones, exploring their cultural translations, such as the interpretation of digital code, the study of phonology on oracle bones and the intersection of oracle bones with artificial intelligence.
The exhibition is co-hosted by 798 Culture and Technology Company and Hanyi Fonts, with experts in the field of oracle research and renowned artists participating.
