Gillian JakabWhen did you first encounter the artwork of calligrapher Tong Yang-Tze and how did the idea for Ink take hold?
Huang YiCalligrapher Tong Yang-Tze’s works are present in various facets of Taiwanese society—such as posters for movies and performing arts events; logos for magazines, corporations, and arts organizations; and even on the signs of Taipei Main Station and the entry and exit stamps of Taiwan Customs. Throughout my childhood, before I knew Ms. Tong personally, I would inadvertently come across her calligraphy.
I officially met her in 2014 at the Experimental Theater of the National Theater in Taipei, where I presented my first collaboration with Ryoichi Kurokawa—a dance piece constructed in black and white. After seeing the performance, Ms. Tong asked the director of the National Theater to contact me. She expressed her interest in me creating a work incorporating elements of calligraphy—that was the starting point of Ink. However, at that time, I felt I wasn’t artistically mature enough to take on the project. I chose to let the idea simmer in my mind, waiting for the right music to emerge, and didn’t feel I was ready to initiate a production. From that point on, whenever I presented a new work, Ms. Tong would almost always attend and show her support. It wasn’t until she mentioned that she was feeling unwell that I realized I shouldn’t sit on it any longer. After all, no matter how hard I try, I can’t possibly bridge the forty-year gap between us; I could only give it my all and have no regrets.
GJThere’s a mix of both ancient and contemporary influences in the work. Could you say a bit more about that?
HYTo me, the classical embodies a precious spirit and texture. Although technology is central to my creations, the core lies in an accumulation of traditional elements. The key is to find the ideal way of interpreting them to achieve balance.
Ms. Tong’s lines are eternal in my eyes, especially as we’re interpreting her Silent Music series this time—a hundred works of abstract lines. These lines naturally resonate and correspond with the abstract movements in dance. In certain sections of Ink, I interpreted the lines together with the programmed KUKA robot. In other sections, we developed the movements first and then sought matching lines from the Silent Music works.
GJWhat was the process like of translating the brushstrokes through the body?
HYI played videos of Ms. Tong’s work while the dancers developed their movements. The dancers then naturally incorporated similar textures and lines into those movements. I also asked some dancers to select lines they were drawn to and then translate them into movements for their bodies. Through different angles and proximities, the entire piece immerses itself in Ms. Tong’s works.
Ms. Tong also requested that I draw some lines with a pencil, which she then interpreted through calligraphy. One particularly memorable instance involved a straight line. In digital art, due to its nature, straight lines are abundant. Yet I couldn’t find a single straight line in her work. So, I attempted to draw various straight lines for her to interpret. I even used a ruler to get them perfectly straight. Ms. Tong chose a wolf-hair brush and drew an exceptionally beautiful straight line, by hand. From start to finish of that line, the stroke felt transparent and delicate, like smoke and dust. I incorporated this into one of the movements for me and the KUKA robotic arms. When the straight line appeared in the air, it slowly disintegrated like a fine drizzle—it was an unforgettable moment.
For a calligrapher, the signature seal is incredibly important; only works that are acknowledged receive this mark. Understanding its significance, when the piece was nearing completion, I asked Ms. Tong if she would allow me to use her signature seal. She happily agreed. Tong Yang-Tze’s signature are the only characters that appear in the entire work. This was my way of expressing respect to Ms. Tong, thanking her for giving me the opportunity ten years ago and for her willingness to wait a decade for the work to emerge. In the future, I will continue collaborating with Ms. Tong, exploring her series of works with Chinese characters.
GJAnd what was it like to collaborate with Ryoichi Kurokawa on the audiovisual elements of the work?
HYRyoichi Kurokawa is an audiovisual artist I deeply respect. His self-discipline and meticulous thinking provide me with immense learning and inspiration every time we collaborate.
In performing arts, the audience remains stationary while the work flows before them. In visual arts, it’s the opposite—the audience moves through the exhibition space to experience the entirety of the works. Although I couldn’t have the audience move around, I wanted them to experience the essence of visual arts appreciation. Therefore, we included an independent segment by Kurokawa in the middle of the piece, allowing him to interpret Ms. Tong’s works from a purely audiovisual perspective. The visuals of Ink enable two stunning graphic artists to converse within a single work. Building a bridge between the performing and the visual arts is, in my view, one of the most important concepts of Ink. We didn’t just merge the materials, but also the formats of arts appreciation.
GJWhat do you hope audiences in different parts of the world take away from Ink?
HYI hope they experience the pure and profound beauty of Tong Yang-Tze’s calligraphy; the instantaneous visual tension of Ryoichi Kurokawa’s work; the energy and structure of both Gabriel Prokofiev and Christopher Rouse’s musical compositions; the delicate interpretations of each uniquely talented dancer; and the new developments in humanity, robotics, and technology that all went into this production.
This piece was created during the pandemic. Just as variations in vintage, origin, and climate impart different qualities to wines, so does the environment affect a dance work. I pondered whether I should alter these traces left by Covid, then I recalled Ms. Tong once sharing with me the beauty of creating calligraphy: “When you put brush to paper, each stroke encompasses the day’s temperature, humidity, the state of the paper and brush, and your own condition. Therefore, every stroke is unique and irreplicable.” So, I put down the pen.
