Mountains and Minds
In Western art, a landscape is often a depiction of scenery—a window looking out. In Chinese art, “Shan Shui” (Mountain-Water) is a depiction of the mind—a journey looking in. This andscape painting archive documents my transition between these two worlds: from the expressive, colorful landscapes of my Austrian youth, influenced by Oskar Kokoschka, to the monochromatic, philosophical depth of the Chinese masters.
1. Western Roots (The Kokoschka Years)
Capturing the Light
My early landscapes (mid-1970s to 1978) were fueled by the tradition of Austrian Expressionism. Using pastels, watercolors, and oil, I sought to capture the mood of the Vienna Woods (Wienerwald). The focus was on light, color, and the immediate emotional response to nature, heavily inspired by the nervous energy of Oskar Kokoschka.
2. The Chinese Turn
Learning to Read Nature
With my move to Beijing in the late 70s, my perception changed. Studying at the Central Academy, I began to see trees and rocks not as objects, but as calligraphy strokes. These Chinese landscapes (1978–1989) show my engagement with classical masters like Shi Tao. The perspective shifts: The horizon disappears, and the landscape becomes a vertical composition of void and substance.
3. The Huang Binhong Phase
The Beauty of Blackness
My dissertation on Chinese freehand painting led me to an intense study of Huang Binhong (1865–1955). I was fascinated by his concept of “blackness, density, thickness, and heaviness”. In this period (1983–1988), my Chinese landscapes became darker and more abstract. I painted layer upon layer of ink, exploring the texture of the mountain rather than its shape. It was a study of structure and chaos.
4. Dreamscapes
Beyond Geography
In the “Dreamscapes” series (late 90s to 2000), I began working with ink on glossy paper. This material does not absorb the ink instantly, allowing for fluid, dreamlike distortions. These are landscapes of the unconscious—places that do not exist on any map, but feel strangely familiar.
Articles on Chinese painting that also relate to landscape painting can be found in ART THEORY
Shan Shui vs. Landscape
Why do Chinese landscapes often look “unrealistic” to Western eyes? Because they are not meant to be realistic. A Chinese landscape painter does not paint a mountain; he paints the mountain. He paints the eternal energy (Qi) of the rock and the water. My journey has been a slow un-learning of Western perspective to embrace this holistic view.