SHAO YAN 邵岩
Palo Alto, CA 94301
(650) 656-9132
qca_info@qualiagallery.com www.qualiagallery.com
BIOGRAPHY SHAO YAN 邵岩
b. 1962 in Shandong, China; Lives and works in Beijing, China
Shao Yan began studying calligraphy from the age of six under the influence of his family, diligently copying classical modelbooks such as Sanxitang Fatie and Chunhuage Tie. He immersed himself in the works of Wang Xizhi, Wang Xianzhi, Yan Zhenqing, Su Shi, Huang Tingjian, Mi Fu, Cai Xiang, as well as in ancient stele inscriptions. Believing that true mastery of calligraphy matures with time, where “the person and the writing age together,” Shao Yan considered all work before the age of 60 as foundational.
He also studied large-scale expressive ink painting and frequently created minimalist calligraphic works using a large, split brush. In 1986, at age 24, his work Clear Snow (Qingxue) won the Excellence Award at the National Exhibition of Young and Middle-Aged Calligraphers, marking a major turning point in his artistic journey.
Inspired by contemporary Japanese calligraphy exhibitions, Shao Yan committed to a ten-year plan focused on the study of one to four-character compositions. Over this period, he systematically catalogued more than 2,000 frequently used Chinese characters, categorizing them by stroke structure and compiling his own dictionary. Representative works from this period include Encirclement (Wei), Ocean (Hai), and Land (Tudi), through which his distinctive style of minimal-character calligraphy began to take shape.
During this phase, Shao Yan extended his focus to seven-character calligraphic works. He believed this number of characters offered a structural breakthrough: it not only challenged conventional compositional units and spatial logic in traditional calligraphy, but also provided a viable format for modern multi-character works. Over this decade, he received First Prize at both the 6th and 7th National Exhibition of Young and Middle-Aged Calligraphers for works such as Peach Blossoms Fall in the Rain of the Mortal World and Dry Lotus Leaves Echo in the Sound of Rain. Other notable pieces include Several Plum Blossoms, the Heart of Heaven and Earth. He also traveled to Japan, South Korea, and Malaysia to study the state and development of calligraphy in Asia.
Building on his minimal-character practice, Shao Yan pioneered a new art form called “Ink Projection” (Shemo)—an accidental innovation sparked by the use of a long-tipped brush and his observations during a medical procedure involving cardiac stents (necessitated by the stress of intense creative exertion).
Ink Projection includes both abstract performative calligraphy and hybrid works combining Chinese characters with modern calligraphic forms.
BIOGRAPHY SHAO YAN 邵岩
b. 1962 in Shandong, China; Lives and works in Beijing, China
By creatively integrating the brush and medical syringe, he developed an expressive technique that broke new ground. Representative works include Auspicious Fortune Arrives, Longevity as Steadfast as a Mountain, and Centripetal Force.
During this period, he traveled to the U.S. and Italy to study Western art. He explored the integration of Chinese calligraphic writing with Western art movements. Ultimately, he concluded that the essence of Chinese calligraphy lies in the art of Chinese character writing itself.
Shao Yan has continued to deepen his exploration of both minimal-character calligraphy and Ink Projection, producing important works such as Flowers Bloom Through the Seasons and When the Wind Blows, Flowers Dance. He participated in the Hong Kong Chinese Ink Art Exhibition, held exchanges with artists in Belgium, and took part in the Xu Zhimo Poetry Festival and Calligraphy Exhibition at King’s College, University of Cambridge. There, he engaged with Western art critics, professors, and artists to introduce and promote the art of Chinese calligraphy on an international stage.
Looking ahead to the next 10 to 20 years, Shao Yan plans to further advance both minimal-character calligraphy and Ink Projection, producing new works and constructing a comprehensive artistic system. Emphasizing the structural and symbolic richness of Chinese characters, he strives to transcend the formal constraints of Western abstract expressionism through rhythm of brush and structure of form, as well as to open a new, distinctively Chinese pathway for modern calligraphy.
Over the past forty years, Shao Yan has participated in more than 90 domestic and international art exhibitions, held six solo shows, and published over ten books. He currently serves as a Research Fellow at the China National Academy of Painting and as a member of the New Literary Arts Group Committee of the China Calligraphers Association.
36 x 38 in, 91.5 x 96.5 cm
Framed: 41.75 x 44.75 in, 106 x 113.7 cm
幽 Ethereal, 2025
Ink on xuan paper
馬上相逢 See you soon, 2025
Ink on xuan paper
19 x 71 in | 48.25 x 180.25 cm
Framed: 41.75 x 44.75 in, 106 x 113.7 cm
幽 Ethereal, 2025
Ink on xuan paper
36 x 38 in, 91.5 x 96.5 cm
36 x 38 in | 91.5 x 96.5 cm
夢 Dream, 2025
Ink on xuan paper