‘Calligraphy Across Boundaries’

This series of work involves Ling’s research into cross-cultural contexts with calligraphy. His research includes peer review articles for calligraphy journals, conference paper and a collaborative book and exhibition project. Ling asks the question of what aspects of different cultural traditions (particularly from East Asia) can be applied to Western calligraphy? He uses philosophical methodology stemmed from the tacit and intuitive approaches to calligraphy inspired by the first canon of painting “Chi Yun Shen Tung” (Rhythimic Vitality) by the Chinese artist Hiseh Ho (AD 479-502). Ling wrote a peer-reviewed article for the Calligraphy and Lettering Arts Society (CLAS). The article was later translated into Finnish for the calligraphy journal ‘Sulkanen’, published by Kalligrafia in Finland. He also disseminated his findings via an international calligraphy conference paper at the University of Kankaanpaa in Finland. He is currently involved in the ‘Lindisfarne Book Project’ to co-inside with the arrival of the Lindisfarne Gospel to the region in the summer of 2013. This involves an exhibition at the Design Centre Gallery where the historical connections between the Lindisfarne Gospels, Egyptian Coptic Art and Islamic Calligraphy will be on display. In addition to this, pages from the collaborative ‘Lindisfarne Book Project’ will also be on display. The exhibition is also part of the Writing 2013 International Calligraphy Symposium to be held at St. Aiden’s College in The University of Durham