calligraphy BM-2000-1128-0.2

Period:Unknown Production date:2000
Materials:paper
Technique:
Subjects:calligraphy
Dimensions:Height: 103.60 centimetres (mounted dimension) Height: 93.40 centimetres Width: 130.60 centimetres (mounted dimension) Width: 120.50 centimetres

Description:
Calligraphy, made of black and coloured ink on red-coloured paper. ‘The Age of Red and Gold’, by Gu Gan, 2000.
IMG


Comments:Barrass, 2002:’The Age of Red and Gold’ marked the advent of the new millennium, celebrating the success of China’s reform movement over the past twenty years. The title is not intended only to summarize China’s achievements so far; it also expresses the hope that the country will enter a new Golden Age in the twenty-first century.’The Age of Red and Gold’ completes Gu Gan’s trilogy on the theme of modern China, which began with ‘Overturning the Mountains’ (1996.0614.25), followed by ‘Opening Up’ (1996.0614.29).The paper itself represents China, its smoother area denoting the plains and the crumpled effect in the centre the mountains. Although the overall colour is red, its use has no political connotations: red is and has always been the traditional colour of celebration in China. The black characters make up the ancient form of the Chinese word for ‘tree’ (‘shu’), with the smaller ones accompanied by dots meaning ‘fruit’ (‘guo’); some of which have already ripened into an autumn gold, representing prosperity.