My Residence 1977

Editor: So, here we have Ding Yanyong’s “My Residence,” created in 1977 using ink and watercolor. The landscape is rather abstract, and the buildings are presented in geometric forms. What strikes me most is its simplicity and dreamlike quality. What do you make of it? Curator: It’s interesting how Ding Yanyong, especially after moving from mainland China to Hong Kong, retained this very classical style, almost stubbornly so. Remember the cultural climate of the 1970s; much of the art world was exploding with new media and radical approaches. This clinging to tradition can be seen as a political act, a quiet resistance to imposed aesthetic values, don’t you think? How does that historical context affect your viewing? Editor: That's a really interesting point about cultural resistance through tradition. I was so focused on the immediate aesthetic, I hadn’t considered that layer. So, are you saying the choice of traditional materials itself became a statement? Curator: Exactly. Think about what watercolor and ink represented—deep roots in Chinese art history. To continue working within that framework, despite external pressures, positioned Ding within a specific cultural lineage. The choice wasn't merely artistic; it was an assertion of identity and cultural continuity in a changing world. Editor: I guess I was taking that link for granted, just seeing it as ‘Asian Art’ tagged on the description. Now, it's far more nuanced. The quietness I initially perceived is louder than I realized. Thanks! Curator: Absolutely! Always question the quietness; sometimes, that's where the loudest statements reside. It is all about questioning why certain forms endure while others fade. Food for thought.