ZHONG CHENG

Born in 1942 in Hunan, Changsha, Gu Gan excelled in painting and calligraphy. He was enrolled in the Chinese painting department of Central Academy of Fine Arts in China. He was a member of the Chinese Artists Association, president of the Chinese Tea Society, the foremost president of Chinese Modern Calligraphy Society, and the honorary advisor for the World Calligraphers Association. He founded the Chinese Modern Calligraphy Society in 1985, committed to promote the art movement, he organized their first exhibition in the Beijing Art Museum of China, and in result they attracted international attention. During 1987 to 1993, University of Bonn and University of Hamburg frequently invited Gu Gan as a guest lecturer to speak about Chinese Modern Calligraphy, furthermore, he was given the honorary title of the “Pioneer of Chinese Modern Calligraphy Movement.” He often exhibited in Kunsthistorisches Museum, Köln Museum, and museums within the U.S., England and more. His works are collected by the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford, the British Museum, London, The Museum of East Asian Art, Cologne, and the National Art Museum of China, Beijing, and many impotant private collection. His own publication include “Modern Calligraphy Constitution,” “The Three Steps of Modern Calligraphy,” “Gu Gan,” art series and more. Recent exhibition include: “Brushes with Surprise: The Art of Calligraphy in Modern China,” (2002, British Museum, London, UK), “Calligraphic Art - Gu Gan,” (2014, Alisan Fine Arts, Hong Kong).