Journal | Venezia Arti
Journal issue | 33 | 2024
Research Article | Learning from “The East”: Mark Tobey’s “White Writing” and the Shaping of American Abstract Expressionism
Learning from “The East”: Mark Tobey’s “White Writing” and the Shaping of American Abstract Expressionism
Abstract
This paper explores the theme of artistic “cross-pollination” through the lens of Mark Tobey (1890-1976)’s engagement with East Asian aesthetics and philosophies, significantly impacting post-World War II American abstract art. Tobey’s integration of Chinese calligraphy and Japanese Zen Buddhism into his artistic vocabulary represents a vivid example of cultural hybridization, where Chinese and Japanese influences not only transformed his stylistic approach but also contributed to the evolution of modernist expressions in “the West”.Mark Tobey, an influential figure in American abstract art, drew profound inspiration from his experiences in China and Japan and his mentorship under the Chinese artist Teng Baiye (1900-1980), leading to the development of his unique “White Writing” style.
Submitted: Sept. 16, 2024 | Accepted: Nov. 17, 2024 | Published Dec. 10, 2024 | Language: en
Keywords Chinese ink painting • Cultural hybridization • Mark Tobey • American abstract expressionism • Teng Baiye
Copyright © 2024 Phyllis Zhong. This is an open-access work distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction is permitted, provided that the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. The license allows for commercial use. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
Permalink http://doi.org/10.30687/VA/2385-2720/2024/01/007
