05-Choi Chi-won’s Crossing the Sea
- Transcript
- This hanging scroll features a seal script rendition of the 9th-century Silla poet Choe Chi-won’s poem “Crossing the Sea”. The unique character forms were inspired by the seal script style from the inscription on Choe's work “Stele for the Monk Jijeung”, where the structure and arrangement are less rigid, with only the line spacing being relatively consistent. The characters display a mix of spacing, directional flow, expansion and contraction, irregularity, and variation in length, creating an overall aesthetic of dynamic imbalance. The calligraphy style reflects the broad, flowing strokes of the Eastern Han Dynasty’s “Stele to the Spirit Lord of Baishi Mountain”, combined with the dignified and powerful energy found in the “Stele of Divine Prophecy “.
This piece, by Korean calligrapher Kwon Chang-ryun, was uniquely crafted using his left hand due to temporary pain in his right arm. As a result, the characters, though tilted, exude a sense of uprightness. The strokes are animated and spontaneous, unconstrained by any fixed form, with varying thicknesses that express freedom and fluidity. Despite its irregularity, the piece achieves a harmonious beauty, embodying strength and grace.
KWON Chang-ryun
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