Born in 1942 in Changsha, Gu Gan is considered the forefather of the modern calligraphy movement, and the founder of the Modernist School of Chinese Calligraphy. His works are typically multi-layered, with the title revealing the theme, and that thematic word or phrase becoming an integral part of the composition. He experiments with the shapes and forms of characters to reinforce their meanings, sometimes blending multiple characters or separating them into component parts. Over the years of his practice, Gu Gan has increasingly integrated Western media such as acrylic paints and color pigments, melding painting and calligraphy into an entirely new form of art.
Gu Gan's works have been collected by the British Museum, London; Ashmolean Museum of Art and Archaeology, Oxford; Museum of East Asian Art, Cologne, Germany; Museum of Fine Arts, Vienna; National Art Museum of China, Beijing; Chinese Olympic Museum, Beijing; Xunyao Chinese Characters Museum, Chengdu. In 2002, he was included in the important exhibition Brushes with surprise: The Art of Calligraphy in Modern China at the British Museum in London. He was the first Chinese artist to have his painting printed on the Mouton Rothschild wine label, an honour also bestowed to Zao Wou-ki and Xu Lei. Alisan Fine Arts held a solo exhibition for Gu Gan in 2014 and included his works in Ink Asia 2015, Hong Kong.
BIOGRAPHY
1942 Born in Changsha, Hunan Province, China
1962 Studied traditional Chinese painting at the Central Academy of Fine Arts, Beijing, China. Discontinued for the reason of poor health
1966-74 Sent to work in a printing factory during the Cultural Revolution
1975 Art Editor at People's Literature Publishing House, Beijing, China
1978 Member of Research Academy for Traditional Chinese Painting under the Chinese Ministry of Culture, Beijing, China
1985 Organized the first Modern Calligraphy Exhibition, National Art Museum of China, Beijing, China. This historic event marked the birth of Chinese modern calligraphy. First Chairman of The Society of Modern Calligraphy and Painting
1986 Authored The Formation of Modern Calligraphy, Beijing Sport University Press, the first book about modern calligraphy in China
1987 Invited by the University of Bonn and Fine Art Institute, Hamburg, Germany to lecture on modern calligraphy annually for six years
1990 Authored The Three Steps of Modern Calligraphy first published in English, China Books Publishing House, Beijing, China (Chinese version published in 1992)
1991 Listed in Who’s Who (Munich, London, New York, Paris edition)
1996 Designed wine labels for Château Mouton Rothschild, Bordeaux, France. The first Chinese artist to have been thus honored
1998 Chief Editor of Modern Calligraphy Characters series of books, Jilin Art Publishing House, Zhangchun, China. Chief Editor of Buddhism Art and Painting 1998-2004, Eastern Publishing House, Beijing, China
1999 Helped to organize Retrospective of Chinese Modern Calligraphy at the End of the 20th Century Exhibition, International Exhibition Centre, Chengdu, China. Published a series of art books The Re-glory of Celebrated Painters, Volume of Gu Gan’s Paintings From Realistic to Abstract, Auhui Fine Art Press, China. Printed set of 10 limited edition prints in the UK. Sales worldwide ranked second behind Matisse’s prints
2000 Received the China National Outstanding Artist Award seven times since the 1970s
2002 Engraved stone inscription for Huang Bihong Art Museum, Jinhua, China
2004 Invited by Japanese Chess Society to design chess pieces using Regular script and script created by Gu Gan. Peking University Resource College established the ever first Art of Chinese Characters department, and Gu Gan’s book The Three Steps of Modern Calligraphy was the major teaching material
2005 Organized Art of Chinese Characters Exhibition-20th Anniversary of the Modernist Movement, China Millennium Monument, Beijing, China
2008 Created a series of 33 sport calligraphy-paintings to honor the 2008 Beijing Olympics, China. Honored as Sport Artist of the Year by United States Sports Academy
2014 Royal Academy of Arts listed Gu Gan as Chinese artist of 60th Anniversary of Cultural Relations between China and UK
Chief Editor of People's Literature Publishing House
Member of the Chinese Artist Association
Consultant of The Society of Modern Calligraphy and Painting
Honorary Adviser of The International Calligraphers' Society
2020 Passed away in Beijing, China at the age of 78
SELECTED SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2014
2006
2000
1998
1993
1987
SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2025
Line, Form, Qi: Calligraphic Art from the Foundation INK Collection, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Los Angeles, USA (Apr 6-Oct 19. 2025)
Reconstructed Realities: Gu Gan, Lee Chun-yi, Wucius Wong, Alisan Fine Arts, New York, USA
Beyond Tradition: The Metamorphosis of Chinese Art, Alisan Fine Arts, Cromwell Place, London, UK
Ink Asia, Alisan Fine Arts, Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition Centre, Hong Kong
Substance and Elegance: A Narrative on Calligraphy, GIO China Rennaisance Art Centre, Beijing, China
2021
2018
2016
2015
2014
2013
2010
2004
2002
2001
2000
1998
1997
1995
1991
1986
SELECTED PUBLIC COLLECTIONS
British Museum, London, UK
Ashmolean Museum, Oxford, UK
Princess Diana Family Museum, UK
Museum of East Asian Art, Cologne, Germany
Art History Museum, Vienna, Austria
Olenska Foundation, Geneva, Switzerland
National Art Museum of China, Beijing, China
Museum of Chinese Olympic Games, Beijing, China
Xunyao Chinese Characters Museum, Chengdu, China
