The Dao & Art

---

Min Zhang is a Chinese contemporary artist based in the UK. His artistic practice encompasses painting, digital art, installation, multimedia, performance and dance. Through continuous artistic exploration, he has developed a unique interpretation of the I Ching and Daoist philosophy by studying and analysing their numerical and symbolic principles, which he then expresses through a contemporary visual language. Approaching the I Ching with the rigour of mathematics and science, he engages in a dialogue between rationality and aesthetics to explore the origins of the Dao (the Way).

In his creative process, Chinese philosophical concepts such as Wújí (The Infinite), Tàijí (Supreme Ultimate), Yīnyáng (Yin-Yang), Bāguà (Eight Trigrams), and Wǔxíng (Five Elements) are no longer mere traditional cultural symbols but are transformed into intricate visual codes through meticulous calculation, deduction, and philosophical inquiry. He employs multi-order magic square computational tools and mathematical models such as Wolfram’s cellular automata to seek order within the seemingly chaotic generation of geometric abstraction, in pursuit of the fundamental nature of the Dao. His work rigorously adheres to the principles of the Dao, and through repeated experimentation with the underlying logic and formulas of his creative process, he seeks to interpret the cosmic truths concealed within chaos yet inherently governed by order.

His work represents an ongoing exploration of the origins and transformations of the Dao. Through the interplay between art and science, he inspires viewers to reflect on life, the universe, and the profound underlying structures that govern existence. Influenced by the geometric abstraction of Western Modernism, his visual language integrates research into and verification of classical Chinese texts with the precision of mathematical logic, forging a dialogue between Eastern philosophy and cutting-edge cosmology. For him, art is not merely an exercise in abstraction; it is an interdisciplinary discourse - one that honours the profound depth of Chinese cultural heritage while engaging with contemporary scientific explorations of the mysteries of the universe.