Language
Spend your hour
Gan Haoyu - Ink Made from Hair, Time Drawn with Body
These three works by Chinese artist Gan Haoyu change familiar question "What is ink painting?" to "Can we paint ink with body?“
Gan explores ink painting's essence through body, specifically "hair" as medium. Hair contains body temperature, smell, time, and life traces.
First video "Hair Ink" records artist making ink from his own hair—burning, grinding, mixing with water. This process is quiet yet intense, moment when life becomes "painting.“
Second installation "Spend Your Hour" is mechanical device where sixty Chinese characters containing "髟" (hair radical) change every minute, dynasty names change every 30 minutes. Hair, characters, history circulate within one device.
Final work "As if there is Light" draws shadows created without actual light. Artist reproduced shadow forms with ink made from his hair—non-existent light yet images left like traces.
This isn't just painting but philosophical question: "Can traces I leave truly explain me?" Creating situations where existence reproduces absence, self chases self.
Gan's ink doesn't start from traditional reproduction but connects ink philosophy with body. His ink is memory, existence, and time itself.
Gan explores ink painting's essence through body, specifically "hair" as medium. Hair contains body temperature, smell, time, and life traces.
First video "Hair Ink" records artist making ink from his own hair—burning, grinding, mixing with water. This process is quiet yet intense, moment when life becomes "painting.“
Second installation "Spend Your Hour" is mechanical device where sixty Chinese characters containing "髟" (hair radical) change every minute, dynasty names change every 30 minutes. Hair, characters, history circulate within one device.
Final work "As if there is Light" draws shadows created without actual light. Artist reproduced shadow forms with ink made from his hair—non-existent light yet images left like traces.
This isn't just painting but philosophical question: "Can traces I leave truly explain me?" Creating situations where existence reproduces absence, self chases self.
Gan's ink doesn't start from traditional reproduction but connects ink philosophy with body. His ink is memory, existence, and time itself.