Calligraphy
![CONTINUUM (FRAGMENT I) and CONTINUUM (FRAGMENT II) (2025)
[Copper-electroplated aluminium, laser engraved and refined by hand engraving, derived from Chinese calligraphy on rice paper 87.5 x 82cm per panel] Created for the 'Traces of Humanity' exhi](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/635e8b75a953f80dd13b9d83/4d34b2da-5ed9-4696-9404-bdba432412ca/Continuum+%28Fragment+I%29+and+Continuum+%28Fragment+II%29_by+YAP+Pau+Ling.jpg)
CONTINUUM (FRAGMENT I) and CONTINUUM (FRAGMENT II) (2025) [Copper-electroplated aluminium, laser engraved and refined by hand engraving, derived from Chinese calligraphy on rice paper 87.5 x 82cm per panel] Created for the 'Traces of Humanity' exhibition in Gibraltar, inspired by the Gorham's Cave Complex in Gibraltar, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, organised by Gibraltar Cultural Services on behalf of the Gibraltar Ministry of Culture. ‘Continuum (Fragment I)' and 'Continuum (Fragment II)' examine the interplay between humanity's lineage of knowledge - preserved and transmitted through language - and forces of innovation that propel it forward. Anchored in Chinese calligraphy, whose origins trace back to ancient bone script, the work is deeply rooted in the artist's cultural heritage. It draws on the philosophy of the Yi Jing (c. 1000 BC): "Stagnation sparks change; change brings continuity", highlighting enduring wisdom across millennia. The script morphs from traditional script in Fragment I "Stagnation sparks change", to simplified script in Fragment II, "Change brings continuity", aligning philosophical progression with linguistic evolution, thus visually embodying both lineage and evolution. The making process itself reflects this dialogue between past and present. Calligraphy is first handwritten with ink and brush on rice paper, then translated into laser-engraving on aluminium - an act that bridges tradition and modern technology. The surface is subsequently finished with hand engraving, reintroducing the artist's gesture and echoing the tactile immediacy of Gorham's prehistoric cave scratchings in Gibraltar. A final layer of copper-plating invokes humanity's first metal, reinforcing the work's temporal depth. The result is a layers work that fuses tradition with technology, echoing both ancient cave marking and contemporary industrial process. Presented as a diptych, the tow halves resemble archaeological fragments - partial yet resonant, each holding traces of a larger whole. Their reflective surfaces draw the viewers into the work, positioning them not as observers, but as participants within this unfolding continuum of human history.
detail of CONTINUUM (FRAGMENT II) (2025)
CONTINUUM (FRAGMENT I) (2025)
CONTINUUM (FRAGMENT II) (2025)
detail of CONTINUUM (FRAGMENT I) (2025)
detail of CONTINUUM (FRAGMENT II) (2025)
![CONTINUUM (2025) [Chinese calligraphy on rice paper 97 x 180cm]](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/635e8b75a953f80dd13b9d83/8db9c964-c067-462d-b7ed-e9a008d51210/DSC_1150a.jpg)
CONTINUUM (2025) [Chinese calligraphy on rice paper 97 x 180cm]
![STRINGS OF LIGHT, SHADOWS OF SOUND (2025) [Chinese calligraphy on rice paper mounted on silk scroll 146 x 86cm]
‘Strings of Light, Shadows of Sound’ invites you into a lyrical sanctuary where music and visual art entwine like soulmates. Through her](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/635e8b75a953f80dd13b9d83/f26db9e6-9ab2-4f8f-a25f-81042e4448f1/YAP%2C+Pau+Ling_Strings+of+Light%2C+Shadows+of+Sound.jpg)
STRINGS OF LIGHT, SHADOWS OF SOUND (2025) [Chinese calligraphy on rice paper mounted on silk scroll 146 x 86cm] ‘Strings of Light, Shadows of Sound’ invites you into a lyrical sanctuary where music and visual art entwine like soulmates. Through her original poem, the artist offers a heartfelt ode to a lifelong devotion – an intimate harmony between melody and imagery. Cleverly woven into the verses are the meanings of her name: ‘Pau’ (“Precious”) and ‘Ling (“Exquisite”): "My treasured piano plays my dreams; ink-like notes inscribe the whispers of my heart. My exquisite zither weaves my emotions; the shadows of its strings dance like colours across my canvas." The two verses mirror each other in structure and sentiment – each line pairs nouns, verbs, adjectives in parallel, reflecting the artist’s dual devotion to music and art.
![DIN TAI FUNG BAO BAO (2025) [Chinese ink painting and calligraphy on Chinese red paper 68.5 x 68.5cm] [This painting won the Din Tai Fung art competition in conjunction with Lunar New Year and the celebration of its new opening at Canary Wharf, Londo](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/635e8b75a953f80dd13b9d83/b6582790-700e-4495-a1ba-1c081d0efeef/IMG_9430.jpg)
DIN TAI FUNG BAO BAO (2025) [Chinese ink painting and calligraphy on Chinese red paper 68.5 x 68.5cm] [This painting won the Din Tai Fung art competition in conjunction with Lunar New Year and the celebration of its new opening at Canary Wharf, London] I am thrilled to showcase a display of traditional Chinese ink painting and calligraphy on festive red paper, commonly celebrated during Chinese New Year. This artwork features Din Tai Fung's Bao Bao playing the flute for a dancing snake as it emerges from a bamboo steamer. Accompanying the drawing is an original couplet (a traditional festive two-verse poetry) composed by my, which translates as follows: "Soaring dragon spreads fragrant dumplings, Din Tai Fung's delight, Dancing snake gathering treasure, business thrives with might" Notably, the poem cleverly integrates Bao Bao's name, "Dumpling-Treasure", as the third word in each verse. Additionally, I have also ensured that the beginning of each verse reflects the animals of successive years in the Chinese zodiac, starting with the dragon and followed by the snake. Lastly, it highlights Din Tai Fung and its signature fragrant dumplings.
