Katherine Tzu-Lan Mann
Leaves into Birds, 2019
My work's abstractions arise from the subjects I portray: ecological and geological cycles, …
In her sweeping, explosive abstract paintings, Katherine Tzu-Lan Mann merges traditional Chinese and Japanese ink painting techniques with an approach rooted in Western abstractionism. She was originally trained in sumi ink painting, which forms the basis for her work. Describing her process, Mann says, “I begin each piece with a stain of color. . . From this shape, I nourish the landscape of each painting, coaxing from this organic foundation the development of diverse, decorative forms: braids of hair, details from Beijing opera costuming, lattice-work, sequined patterns.” These forms coalesce into compositions that appear alive and churning on the paper, sometimes spilling off the page and into site-specific installations. In addition to sumi ink, Mann uses a range of materials and techniques, including acrylic, graphite, collage, etching, and silkscreen.
My work's abstractions arise from the subjects I portray: ecological and geological cycles, processes of chemical corrosion and natural efflorescence. With roots in traditions of Chinese landscape painting, my monumentally sized paintings and installations evolve a fantastic, abstract vision of the natural world. …
In her sweeping, explosive abstract paintings, Katherine Tzu-Lan Mann merges traditional Chinese and Japanese ink painting techniques with an approach rooted in Western abstractionism. She was originally trained in sumi ink painting, which forms the basis for her work. Describing her process, Mann says, “I begin each piece with a stain of color. . . From this shape, I nourish the landscape of each painting, coaxing from this organic foundation the development of diverse, decorative forms: braids of hair, details from Beijing opera costuming, lattice-work, sequined patterns.” These forms coalesce into compositions that appear alive and churning on the paper, sometimes spilling off the page and into site-specific installations. In addition to sumi ink, Mann uses a range of materials and techniques, including acrylic, graphite, collage, etching, and silkscreen.
