About this work
When Chinese-born artist Walasse Ting arrived in New York in 1958, Abstract Expressionism dominated the American art scene. Though inspired by the hugely influential movement, Ting’s art was stylistically unique, merging gestural mark-making with traditional Chinese painting conventions – especially the practice of ‘leaving blank’. This lithograph reflects these dual influences, with areas of the support left bare to heighten the impact of vibrant bursts of colour. Flowers would later become a central motif for Ting, who once declared: ‘Paintings are my honey, colours are my flowers, velocity is what’s required of a thief – he must paint as speedily as he draws a gun.’