10 Contemporary Ink Artists Reshaping the Medium

Throughout history, ink art has been an integral part of artistic tradition throughout Asia, particularly in East Asia. The use of ink art has been rising in popularity in the past decades, with contemporary artists reshaping the medium by incorporating new formats, colors, different subject matters, elevating the style beyond its traditional origins.

In this article, The Artling has collected together 10 talented contemporary ink artists who are redefining the ancient art form.

Nakatani Suisen

Suisen Nakatani is a Japan-based calligrapher. The motifs of her artworks are Kokotsu-bun; the ancient Chinese hieroglyphic characters left on bones or tortoise carapaces and Kin-bun; those left on bronze vessels. 

Nakatani’s fluid forms with Sumi ink express a subtle intelligence and energetic resolve that maintain a correspondence with the art’s ancient practice even as they communicate contemporary energy and vital force. Suisen says she can feel a lot of energy from ancient characters that imply the meaning of life, nature, and people’s feeling in ancient times. Therefore, she is fascinated with ancient characters and practice calligraphy to affirm her life, including both the sadness and happiness of her experience. 

Ann Niu

Ann Niu began her art training at five, studying calligraphy and Chinese ink painting with master artists. She later studied Western oil painting and attended art college in Shanghai, graduating from Tokyo Musashino Fine Art University in 1995. After living abroad, she returned to Shanghai in 2000 to open her own studio.

Her work, known for its graceful, spontaneous lines, explores themes of femininity and love, blending contemporary and traditional influences. Niu’s art has been exhibited internationally and is part of prominent collections, including the Singapore National Art Museum and HSBC Private Bank.

Tay Bak Chiang

Tay Bak Chiang is a Singaporean artist who graduated with a Diploma in Fine Arts from Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts in 1995. Tay reinterprets the painting convention of monumentality in his stone series that intersects the idea of the stone with history, Taoist philosophy, and nature. The motif of the stone as the exemplar of monumentality in Chinese ink painting traditions is deconstructed and laid bare as ruins for us to explore. 

Nan Qi

Nan Qi was born in Yongkang City, Zhejiang Province, China in 1960. Unlike most Chinese artists, he was trained as a painter not in an art school but in the army. He graduated from the Chinese painting course at People’s Liberation Army Fine Arts Academy, Beijing. In 1990, he traveled to England and France to study European art. He moved to Hong Kong in 1995 and had several international exhibitions in Tokyo, Singapore, the Netherlands, Hong Kong, and China before returning to Beijing in 2002.

Nan also painted in oil and acrylic but later decided to focus on ink. He is now considered by many throughout China and the world to be the master of ink dots. The constant evolution in his technique and narration makes him a singular artist whose use of ink is on par with 3D technology. Nan Qi’s work has been recognized and awarded in both China and abroad. 

Oh Chai Hoo

Oh Chai Hoo, an award-winning Singaporean artist, has carved out a reputation for making art that is quietly contemplative and timeless over the span of his 30-year career. His various series shows an artist with a deep passion for bringing to life his notions of establishing a balance in life, through exploring a wide range of mediums and styles as a means of achieving greater self-expression.

Maria Lobo

Maria Lobo was born in Hong Kong and studied art across Italy, Spain, Canada, and California. She earned her Fine Art and Painting degrees from the University of Santa Clara and the San Francisco Art Institute in 1985 and returned to Hong Kong in 1994. She now lives and works in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Her art merges East and West, using diverse materials, patterns, and symbols to express her multicultural background. Exhibiting internationally, Lobo also creates site-specific commissions for private collectors, designers, and corporate clients in both residential and hospitality spaces.

Daniel Morkowski

After graduating from art school, Daniel Morkowski began his career as a graphic designer, working for companies in Paris and teaching college art. He later joined Thomson Multi Média, managing the graphic design team in Singapore and undertaking projects in Hong Kong, Tokyo, and the U.S. Back in Paris, he continued at Thomson as a color manager alongside designer Philippe Starck.

Morkowski then launched an independent design career, collaborating with major companies like Airbus, Danone, and France Telecom. Currently based in Chiang Mai, Thailand, he has transitioned to painting, blending calligraphy and digital art in his work.

Li Qing-Yan

Li Qing-Yan is a Chinese artist based in Beijing. A graduate of the Beijing Shi Qi Art Institute and a member of the China Imagery Oil Painting Association, she draws inspiration from folk art and modern literature. Her ink paintings reflect a critique of consumerism and explore the restlessness of modern society.

Rejecting traditional techniques, Li uses thin layers of paint, loose brushwork, and varied shades to evoke spontaneity and randomness, inviting viewers to project their own imaginations onto her work. Her notable exhibitions include shows at Beijing's Dahewan Art Museum (2016), Sunshine Art Museum (2017-2019), Shan He Art Museum (2016), and Shi Qi Art Museum (2021).

Shih Yun Yeo

Yeo Shih Yun is a full-time artist and is known to reinterpret the very act of ink painting with striking results. Her experimentations of fusing the traditional form with contemporary mediums like new media or performance art has garnered much acclaim.

Following her instincts about the fascinating medium, Yeo Shih Yun decided to explore ink painting further at the San Francisco Art Institute. Using a monochromatic palette and a range of different paintbrushes, she experimented with several techniques. The artist’s earliest works, perhaps unintentionally, showcase a captivating balance between the traditional method of Chinese Ink Painting and abstraction - the interplay of conventional and modern elements that broadly defines her body of works until today.

Xiong Long-Deng

Xiong Long-Deng, born in 1966, is a Chinese artist based in Qingzhen and Beijing. A graduate of the Department of Oil Painting at Guizhou University’s College of Art, he is also a member of the Beijing Academy of Calligraphy & Painting.

Xiong’s work has been featured in numerous exhibitions, including the Daimo Xinxiang Ink Exhibition at the International Art Museum in Shanghai (2018), the Chengdu Art Fair (2017), and the Global Art Fair in Singapore (2019).

We hope these amazing artists inspired you to explore more Contemporary Ink artworks on The Artling! Should you need additional guidance or have custom requirements, you can have a look at our dedicated art consultancy services or chat with our expert curators from any product page.