Mural Conservancy of Los Angeles

"The mural 'The Party at Lan-T'ing' depicts the famous calligrapher Wang Xi Zhi (321-379) from the Jin Dynasty, drinking wine and writing poems with his friends when he was forty-seven, hosting a party at Lan-T'ing, Kuai II. At this party Wang Xi Zhi wrote the famous preface to the collections of poems at Lan-Ting, whose calligraphy has since been highly praised, admired and imitated by all the calligraphers of the coming generations. Around one thousand and seven hundred years ago, the Chinese characters were in the transitional period from the ancient to the modern style. Wang Xi Zhi with his great talents and hard training laid the foundation for the development of the modern chinese calligraphy. He is regarded by the later generations as the great master and forerunner of the modern chinese calligraphy who bridged the two different stages in the development of Chinese calligraphy." While there are many replicas throughout China, the original scroll is believed buried in the tomb of an emporer of the Tang dynasty. The artist's use of non-paint materials and his layering of colors are both techniques from traditional lacquer painting. Sponsored and commissioned by Social and Public Art Resource Center (SPARC). Shiyan Zhang, assisted by Celia Ko, DeQing Wang, Jack Wu II, and Anthony Mendoza. Painted in acrylic, glitter, sequins, eggshells, and pieces of costume jewelry.  Photo © Ian Robertson-Salt