Of Color and Ink: Chang Dai-chien After 1949

101 minutes
Directed by Weimin Zhang

The screening will be followed by a Q&A with the director.

"Of Color and Ink" is an extraordinary documentary film that uncovers the little-known exile journey of global artist Chang Dai-chien (1899-1983), China’s foremost 20th-century painter. He has often been compared with Picasso, and his paintings outsell Van Gogh (CNN) and have broken records at auction (New York Times). 

This is the first film to document Chang Dai-chien’s 30-year exile in South America, Europe and the United States. Directed by award-winning filmmaker Weimin Zhang, "Of Color and Ink" is the culmination of Zhang’s 12-year journey to unravel the mysteries and controversies surrounding his political, artistic and spiritual quests. The film delves into Chang's extraordinary life in exile, highlighting the global context of his art and its broad impact as it crossed cultural boundaries and political borders - even more relevant in today’s world. The film argues for his significant influence on Western art and illustrates how his work formed a bridge between East and West. Last February, The Asian Art Museum of San Francisco premiered "Of Color and Ink", and called it a significant revelation: “Despite being the world’s top-selling artist, Chang Dai-chien’s life remained a mystery—until now.” 

The film, while rich as a scholarly exemplar of international art historical research about one of the most important artists of all time, is also a brilliant work of cinema art. Through innovative techniques and visual styles, "Of Color and Ink" offers an illuminating, revelatory and entertaining exploration of one of the most influential – and least known - giants of 20th century art. 

(Best Feature Documentary Film Awards)