Tintern Abbey

This piece of work is inspired by the poetry of William Wordsworth (1770–1850) and the Chinese philosophical notion that Man and Nature are a harmonious whole (天人合一). It is well documented that Wordsworth used walking as a creative activity—where he would be inspired by the natural environment that he encountered. Some of his most famous poems were produced using this approach.

The texts for this work are from the poem ‘Lines written a few miles above Tintern Abbey’ (1798). This artwork is produced by combining the traditions and approaches of Chinese painting and western calligraphy. In bringing both art forms together, the work aims to capture the sense that the viewer is present within the painting and that both cultural artistic approaches can be integrated into a harmonious whole.