Ding Yi: Between Prediction and Retrospection

15 Feb-31 May 2025

Overview

Between Prediction and Retrospection is a survey exhibition of works by Ding Yi, a leading figure in Chinese geometric abstraction, featuring works on canvas, wood and paper, created over the last forty years.

Drawing on both Eastern philosophy and Western aesthetics, the exhibition presents a range of approaches to contemporary painting, from experimental, process-based works to more traditional techniques. Throughout his extensive career, Ding has employed these methodologies to explore cross-cultural perspectives, addressing the impact of rapid technological development, urbanisation, and broader societal shifts.

The ‘predictive’ element in the exhibition title references the use of the cross sign (whether a ‘+’ or an ‘x’) as a symbolic gesture or mark. His work bridges Western and Eastern formal aesthetics while also anticipating the binary code—the visual cornerstone of today’s digital age.

The ‘retrospective’ aspect is reflected in the selection of works spanning from the 1980s to the present, a period marked by significant societal transformations, including the fall of Soviet Communism, the decline of the American Dream, and the rise of China and Southeast Asia.

Ding’s practice, with its distinct and motif-based approach, offers a lens through which the results of these historical shifts can be understood.

Between Prediction and Retrospection reveals Ding’s mastery in navigating the intersections of tradition and innovation, guiding viewers on a transcendent journey through a visual language where every brushstroke speaks volumes.

Curated by Alfredo Cramerotti, former Director of Mostyn, and Kalliopi Tsipni-Kolaza, Curator of Visual Arts at Mostyn, the exhibition is generously supported by Timothy Taylor.