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After researching and visiting locations which were integral to the stories of the Chinese in Australia, artist Mo Xiangyi chose the gong bi style to represent their history and the hardships they have endured.
The word gong bi is made up of two Chinese characters meaning 'regular' and 'brush'. The style of painting requires meticulous brushstrokes to be applied to develop the desired colour and composition. Three to ten applications of colour and ink can be necessary to achieve the desired result.
The gong bi style of painting is defined both by the methodology used to apply colour and ink and the painter's philosophical approach to the subject matter. A series of rules governs how the painter's emotions are to be expressed in the work. Confucianism teaches that success is won through forbearance and a scroll painted in the gong bi style is achieved by an appreciation, even a spiritual understanding of the subject matter.
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