NYC Gazette

For the 2024 Great Hall Commission, Taiwanese artist Tong Yang-Tze has crafted two large-scale works of Chinese calligraphy for the historic space of The Met. This project marks the third in a series of commissions for The Met's Great Hall and is Tong's first major endeavor in the United States.

Tong Yang-Tze, born in 1942 in Shanghai and currently based in Taipei, is renowned for her work exclusively in calligraphy. She is particularly known for creating calligraphy on a monumental scale, integrating Chinese characters with three-dimensional space and exploring new conceptual and compositional boundaries while maintaining the essence of calligraphy as an art form. Her dedication to written characters stems from her belief in their importance within Chinese culture and their potential for visual, emotional, and social impact beyond language barriers. Working from her home floor, she focuses on manipulating movement and tension within brushstrokes—a key quality of calligraphy. The oversized characters present physical, formal, and conceptual challenges but also offer new compositional possibilities and viewing experiences.

The Great Hall Commission forms part of The Met’s contemporary commissions series. Through this initiative, artists are invited to create new artworks that establish a dialogue between their practice, The Met collection, the museum itself, and its audiences.

This exhibition is supported by the Director’s Fund; Mr. T.H. Tung; Oscar L. Tang and H.M. Agnes Hsu-Tang; Jenny Yeh; Winsing Arts Foundation.