Not the Constant Way presents Dr. Daniel Chak-kwong Lau's recent explorations into the art of Chinese seal engraving. This series of seals endeavors to break through the boundary of the mainstream practice of zhuanshu (ç¯ æ ¸), or the seal script adopted for seal design, thus producing seals mainly in lishu (é ¸æ ¸), or the clerical script. Meanwhile, this series of seals accentuates the synergy between seal impressions and the esthetics embodied in seal stones and carvings on seal bodies such as bas relief with a continuous scene of landscape and human figures. With enchanting colors and pearly luster, the wide spectrum of seal stones, including the precious subtypes of Shoushan stone such as Tianhuang jelly stone (ç °é» N41;), Lychee jelly stone (è æ N41;) and Peach blossom jelly stone (æ¡ è ±N41;), offers a medium for an integration of the natural beauty of stones and the art of seal engraving with Dr. Lau's unique approach to his emphasis on the notions of pliancy and expressiveness in the clerical-script calligraphy adopted for seal design.
The series of seals was inspired by the Dao De Jing, one of the major ancient Chinese philosophical writings. Taken from the Dao De Jing, which can be literally translated as "The Classic/Canon of the Way and the Virtue," the literary content of this series of seals comprises such notions of the Way (chapter 1, cats. 1-22), natural spontaneity (chapter 2, cats. 23-24), emptiness and stillness (chapter 3, cats. 25-26), unadornedness (chapter 4, cats. 27-28), pliancy (chapter 5, cats. 29-32), unattached action (chapter 6, cats. 33-41), the great vessel takes long to complete (chapter 7, cats. 42-44), contentment and happiness (chapter 8, cats. 45-48), and virtue (chapter 9, cats. 49-66). Manifesting major aspects of ancient Chinese wisdom, these discourses are still sources of inspiration in the contemporary world. In view of this, this project seeks to integrate the thought-provoking lines from the Dao De Jing and the powerful visual form of Chinese characters in seal impressions to create a concerted beauty in this series of multi-faceted seals.