Western Neoplasticism and Eastern Aesthetics: On the Issue of Mutual Cultural Influences in the 20th Century

The article is dedicated to exploring the profound ontological connections between Western neoplasticism of Piet Mondrian and the artistic practices of 20th-century Chinese modernism. The aim of the work is to identify and analyze the transcultural dialogue that transcends formal parallels through a comparative study of the works of Mondrian and key figures of Chinese abstraction: Wu Guanzhong, Ding Yi, Zhao Wuzhi, Li Huashen, and Wang Guangyi. Special attention is given to the category of “emptiness” (śūnyatā, xū), which is viewed as a focal point of cultural transfer revealing the structural unity of Western and Eastern approaches to expressing the inexpressible essence of being. For the first time, the works of Mondrian and Chinese masters are examined through the lens of dialectical synthesis of their philosophical foundations—Theosophy on one side, and Daoism with Chan Buddhism on the other. The foundation of the work lies in a comprehensive comparative analysis that allows the comparison of the philosophical and aesthetic principles of the works of Mondrian and key representatives of Chinese abstraction (Wu Guanzhong, Ding Yi, Zhao Wuzhi, Li Huashen, Wang Guangyi). The research is built on the principles of an interdisciplinary approach that combines methods from art studies, cultural studies, and philosophy. For the first time, the works of Mondrian and Chinese masters are investigated through the prism of dialectical synthesis of their philosophical foundations—Theosophy on one side, and Daoism with Chan Buddhism on the other. The results of the research indicate that the reception of neoplasticism in China was not a mere appropriation but a profound dialogue during which both traditions underwent transformation. The main conclusion of the research asserts that Chinese artists, by reinterpreting the formal language of Western abstraction, brought forth the archetypes of their own aesthetics, leading to the formation of unique artistic systems. The conclusions of the work confirm that the transcultural dialogue centered around the concept of emptiness demonstrates the universality of fundamental artistic and philosophical intuitions and reveals the mechanisms of productive cultural exchange during the era of modernism.

Piet Mondrian, Neoplasticism, cultural exchange, emptiness, Theosophy, Taoism, Eastern aesthetics, Wu Guanzhong, Ding Yi, Zao Wou-Ki