Australian born artist Merissa “Inkslinger” Walker lived in Tokyo, Japan between 1991 and 1998. While there she began studying Japanese calligraphy, or Shodou. After several months it became evident that she would never master the thousands of written characters, so early in 1992, she threw away the book and began writing in English.
“I was still practicing all the traditional brush strokes and trying to absorb style tips from the Great Chinese Masters, but my passion lay in the exploration of what I termed 'cultural cross-dressing'.At my first solo exhibition in 1993, a few Japanese marvelled their way through the gallery, without realizing everything was in English.They had seen abstract Shodou, and assumed it was simply too arty to comprehend - a common experience at contemporary calligraphy shows - and the only experience most Westerners have of Asian calligraphy.I realized then that my creative task was to present alphabet to English speakers, so they could take on the same deciphering challenge that Asian audiences enjoy when viewing calligraphy in their own language.”
Inkslinger original calligraphies, scrolls, prints and multi-media artworks can be found in private and corporate collections throughout the world. Walker exhibits in the US and Asia with the group Art of Ink in America, and is represented in Singapore by Asian Art Options. The studio is located in Sydney, and is open any time by appointment.
