Eternal Spring: Bamboo

July 1, 2025–December 7, 2025

Kemper Family Foundations Balcony and Ingrid & J.K. Lee Study Center

Bamboo has captivated the imagination of East Asian artists and poets for centuries. The eminent Chinese calligrapher Wang Xizhi (303CE–361CE) valued bamboo so highly that he referred to it as a “gentleman.” With its graceful, slender leaves, bamboo was a perfect subject for demonstrating brushwork. Together with the orchid, chrysanthemum, and plum blossom, bamboo formed part of a group of plants known as the “four noble ones.” This botanical ensemble embodied the moral and cultural values deemed essential for the refined ink-and-brush practice, including their ability to survive in harsh conditions. Just like an exemplary person, bamboo bends with adversity, but does not break.