‘There’s a history of abstraction where application of paint gets a relatively smooth ride, occupying the surface without friction or resistance’ – Faith in Motion: Tanya Ling and her Line, Andrew Renton
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Tanya Ling creates meandering Line Paintings that move in folds and waves across the picture surface, appearing to be in constant motion. Working on both paper and latterly on canvas, Ling has dedicated her practice to exploring this hypnotic and distinctive pictural language. On paper, she uses a single colour, painting lines of richly saturated ink that undulate rhythmically across the picture surface. On canvas, she builds each composition with layers of colour and line, creating a rich tapestry of gestures that fill the image. Pulsating with energy, all of Ling’s work derives from her spontaneous, intuitive self-expression.
Tanya Ling (b. 1966, Calcutta, India) received a degree from Central Saint Martins, London, in 1989. Post-graduation, she worked as a designer in the Parisian fashion industry before returning to London in the early Nineties to set up a gallery, Bipasha Ghosh, with her husband William Ling. Following an exhibition of her own drawings, hosted in the studio of Gavin Turk in 1996, she became recognised as one of the world’s leading fashion illustrators. During the period she also designed and produced an eponymous ready-to-wear collection.
Most recently, her work has been exhibited with Harper’s, New York (2023). She has also exhibited with Harper’s in LA (2022) and East Hampton (2021). Other solo shows of note include Paul Stolper (2018/19) and The Mayor Gallery (2018). In 2011 over 50 of Ling’s works were acquired by the Victoria and Albert Museum Prints and Drawings Collection and in 2014 a collection of paintings and sculptures were acquired by Damien Hirst for his collection from which works by Ling were included in exhibitions Simulation/Skin (2017) and Reason Gives on Answers (2019) both at Newport Street Gallery, London.
Ling lives and works in London and Le Gers, South West France.