Connecting Calligraphy and Music through Activities, Performances and Workshops / 通过活动、表演和研讨会连接书法与音乐

The article focuses on the events organized during the exhibition “Sounds of Ink: Luo Qi and 30 Years of Calligraphyism,” held at the International Museum and Library of Music in Bologna from 12 October to 5 November 2023. The exhibition celebrated the thirtieth anniversary of the foundation of Calligraphyism, one of the major currents of contemporary Chinese calligraphy founded by Luo Qi, and explored the deep relationship between calligraphy and music that characterizes his artistic vision. Set within a space historically devoted to musical heritage, the exhibition created a dialogue between the rhythmic flow of Luo Qi’s pictorial–calligraphic works and the instruments and musical manuscripts preserved in the Museum’s collections. Ancient Chinese musical notation systems intertwined visually with references to famous opera arias and Italian songs, fostering a conversation between East and West, between visual art and sound. Within this rich cultural framework, the article examines the program of collateral events that accompanied the exhibition, including an international conference, live performances, thematic guided tours, workshops, and book presentations. It highlights how these initiatives extended the exhibition beyond the display of artworks, transforming it into a dynamic and interdisciplinary platform. The performances emphasized the performative dimension of calligraphy as an embodied and time-based practice; the guided tours provided historical, artistic, and musicological insights into the works on display; and the book presentations offered critical and theoretical perspectives on contemporary Chinese calligraphy and the development of Calligraphyism.