Of Color and Ink

         

“Of Color and Ink” is an extraordinary documentary film which discovers the unknown exile journey of a global artist, Chang Dai-chien (1899-1983), China’s foremost 20th-century painter of the 20th century, often compared with Picasso. His paintings  outsell Van Gogh (CNN) and he has held the record as the best-selling artist at auction (New York Times). In its review of “Of Color and Ink” (South China Morning Post) stated, 'After one of China’s most famous 20th-century artists left his homeland, his life was a mystery. Until now".
 
This is the first film to document Chang’s 30-year exile in South America, Europe and the United States and is the result of a 12-year journey by Chinese-American director Weimin Zhang who sought to unravel the mysteries and controversies surrounding Chang's artistic and spiritual quest as he journeyed from East to West. The film makes a case for his strong influence on Western art, showing that his work formed a bridge not only between China’s past and present, but also between Eastern and Western aesthetic ideas. The film delves into his extraordinary life in exile and highlights his mission within the global art world.
 
Through innovative techniques and visual styles, “Of Color and Ink” offers an illuminating, revelatory and entertaining exploration of one of the most influential – and least known - giants of 20th century art.

       

Winner, Best Feature Documentary film, 47th Sao Paulo International Film Festival (MOSTRA)

Winner, Best Feature Documentary film, Guangzhou International Documentary Film Festival

Winner, Best Feature Documentary film, 2024 Cinequest Film & VR Festival (CQFF)

Nomination, Best Director, Golden Panda Award 2025

This ground-breaking beautifully filmed documentary tells the story of how Chang Dai-chien's artistic journey to the West transformed how we see and understand Chinese painting.

— Carl Nagin, Writer and Art Critic

For the first time, the documentary Of Color and Ink brings us a true, vivid, and striking depiction of this great master painter.

— Lin Mu, Chinese Art Historian

Documentary Of Color and Ink unravel the mystery surrounding “The Picasso of China”

— Hollywood Reporter

           

      

Weimin Zhang is a highly accomplished Professor of Cinema at San Francisco State University. With a diverse background as an award-winning filmmaker, cinematographer, and multimedia designer, she has made significant contributions to the film industry and acdemia. Her extensive portfolio includes work on numerous acclaimed films, documentaries, and TV drama series in both China and the United States.

Among her notable achievements, Weimin directed and produced The House of Spirit (2000), which received the Women in Film Award and was featured in several film festivals. In 2008, she served as a U.S. unit director for the award-winning documentary The Ever-Lasting Flame – Beijing 2008, which won the Grand Jury Prize at the Montreal Film Festival and became part of the permanent collection at the Olympic Museum.

Weimin also directed the feature-length documentary Missing Home: The Last Days of Beijing Hutongs (2013), which garnered critical acclaim and received awards at multiple international film festivals. Other notable works include CEO (2003), Green Mountain in a Drawer (2009), and the documentary Nushu – The Secret Writing of Women in China (1999), which won Best Documentary Film at the Torino International Women’s Film Festival.

She has recently completed a feature documentary film, Of Color and Ink, exploring the life and art of the renowned Chinese artist Chang Dai-chien during his over 30 years of exile overseas. The film has achieved significant success, winning numerous international film festival awards and securing worldwide distribution.

In addition, Weimin has always explored the integration of art and technology. Her interactive multimedia project Nushu: The Secret Language of Women was published by China Encyclopedia and won the 2007 International Multimedia AVA Award. In 2007, the Library of Congress in the United States included this work in its permanent collection. In 2018, Weimin further advanced this exploration with the immersive virtual reality project Hutong in Live, which integrated VR, 3D design, and 360-degree live production to provide viewers with an immersive experience of the vanished Beijing Hutongs. This project was selected for the CINEQUEST Film and VR Festival and received notable interviews in CBS and media coverage.

Weimin Zhang’s exceptional talent, expertise, and dedication to the art of cinema make her a highly respected figure in both the industry and academia. Her contributions as a filmmaker and educator have had a significant impact on the professional field and directly contribute to teaching and learning.