A footnote

to emptyness.

无名，天地之始
The nameless is the beginning of the sky and earth.
Dao de jing 1.

A Japanese painter was commissioned by an American to paint him a picture. The picture has been made. In its lower corner a little bird sat on the branch of a cherry tree. The whole upper part of the painting was empty. The American examined the image with an unhappy face, and he asked the painter to paint something else on it as well, for it looks so empty. The Japanese refused to do so. When he was called to account, he explained that if he painted all the surface, the bird would have no room to fly.

Huang Shen (1687-1771), ink drawing. Shanghai Museum.

Lai Da (late 16th century), ink drawing. Shanghai Museum

Yuan Shangtong (1570-1661), Jackdaws, ink drawing. Nanjing Museum

He also would like to fly.
Chang Si (active between 1156 and 1161), roll painting. Beijing Palace Museum

Hossein Alizadeh: Horizon, setar solo from the CD Birds (پرنده ها),c2006