Ink in Motion
Mono R Becomes a Canvas for Legendary Calligrapher Tong Yang-Tze
When a Taiwanese owner decided to honour master calligrapher Tong Yang-Tze's artistry on their BAC Mono R, they merged five decades of brush mastery with automotive engineering in its purest form.
The result: 行墨 (Xíng Mò). Ink in motion. A rolling statement of identity, where tradition meets technology, and every curve and character speaks to the power of creativity unbound by borders.
Essential Forms
The BAC Mono R strips automotive design and engineering to its essence. At 555 kilograms, this single-seater represents what happens when engineering pursues singular focus, eliminating everything except the connection between driver and machine in the most extreme expression of Mono to date.
Tong Yang-Tze has spent five decades reviving an ancient but disappearing practice. Inspired by the scale of Western oil paintings, Tong Yang-Tze applies traditional calligraphy techniques dating back over 2000 years to a large scales and contemporary formats, encouraging the audience to appreciate the art behind the craft.
At 82, she remains committed to her mission, transforming classical Chinese characters through bold abstraction, seeking truth through relentless reduction. Her approach demands absolute precision: "If one stroke is unsatisfactory, or if there's the slightest trace of unwanted ink, it's unacceptable."
This uncompromising standard mirrors the Mono R's engineering philosophy — both eliminate everything that isn't essential, both achieve maximum impact through disciplined restraint.
Her dedication to contemporary relevance earned recognition as the first Taiwanese artist selected for The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Great Hall Commission in 2024. The monumental works transformed the museum's central space into an immersive experience where ancient practice became contemporary encounter.
「行」
The single Chinese character sculpted by Tong Yang-Tze and adorning this Mono R,「行」 (Xíng) means "to move, to act, to be capable." It is written in 草書 (Cǎoshū), an expressive cursive style of classical calligraphy known for its spontaneous flow, abstracted forms, and dynamic rhythm. Here, the brushstroke becomes a metaphor for velocity — a visual harmony between tradition and engineering.
Tong Yang-Tze's flowing strokes follow Mono R’s aerodynamic form, creating a visual dialogue between ancient gesture and modern engineering. Just as Yang-Tze’s work has sought new, larger canvases to celebrate calligraphy, the Mono R becomes another contemporary expression of this ancient art form.
Learn more about Tong Yang-Tze’s process as she talks about her Great Hall Commission at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.
Images taken by Kloss Hsieh, shared courtesy of Royce YC Hong.
A Carbon Canvas
The owner, Royce, named this Mono R 行墨 (Xíng Mò) — literally "ink in motion." It's a phrase that conjures brushstrokes gliding across paper like footsteps across a path, a dance of thought and gesture where movement becomes meaning and black ink becomes the echo of intention.
Images taken by Han, shared courtesy of Royce YC Hong.
“行墨 is more than calligraphy — it is a philosophy of flow. A meditation on action, expression, and velocity. It is tradition unbound, spirit unleashed, and culture rendered kinetic.”
When 行墨 first took to Taiwan's streets, the response was phenomenal. Older observers especially seemed to immediately understand what they were witnessing — their heritage alive and breathing, moving with purpose. This is Tong Yang-Tze's vision realised: ancient practice not just surviving, but thriving in contemporary form.
Learn more about BAC in Taiwan here.