Sr Sem: Chinese Contemp Art

PLAH 4013 | Fall 2011 | Faculty: Zhijian Qian

This course examines how economic development, Communist ideology, political movements, Chinese nationalism, and the search for new cultural identity play in the formation and transformation of contemporary art in China. We investigate the relationship of art and politics in Chinas historical period of reform and open-door policy of the Post-Mao period, the political crushing of art and cultural westernization from the mid-1980s to the early 1990s, and the booming of Chinese contemporary art in the world art market from the late 1990s to the current period. We cover primarily the contemporary art in mainland China, but will also include expatriate artists living in New York and Paris. Texts will include writings by major critics of Chinese contemporary art such as Wu Hung, Hou Hanru, Gao Minglu, Melessa Chiu, Britta Erickson, Richard Vine, Karen Smith and Eleanor Heartney. In-class lectures will be supplemented by gallery/museum trips, studio visits and artist talks. Pathway: Art and Design History