fluktor -|||- study - office - newsletter May 31, 2005

Philadelphia Inquirer, May 29, 2005
Art | Across the millennia, Han Dynasty still speaks
Show of Chinese works blends scholarly and aesthetic.
By Edward J. Sozanski, Inquirer Art Critic

Museums might be repositories of the past, but even in museums, history doesn't always sit still. "Recarving China's Past" at the Princeton University Art Museum illustrates this underappreciated maxim in a way that's by turns beautiful, puzzling, illuminating and provocative.

"Recarving China's Past" is the visual expression of an extended and complex scholarly project involving a burial site in Shandong province, eastern China, known as the Wu family shrines.

Don't be put off by the word scholarly, otherwise you'll miss a splendid chance to experience the spirit of an ancient and distant culture. Purely on an aesthetic level, this show is emotionally nourishing and memorable.

It's also unusual because it exists on two levels. While recent archaeological, architectural, cultural and literary research provides the foundation, the scholarship, by an international team of 40 experts, rides on a parallel track to the exhibition material.

It's possible to enjoy the incomparable elegance and beauty of the show's more than 60 Han Dynasty objects without engaging the admittedly abstruse issues concerning the Wu family shrines.

The exhibition connects to these issues through a large group of wall rubbings on paper owned by the museum. These rubbings, made in the 19th century from carved stone panels at the Wu cemetery site, are believed to function as a visual primer on Han Dynasty culture (206 B.C.E. to 220 C.E.).

Even if you're familiar with traditional Chinese art, chances are you haven't seen anything quite like these carvings, which fill the interior walls and the ceilings of three stone structures at the Wu site.

In one sense, they recall tomb art from other ancient cultures, particularly Egypt. Most consist of narrow horizontal bands packed with silhouettes of human figures (warriors, dancers, musicians), horses and other animals, and chariots.

As the texture of the rubbings indicates, the pictorial stones are distinctive in their flatness. The reliefs aren't cut deeply, and the surfaces make perfect silhouettes, if one disregards blank areas created by stone worn or chipped away.

The rubbings tell stories; if you have sufficient curiosity and patience, wall texts provide interpretations. Be advised, however, that reading your way through this show will take some time.

"Recarving China's Past" offers several other ways to connect with these animated stone panels. Curator Cary Y. Liu, Princeton's curator of Asian art, has borrowed two pictorial stones from museums in Shandong province. One depicts a meeting between the two preeminent sages of ancient China, Confucius and Laozi (also spelled Lao Tzu), founder of Daoism.

The installation includes a wooden model of the smallest of the three structures known as the Wu family shrines, with its inside walls carved in low relief, like the original stones.

Anthony Barbieri-Low of the University of Pittsburgh, an authority on Chinese archaeology, has created a virtual tour of the shrine cemetery site that locates the structures in relation to each other.

Finally, if you're eager to plunge more deeply into the narratives on the stones, the massive 610-page catalog illustrates all the rubbings, with respective texts.

What neither the catalog nor the exhibition makes sufficiently clear to the layman is that "Recarving China's Past" challenges the traditional history of these structures, which have long been considered central to the understanding of Han culture.

The research project, which began six years ago, has reopened questions about the origins and purpose of the Wu shrines, whether they accurately depict Han culture, whether their physical appearance was enhanced in post-Han times, and even whether they really are connected to a family named Wu.

Liu, for instance, believes that some of these stones might have been "refreshed" over the centuries, either to "restore" missing details or to bring the narratives into line with contemporaneous beliefs about the Han Dynasty.

If the stones, and consequently the rubbings, are not entirely original to the Han period, then current understanding of that time needs to be revised - or, as the show title says, "recarved." Study of the questions raised by the project continues.

Admittedly, this is deep water for laymen, and most visitors to the show probably won't want or need to pursue the subject into the dim recesses of history. Fortunately, the other objects in the exhibition carry their own substantial fascination.

They represent what Chinese call mingqi, or "brilliant artifacts." They're ritual mortuary objects intended for the afterlife. Some, such as ceramic vessels, might look utilitarian, but mingqi are not intended to be functional.

The most spectacular of the show's mingqi is an earthenware horse about 41/2 feet tall with a pale-green glaze. The sweeping arch of its powerful neck confers authority and regal strength.

By contrast, a much smaller ceramic sculpture of a dancer wearing a robe with trailing sleeves that would describe looping patterns as she moved exhibits a magnificent synthesis of delicacy and grace.

Animals figure prominently in the display, including a charming bronze bear on its haunches, a small striding bronze horse, an earthenware dog glazed in dark green, a pair of birds with chicks, and a stoneware turtle used for mixing ink.

A person entering the afterlife in Han times would also recognize a small clay model of a walled farm compound, complete with pigs and chickens.

The exhibition's most enchanting object is a tiny seashell with a detailed scene painted on its inside surface, possibly with a single-hair brush.

These mortuary objects evoke a serene and optimistic cosmology in which death is perceived as a way station to another existence that isn't, as in Western philosophy, celestial. The Han afterlife retains a connection to mortal life and, through these "brilliant artifacts," to our own civilization two millennia in the future.

Art | Brilliant Artifacts

• "Recarving China's Past: Art, Archaeology and Architecture of the 'Wu Family Shrines' " continues at the Princeton University Art Museum through June 26. The museum is in McCormick Hall in the center of the campus. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays and 1 to 5 p.m. Sundays. Free admission. Information: 609-258-3788 or www.princetonartmuseum.org.

• A related exhibition, "Providing for the Afterlife: 'Brilliant Artifacts' From Shandong" continues at the China Institute, 125 E. 65th St., New York, through Saturday. 212-744-8181 or www.chinainstitute.org.

http://www.philly.com/mld/inquirer/entertainment/11753723.htm

*************************

Corvallis Gazette Times, May 27, 2005
Portland Art Museum hosts Chinese collection
‘Mysterious Spirits, Strange Beasts and Earthly Delights' features ancient works
By JOSEPH C. BATTRICK, The Entertainer

Donald Jenkins, curator emeritus of Asian art at the Portland Art Museum, has worked with numerous projects over the years, but he practically gushed over the latest exhibit that opened May 21.

"None has been closer to my heart, or has accorded me as much personal satisfaction, as this one," he wrote in the hardcover catalogue published in conjunction with the opening of the exhibit.

Jenkins was referring "Mysterious Spirits, Strange Beasts and Earthly Delights," a new exhibit of ancient Chinese art from the personal collection of Arlene and Harold Schnitzer. The exhibit contains more than 70 artifacts from Chinese tombs, 13 of which have been gifted, either fully or in part, to the museum's permanent collection.

The artwork originated during a 700-year span from the Warring States Period, beginning about 480 B.C., through the end of the Han Dynasty around 220 A.D. According the museum, the Chinese were greatly preoccupied with idea of longevity in life and sustained, pleasurable life after death. These artifacts represent their efforts to help the dead feel at home in their tombs by surrounding them with familiar objects.

The exhibit is nominally divided into three categories representing spirits, animals and common objects. Many of the artifacts are made of earthenware, but there are a few bronze items and some remarkably well-preserved pieces made of wood.

One of the most remarkable pieces is the Two-Headed Earth Spirit, a lacquered wood and deer antler sculpture from the early Warring States Period. More than 300 of these figures, which the Chinese believed possessed magical powers, have been discovered. This particular item is unique in having two heads, though.

Another curious item is a second-century B.C. bronze Hill Censer, or boshonlu. When filled with incense, this ornately carved vessel would emit smoke through holes in the base of the conically-shaped lid. The resulting image would have resembled clouds swirling around a mountain.

Mythical beast and animals, especially horses, played an important part in early Chinese culture. Native Chinese horses were nothing like the powerful steeds imported from central Europe, which developed an almost mythical reputation. In addition to representing the elite status of their owners, these horses were believed to have the supernatural ability to transport souls to heaven. As such, equine figures were popular in tombs during the Han dynasty.

An unusually large ceramic sculpture of a horse in the exhibit features incised wing-like forms on the shoulders. Another large earthenware horse comes complete with a carriage that was typical transportation for women among the social elite of the Han dynasty.

Other items included in the strange beasts portion of the collection include a bronze sculpture of a mythical watchdog-like creature called a bixie, a carved wood representation of a tiger attacking a boar, and a pair of jade pigs thought to confer immortality.

Most of the pieces in this collection are mingqi, artifacts made specifically for burial. They were placed in the tombs so the dead could continue to enjoy the pursuits of this life while moving on to the next. One of the most remarkable examples of these earthly delights is painted earthenware orchestra featuring drums, chimes, bells and players. This extraordinary set of figures is the only intact group of its scale ever found from the Han dynasty.

Some items however, such as a brilliant, silver-colored bronze astronomical mirror, seem to have been made for daily use and later placed in tombs. This specific artifact contains figures that scholars believe represent seasonal coordinates and the eight periods of the Chinese solar year.

At the very least, this impressive collection provides a wonderful history lesson. It is a spectacular glimpse into the early days of a culture that most Americans know little about and even fewer are ever exposed to.

Arlene Schnitzer declared that when she and her husband were first introduced to early Chinese objects, they "became intrigued by the symbolism, fantasy, mysticism and beauty of these ancient items." Their donation to the museum will ensure that countless others will be afforded the same opportunity to be amazed by these remarkable artifacts.

"Mysterious Spirits, Strange Beasts and Earthly Delights" will continue through Jan. 1, 2007. For information about hours and admission, call 503-226-2811 or see the museum's Web site at www.portlandartmuseum.org.

http://www.gazettetimes.com/articles/2005/05/28/entertainment/entertainment_roundup/brief01.txt

*************************

artdaily.com, 5/27/2005
Between Past and Future at the V&A

[image] Sheng Qi Memories (Me) 2000 Chromogenic print. © SHENG Qi Collection of the International Center of Photography, New York.

LONDON, ENGLAND.- The vivid responses of a new generation of Chinese photographers and video artists to the rapid cultural, political, social and economic changes taking place in China will be on view in a compelling and varied exhibition at the V&A this autumn.

'Between Past and Future: New Photography and Video from China' is the first comprehensive survey of Chinese photography and video from the past decade. As well as introducing an extraordinary body of work to a UK audience, the exhibition will provide remarkable insight into the dynamics of Chinese culture at the start of the 21st century.

Featuring 80 works by 40 artists, the exhibition reflects the energy of younger Chinese artists. The works, by both rising stars and established artists, are often monumental in scale and experimental in nature.

The exhibition has four thematic sections: History and Memory; Re-imagining the Body; People and Place; Performing the Self.

HISTORY AND MEMORY, the opening section, explores China's past. It features works which update themes from traditional Chinese art, and also explores China's turbulent recent history, such as events in Tiananmen Square.

Song Dong, a Beijing-based artist, lay for 40 minutes face-down in Tiananmen Square breathing onto the paving until a thin layer of ice formed beneath his mouth - a symbolic attempt to breathe new life into a place associated with political protest. The record of the event is presented as a large-scale light box 'Breathing Part 1 and Part 2' accompanied by an audio tape of the artist's breathing.

Liu Zheng captures a dark vision of his countrymen in a series of photographs informed by the work of August Sander and Diane Arbus.

PERFORMING THE SELF contains photographs and videos that reflect the urgent search for new forms of individual identity in a rapidly changing society.

In 'Night Revels of Lao Li' an imposing 31-foot photograph, Wang Qingsong reinterprets a famous 10th century scroll painting about a disillusioned government official, replacing him with Li Xianting, a well-known critic who was sacked from an official art magazine for championing experimental art.

RE-IMAGINING THE BODY looks at the striking ways in which Chinese artists have used the body as a vehicle for self-expression and social critique.

In Rong Rong's 'East Village, Beijing, No. 20' the photographer captures a celebrated performance entitled 'Twelve Square Metres' by Beijing-based performance artist Zhang Huan. The title refers to the size of the public toilet in which Zhang Huan, coated in honey, spent an hour, slowly becoming covered by flies. The performance enabled him, he said, to imagine his 'essential existence' reduced to the level of waste.

PEOPLE AND PLACE, the final section in the exhibition, explores ways in which photographers and video artists have responded to the dramatic changes taking place in the environment, and in particular the transformation of China's urban centres.

In 'Demolition: Forbidden City, Beijing' (1998), Zhang Dali captures the course of Beijing's massive urban transformation. A photographer and graffiti artist, Zhang spray paints an outline of his own head onto buildings scheduled for demolition. He knocks out the large head-shaped hole, through which can be glimpsed the roofs of the Forbidden City, dramatically contrasting the vanishing and emerging architecture of China's capital city.

The exhibition is curated by Wu Hung, the Harrie A. Vanderstappen Distinguished Service Professor of Art History at the University of Chicago and Christopher Phillips, Curator, International Center of Photography, New York. The exhibition has been adapted for the V&A by Kate Best, Curator.

http://www.artdaily.com/section/news/index.asp?int_sec=2&int_new=13804

__________________

with kind regards,

Matthias Arnold
(Art-Eastasia list)

http://www.chinaresource.org
http://www.fluktor.de

__________________________________________

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For postings earlier than 2005-02-23 please go to:
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	May 31, 2005: [achtung! kunst] Exhibitions I Princeton (again): Recarving China's Past - Portland: Mysterious Spirits, Strange Beasts and Earthly Delights - London (V&A): Between Past and Future: New Photography and Video from China

	Philadelphia Inquirer, May 29, 2005 Art \| Across the millennia, Han Dynasty still speaks Show of Chinese works blends scholarly and aesthetic. By Edward J. Sozanski, Inquirer Art Critic Museums might be repositories of the past, but even in museums, history doesn't always sit still. "Recarving China's Past" at the Princeton University Art Museum illustrates this underappreciated maxim in a way that's by turns beautiful, puzzling, illuminating and provocative. "Recarving China's Past" is the visual expression of an extended and complex scholarly project involving a burial site in Shandong province, eastern China, known as the Wu family shrines. Don't be put off by the word scholarly, otherwise you'll miss a splendid chance to experience the spirit of an ancient and distant culture. Purely on an aesthetic level, this show is emotionally nourishing and memorable. It's also unusual because it exists on two levels. While recent archaeological, architectural, cultural and literary research provides the foundation, the scholarship, by an international team of 40 experts, rides on a parallel track to the exhibition material. It's possible to enjoy the incomparable elegance and beauty of the show's more than 60 Han Dynasty objects without engaging the admittedly abstruse issues concerning the Wu family shrines. The exhibition connects to these issues through a large group of wall rubbings on paper owned by the museum. These rubbings, made in the 19th century from carved stone panels at the Wu cemetery site, are believed to function as a visual primer on Han Dynasty culture (206 B.C.E. to 220 C.E.). Even if you're familiar with traditional Chinese art, chances are you haven't seen anything quite like these carvings, which fill the interior walls and the ceilings of three stone structures at the Wu site. In one sense, they recall tomb art from other ancient cultures, particularly Egypt. Most consist of narrow horizontal bands packed with silhouettes of human figures (warriors, dancers, musicians), horses and other animals, and chariots. As the texture of the rubbings indicates, the pictorial stones are distinctive in their flatness. The reliefs aren't cut deeply, and the surfaces make perfect silhouettes, if one disregards blank areas created by stone worn or chipped away. The rubbings tell stories; if you have sufficient curiosity and patience, wall texts provide interpretations. Be advised, however, that reading your way through this show will take some time. "Recarving China's Past" offers several other ways to connect with these animated stone panels. Curator Cary Y. Liu, Princeton's curator of Asian art, has borrowed two pictorial stones from museums in Shandong province. One depicts a meeting between the two preeminent sages of ancient China, Confucius and Laozi (also spelled Lao Tzu), founder of Daoism. The installation includes a wooden model of the smallest of the three structures known as the Wu family shrines, with its inside walls carved in low relief, like the original stones. Anthony Barbieri-Low of the University of Pittsburgh, an authority on Chinese archaeology, has created a virtual tour of the shrine cemetery site that locates the structures in relation to each other. Finally, if you're eager to plunge more deeply into the narratives on the stones, the massive 610-page catalog illustrates all the rubbings, with respective texts. What neither the catalog nor the exhibition makes sufficiently clear to the layman is that "Recarving China's Past" challenges the traditional history of these structures, which have long been considered central to the understanding of Han culture. The research project, which began six years ago, has reopened questions about the origins and purpose of the Wu shrines, whether they accurately depict Han culture, whether their physical appearance was enhanced in post-Han times, and even whether they really are connected to a family named Wu. Liu, for instance, believes that some of these stones might have been "refreshed" over the centuries, either to "restore" missing details or to bring the narratives into line with contemporaneous beliefs about the Han Dynasty. If the stones, and consequently the rubbings, are not entirely original to the Han period, then current understanding of that time needs to be revised - or, as the show title says, "recarved." Study of the questions raised by the project continues. Admittedly, this is deep water for laymen, and most visitors to the show probably won't want or need to pursue the subject into the dim recesses of history. Fortunately, the other objects in the exhibition carry their own substantial fascination. They represent what Chinese call mingqi, or "brilliant artifacts." They're ritual mortuary objects intended for the afterlife. Some, such as ceramic vessels, might look utilitarian, but mingqi are not intended to be functional. The most spectacular of the show's mingqi is an earthenware horse about 41/2 feet tall with a pale-green glaze. The sweeping arch of its powerful neck confers authority and regal strength. By contrast, a much smaller ceramic sculpture of a dancer wearing a robe with trailing sleeves that would describe looping patterns as she moved exhibits a magnificent synthesis of delicacy and grace. Animals figure prominently in the display, including a charming bronze bear on its haunches, a small striding bronze horse, an earthenware dog glazed in dark green, a pair of birds with chicks, and a stoneware turtle used for mixing ink. A person entering the afterlife in Han times would also recognize a small clay model of a walled farm compound, complete with pigs and chickens. The exhibition's most enchanting object is a tiny seashell with a detailed scene painted on its inside surface, possibly with a single-hair brush. These mortuary objects evoke a serene and optimistic cosmology in which death is perceived as a way station to another existence that isn't, as in Western philosophy, celestial. The Han afterlife retains a connection to mortal life and, through these "brilliant artifacts," to our own civilization two millennia in the future. Art \| Brilliant Artifacts • "Recarving China's Past: Art, Archaeology and Architecture of the 'Wu Family Shrines' " continues at the Princeton University Art Museum through June 26. The museum is in McCormick Hall in the center of the campus. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays and 1 to 5 p.m. Sundays. Free admission. Information: 609-258-3788 or www.princetonartmuseum.org. • A related exhibition, "Providing for the Afterlife: 'Brilliant Artifacts' From Shandong" continues at the China Institute, 125 E. 65th St., New York, through Saturday. 212-744-8181 or www.chinainstitute.org. http://www.philly.com/mld/inquirer/entertainment/11753723.htm *********************** Corvallis Gazette Times, May 27, 2005 Portland Art Museum hosts Chinese collection ‘Mysterious Spirits, Strange Beasts and Earthly Delights' features ancient works By JOSEPH C. BATTRICK, The Entertainer Donald Jenkins, curator emeritus of Asian art at the Portland Art Museum, has worked with numerous projects over the years, but he practically gushed over the latest exhibit that opened May 21. "None has been closer to my heart, or has accorded me as much personal satisfaction, as this one," he wrote in the hardcover catalogue published in conjunction with the opening of the exhibit. Jenkins was referring "Mysterious Spirits, Strange Beasts and Earthly Delights," a new exhibit of ancient Chinese art from the personal collection of Arlene and Harold Schnitzer. The exhibit contains more than 70 artifacts from Chinese tombs, 13 of which have been gifted, either fully or in part, to the museum's permanent collection. The artwork originated during a 700-year span from the Warring States Period, beginning about 480 B.C., through the end of the Han Dynasty around 220 A.D. According the museum, the Chinese were greatly preoccupied with idea of longevity in life and sustained, pleasurable life after death. These artifacts represent their efforts to help the dead feel at home in their tombs by surrounding them with familiar objects. The exhibit is nominally divided into three categories representing spirits, animals and common objects. Many of the artifacts are made of earthenware, but there are a few bronze items and some remarkably well-preserved pieces made of wood. One of the most remarkable pieces is the Two-Headed Earth Spirit, a lacquered wood and deer antler sculpture from the early Warring States Period. More than 300 of these figures, which the Chinese believed possessed magical powers, have been discovered. This particular item is unique in having two heads, though. Another curious item is a second-century B.C. bronze Hill Censer, or boshonlu. When filled with incense, this ornately carved vessel would emit smoke through holes in the base of the conically-shaped lid. The resulting image would have resembled clouds swirling around a mountain. Mythical beast and animals, especially horses, played an important part in early Chinese culture. Native Chinese horses were nothing like the powerful steeds imported from central Europe, which developed an almost mythical reputation. In addition to representing the elite status of their owners, these horses were believed to have the supernatural ability to transport souls to heaven. As such, equine figures were popular in tombs during the Han dynasty. An unusually large ceramic sculpture of a horse in the exhibit features incised wing-like forms on the shoulders. Another large earthenware horse comes complete with a carriage that was typical transportation for women among the social elite of the Han dynasty. Other items included in the strange beasts portion of the collection include a bronze sculpture of a mythical watchdog-like creature called a bixie, a carved wood representation of a tiger attacking a boar, and a pair of jade pigs thought to confer immortality. Most of the pieces in this collection are mingqi, artifacts made specifically for burial. They were placed in the tombs so the dead could continue to enjoy the pursuits of this life while moving on to the next. One of the most remarkable examples of these earthly delights is painted earthenware orchestra featuring drums, chimes, bells and players. This extraordinary set of figures is the only intact group of its scale ever found from the Han dynasty. Some items however, such as a brilliant, silver-colored bronze astronomical mirror, seem to have been made for daily use and later placed in tombs. This specific artifact contains figures that scholars believe represent seasonal coordinates and the eight periods of the Chinese solar year. At the very least, this impressive collection provides a wonderful history lesson. It is a spectacular glimpse into the early days of a culture that most Americans know little about and even fewer are ever exposed to. Arlene Schnitzer declared that when she and her husband were first introduced to early Chinese objects, they "became intrigued by the symbolism, fantasy, mysticism and beauty of these ancient items." Their donation to the museum will ensure that countless others will be afforded the same opportunity to be amazed by these remarkable artifacts. "Mysterious Spirits, Strange Beasts and Earthly Delights" will continue through Jan. 1, 2007. For information about hours and admission, call 503-226-2811 or see the museum's Web site at www.portlandartmuseum.org. http://www.gazettetimes.com/articles/2005/05/28/entertainment/entertainment_roundup/brief01.txt *********************** artdaily.com, 5/27/2005 Between Past and Future at the V&A [image] Sheng Qi Memories (Me) 2000 Chromogenic print. © SHENG Qi Collection of the International Center of Photography, New York. LONDON, ENGLAND.- The vivid responses of a new generation of Chinese photographers and video artists to the rapid cultural, political, social and economic changes taking place in China will be on view in a compelling and varied exhibition at the V&A this autumn. 'Between Past and Future: New Photography and Video from China' is the first comprehensive survey of Chinese photography and video from the past decade. As well as introducing an extraordinary body of work to a UK audience, the exhibition will provide remarkable insight into the dynamics of Chinese culture at the start of the 21st century. Featuring 80 works by 40 artists, the exhibition reflects the energy of younger Chinese artists. The works, by both rising stars and established artists, are often monumental in scale and experimental in nature. The exhibition has four thematic sections: History and Memory; Re-imagining the Body; People and Place; Performing the Self. HISTORY AND MEMORY, the opening section, explores China's past. It features works which update themes from traditional Chinese art, and also explores China's turbulent recent history, such as events in Tiananmen Square. Song Dong, a Beijing-based artist, lay for 40 minutes face-down in Tiananmen Square breathing onto the paving until a thin layer of ice formed beneath his mouth - a symbolic attempt to breathe new life into a place associated with political protest. The record of the event is presented as a large-scale light box 'Breathing Part 1 and Part 2' accompanied by an audio tape of the artist's breathing. Liu Zheng captures a dark vision of his countrymen in a series of photographs informed by the work of August Sander and Diane Arbus. PERFORMING THE SELF contains photographs and videos that reflect the urgent search for new forms of individual identity in a rapidly changing society. In 'Night Revels of Lao Li' an imposing 31-foot photograph, Wang Qingsong reinterprets a famous 10th century scroll painting about a disillusioned government official, replacing him with Li Xianting, a well-known critic who was sacked from an official art magazine for championing experimental art. RE-IMAGINING THE BODY looks at the striking ways in which Chinese artists have used the body as a vehicle for self-expression and social critique. In Rong Rong's 'East Village, Beijing, No. 20' the photographer captures a celebrated performance entitled 'Twelve Square Metres' by Beijing-based performance artist Zhang Huan. The title refers to the size of the public toilet in which Zhang Huan, coated in honey, spent an hour, slowly becoming covered by flies. The performance enabled him, he said, to imagine his 'essential existence' reduced to the level of waste. PEOPLE AND PLACE, the final section in the exhibition, explores ways in which photographers and video artists have responded to the dramatic changes taking place in the environment, and in particular the transformation of China's urban centres. In 'Demolition: Forbidden City, Beijing' (1998), Zhang Dali captures the course of Beijing's massive urban transformation. A photographer and graffiti artist, Zhang spray paints an outline of his own head onto buildings scheduled for demolition. He knocks out the large head-shaped hole, through which can be glimpsed the roofs of the Forbidden City, dramatically contrasting the vanishing and emerging architecture of China's capital city. The exhibition is curated by Wu Hung, the Harrie A. Vanderstappen Distinguished Service Professor of Art History at the University of Chicago and Christopher Phillips, Curator, International Center of Photography, New York. The exhibition has been adapted for the V&A by Kate Best, Curator. http://www.artdaily.com/section/news/index.asp?int_sec=2&int_new=13804 __________________ with kind regards, Matthias Arnold (Art-Eastasia list) http://www.chinaresource.org http://www.fluktor.de __________________________________________ An archive of this list as well as an subscribe/unsubscribe facility is available at: http://listserv.uni-heidelberg.de/archives/art-eastasia.html For postings earlier than 2005-02-23 please go to: http://www.fluktor.de/study/office/newsletter.htm