Courses
VART3325 Chinese Literati Art: Identity, Transformation and Challenge (3 units)
- Prerequisite:
- VART2305 Art in the 20th Century I
- Medium of Instruction:
- English
The Chinese literati artistic tradition plays a pivotal role in the development of Chinese painting and calligraphy, and their theories in Chinese culture. The literatis' artistic taste is often characterized by an emphasis on the close relationship between calligrapy and painting, as experessed in inscriptions and poems on a painting, subject matters with self-referential or moral symbolism, and the plainness and simplicity of the imagery's aesthetics.
Ever since the early attempts to define literati art by Su Shi and his circle in the 11th century, there has been a long-standing debate among critics and art historians regarding the art of the scholarartists as an artistic tradition. The modern and contemporary Chinese artists have been confronted with the challenge posed by Western culture and new trends of thought. Wrestling with their art during a prolonged period of social-political turmoil, they found themselves asking questions like "how to modernize or revolutionize Chinese art without forgoing the essence of the literati artistic tradition."
This course investigates into the different discourses and theories on the chinese literati art over time, interpreting the notions of identity and transformation and the challenges of the literati artistic tradition. Students will be guided to develop their selfchosen research topics in:
Calligraphy as Embodiment of Personality
Social identities and cultural ideals: discourses and artisitc practice of the Northern Song literati circle
Landscape and subject matters with self-referential or moral symbolism
Approaches and aesthetics: self-amusement, sketching of ideas (xieyi 寫意 ) in ink play (moxi 墨戲 ), the aesthetics of calmness or blandness, naturalness or simplicity, awkwardness or antiqueness
The Theory of Northern and Southern Schools
Transformation and the challenges of the literatiI artistic tradition in the modern and contemporary world
With the instructor's supervision in tutorials and group discussions, students will be able to acquire hands-on research skills and develop their own approach to scholarly research practice, which will enhance their ability to independently investigate artistic expressions and issues pertinent to Chinese literati art, and to synthesize new knowledge through application of appropriate theoretical frameworks and methodological approaches.