You probably have seen these monumental scroll paintings in museums, great halls, or even restaurants. What are the elements in a Chinese landscape painting? Why are many of them painted in monochromatic ink and on paper? What do they have to do with fengshui and yin/yang, ideas that we have heard of but not necessarily understood? How do art traditions this old, established, and revered meet the challenges throughout the ages, especially the dramatic transformations and social engagements today and in the globalized art world? You probably also have noticed these Mao talisman dangling on the windshields in a Chinese taxi, while contemporary Chinese artists such as Ai Weiwei has become an internationally icon of political dissident. What are the different heritages in Chinese art and visual culture available for a contemporary image-maker? And what are the critical issues that one has to wrestle with when engaging with these heritages? These are the kind of questions encouraged and explored in this course. By examining major artworks in their contexts, we discuss the histories and theories of Chinese visual culture, its construction and transmutations, and the contemporary changes and challenges. Class meetings consist primarily of lecture and discussion. While the lectures introduce the course content, the discussion will help you understand it. Prior to each lecture and discussion, you should do the assigned readings and be ready to absorb lectures and participate in group discussion.

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