Join us for a keynote lecture by distinguished art historian, Dr. Cary Y. Liu, the Nancy and Peter Lee Curator of Asian Art, emeritus, at the Princeton University Art Museum.
Embodied Images: The Art of Chinese Calligraphy and the Resonance of Words
Dr. Cary Y. Liu
Wednesday, February 19 at 4:00pm
AIMM 102
This talk will first explore the concept of what is the art of calligraphy in China. The mythic origins of ancient written characters as prognostic graphs indicate that they were believed not only to embody the world of knowable things and ideas, but also to duplicate their unknowable cosmic patterns or natural configurations; that is to say, the various dances or manifestations of qi (often imperfectly translated as “spirit,” “breath,” or “energy”). In this way, Chinese calligraphy functions as embodied images that constitute a visual language beyond “elegant penmanship” or ordinary writing. This is not to deny the primacy of Chinese words as written communication but supplies a complementary reading that raises the level of calligraphy to become what has been considered to be the premier and fundamental art form in China. Secondly, the related concept of the “word” in China will be considered. While brush and ink calligraphy is only an external or superficial manifestation of the “word” as embodied image, which also encapsulates the aesthetic principle or spirit resonance (qiyun) that infuses the arts across diverse mediums, including architecture, calligraphy, ceramics, dance, painting, paper cut, poetry, sculpture, and textiles, as well as digital, film, video, and other media.
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Related Exhibition:
Dancing with the Qi: TransMediating Chinese Calligraphy
Curated by Jia-Yan Mi. Associate Professor of Chinese and English & Jerry Kaba, Independent Artist and Curator
February 5 – March 13, 2025
TCNJ Art Gallery
Featured artists:
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- Huang Xiang
- Cui Fei
- SIn-ying Ho
- Song Xin
- Yin Mei
- Zheng Guo