Rare Bronze Age Objects from Hunan at China Institute | Opens January 27
The first-ever comprehensive exhibition to focus on ancient bronzes from the middle bank of the Yangzi River will be on view at China Institute from January 27 through June 12, 2011. Along the Yangzi River: Regional Culture of the Bronze Age from Hunan will present more than 70 technically sophisticated Chinese bronzes, including animal-shaped ritualistic vessels, ornate percussion instruments, bells with intricate patterns, and finely decorated swords and axes from the Hunan Provincial Museum. The landmark exhibitionsurveys the story of this regional culture in three ways: the development and characteristics of Hunan bronzes, their function and patronage, and their cultural connection to central China. A fully illustrated scholarly catalogue will accompany the exhibition.
The middle bank of the Yangzi River—the longest river in Asia and the third largest in the world—is considered one of the most important areas for the historical study of the Chinese Bronze Age culture that flourished there. Among the bronzes in Along the Yangzi River: Regional Culture of the Bronze Age from Hunan are gems of ancient Chinese bronze-casting, including a vessel with a human face and others with horse, owl, tiger, and elephant shapes, dating from the Shang dynasty (16th -11th century BCE) and the Zhou dynasty (11th century - 3rd century BCE). Unearthed from pits, tombs, and sites at Shimen, Ningxiang, and Xiangxiang (today in Hunan Province) over the past few decades and as recently as 2004, the objects were found in a 1,000-mile stretch of land along the river.
“Bronze was the most important material that was accessible to early man,” said Willow Hai Chang, Director of China Institute Gallery. “The ‘artistic fossils’ in Along the Yangzi River: Regional Culture of the Bronze Age from Hunan serve as reminders that archaeological history is constantly being rewritten. For example, the Yellow River is traditionally known as the cradle of Chinese civilization, but now the Yangzi River is being seen as another important source. This unique exhibition will contribute to a fuller understanding of early Chinese culture and civilization.”
Exhibition Highlights
Among the highlights is a rectangular bronze vessel from the Shang dynasty with a human face design—the only known example of its kind. It is thought to be the image of a tribal leader who conducted religious ceremonies; the face is surrounded by a “cloud and thunder” pattern of interlocking lines. Another Shang dynasty artifact, an elaborately crafted vessel in the shape of an elephant, is almost as rare; among the few existing examples, two can be found in museums in Washington, D.C., and Paris. A bronze vessel from the same dynasty, used for storing wine, was discovered with jade objects stored inside; it is richly decorated with phoenix and bird patterns. Large bronze bells with decorative animal-face patterns, usually discovered near mountaintops, are thought to have been used in the worship of a mountain god.
The exhibition is co-curated by Chen Jianming, Director of the Hunan Provincial Museum; Jay Xu, Director of the Asian Art Museum, San Francisco; and Fu Juliang, Curator of Bronze Collections, Hunan Provincial Museum; and directed by Willow Hai Chang, Director of China Institute Gallery.
Related Programs
In conjunction with Along the Yangzi River: Regional Culture of the Bronze Age from Hunan,China Institute is presenting an extensive program of special events from January through May 2011, which includes lectures, a film premiere, and two short courses. All begin at 6:30 p.m.
On Thursday, January 27, the Curator's Lecture will be presented with Jay Xu, guest co-curator of the exhibition and director of the Asian Art Museum in San Francisco. One of the leading experts on Chinese antiquities in the U.S., Jay Xu will lecture on the influence of Hunan bronzes. He has held positions at the Art Institute of Chicago and the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. A widely published scholar, particularly on ancient Chinese bronzes and archaeology—his area of expertise, Mr. Xu is the recipient of a number of awards and fellowships.
Tombs with a View: A Short Course on Chinese Art and Archaeology will be held Tuesdays from January 11 through February 22 with Dr. Hsin-Mei Agnes Hsu, Director of Arts and Culture Programs, China Institute, and resident scholar and archaeologist to UNESCO World Heritage Center. The Bronze Age Cultures in the South and the Huainanzi will be offered with Dr. John Major, senior lecturer at China Institute on March 1. The Axial Age: How Philosophy and Medicine Began in Early China with Dr. Geoffrey Redmond, leading endocrinologist and historian of Chinese medicine, will be featured on March 8. The Bronze Age Cultures in the North with Li Feng, associate director of the Center of Archaeology, Columbia University will be held on March 15. Filming Cultural Heritage Sites of the Yangzi River Valley; plus the U.S. Premiere of The Giant Buddha at Leshan with Steve Talley, award-winning documentary producer and director, and Dr. Agnes Hsu, Director of Arts and Culture Programs, China Institute, and archaeologist to UNESCO, will be presented March 22. Short Course: Literature of the South from the Warring States to the Song Dynasty with Ben Wang, senior lecturer of the humanities at China Institute, will be conducted on April 5, 12, and 26. The Songs of the South as Reflected in the Modern Qin Repertoire with Dr. Mingmei Yip, leading Qin musician, will be performed on May 3. The final program of the series,Chinese Archaeology and World Cultural Heritage, Magnus Fiskejö, assistant professor of anthropology, Cornell University, will be offered on May 19. More information on these special programs is available at: www.chinainstitute.org/
Additional Information
China Institute Gallery is located at 125 East 65th Street (between Park and Lexington Avenues). Gallery hours are daily Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Tuesday and Thursday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Admission is $7, $4 for students and seniors, and free for children under 12. Admission is free on Tuesday and Thursday from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Group tours can also be arranged. For more information, the public can call 212-744-8181 x121, email gallery@chinainstitute.org or visit www.chinainstitute.org/gallery
About China Institute
China Institute advances a deeper understanding of China through programs in education, culture, business and art in the belief that cross-cultural understanding strengthens our global community.
Founded in 1926 by a group of American and Chinese educators, China Institute in America is the oldest bicultural non-profit organization in the U.S. to focus exclusively on China. The organization promotes the appreciation of Chinese heritage and provides the historical context for understanding contemporary China. Programs, activities, courses and seminars are offered on the visual and performing arts, culture, history, music, philosophy, language and literature for the general public, children, and teachers, as well as for business.
China Institute Gallery, established in 1966, is distinct among the museums of New York City. It was the first in the United States to showcase Chinese art exclusively on a regular basis. Today, China Institute Gallery is New York's only non-commercial exhibition space solely dedicated to Chinese art and is known for its innovative thematic and scholarly exhibitions, publications and related art education programs.
