The Tang Center

As part of the Lo Archive Project, the Tang Center held a two-day workshop, with participation by leading scholars from around the country and Europe. Designed to help produce the highest quality publication of photographs of Dunhuang taken by James Lo in 1943-44, the workshop included discussions of the papers that will be included in the volumes and additional papers intended to broaden the understanding of the role of the Lo Archive in Dunhuang studies specifically and Buddhist studies in general. The publication will include an examination of the making of the Lo Archive and its place in expeditionary photography; a contextual study of archives and the relationship of the Lo Archive to European archives; an overview of the role of the Lo Archive in the study of Buddhist art; and studies of the site of the caves at Dunhuang, including the architecture and the land. Other essays will discuss the specific contributions of the Lo Archive photographs from the point of view of researchers at the Dunhuang Academy, and the development of Chinese art as documented by the Dunhuang paintings and sculpture.

The Tang Center cosponsored the workshop “An Investigation of Late Imperial Liuli Glazed Ceramics” in collaboration with the Princeton University Art Museum and the “Artisans and Artifacts” segment of the East Asia and the Early Modern World project, funded by the Princeton Institute for International and Regional Studies. In this workshop, scholars explored Liuli glazed ceramics, delving into technical and conservation-based analyses as well as art-historical interpretations.

“Ancient China as a Culture of Bells,” organized by the department’s Professor Robert Bagley in conjunction with his graduate seminar focused on one of the most prominent and yet still inadequately studied artifacts in the archaeological record of ancient China: the bronze bell, or rather, musical sets of bells. Taking the most spectacular find of such bells, the inscribed set excavated from the tomb of Marquis Yi of Zeng (d. 433 B.C.E.), as its point of departure, this workshop explored the place of bronze bell production, bell performance, and music theory in the culture of the pre-Han period. Invited participants included Professors David Schaberg (University of California–Los Angeles), Haicheng Wang *07 (University of Washington), and Paul Goldin (University of Pennsylvania).

This three-session workshop focuses on the issue of boundaries between cultures, understanding them at the same time as deconstructing them. Students will be encouraged to overcome the limitations of "East" and "West" as a means of stimulating new artistic ideas. The first session will begin with a discussion of two portraits done in the same period: a portrait of the famous Chinese artist Shen Zhou, painted anonymously in 1507, and the Mona Lisa, painted by Leonardo da Vinci in 1506. The discussion will focus on similarities and differences between these two portraits and a variety of questions related to them. By the end of the first session, students will select one of the portraits to "repaint" and perhaps even begin painting. They will repaint the portrait by reversing style and medium: oil on canvas for Shen Zhou, ink on rice paper for the Mona Lisa. In the second session, students will continue to work on their portraits. In the third session, all of the repainted works will be displayed, and students will examine and discuss their own works as well as comment on each others’ work.

This three-session workshop will explore the traditional art of ink landscape as practiced by the wenren (literati) painters of the Song through Qing dynasties. The instructor will utilize a multifaceted approach that includes the study of original paintings and high-resolution reproductions, a demonstration of actual painting techniques, and hands-on exposure to the traditional materials of brush and ink through guided exercises. The class will explore traditional materials (inkstick, inkstone, brush, paper), and formats (hanging scroll, handscroll, album, fan), as well as the historical and philosophical basis of landscape painting in China. An underlying theme of the discussions will be the role of tradition in contemporary art and society. No prior knowledge of Chinese art is required, but this workshop is designed to enhance the appreciation of landscape painting even for those with prior training in Chinese art history.

From the artist:
I will provide a number of natural objects (plants, fruits, vegetables) for students to choose from and these will become their subject for the three days of this workshop. The workshop will help students develop their approach to subject matter and explore the poetry that exists in art and in nature. This workshop aims to help students discover what their own art is and how to find it. For the first day, we will explore this through poetry, talking about the subject and seeking affective ways to translate what the students see and feel into words. The second day, we will draw the subject. On the third day we will paint it.

Working with Critical Eyes
This workshop will review the importance of drawing and painting from observation in art history. The instructor will demonstrate the essential observation skills and techniques. Through specific exercises, each participant will develop critical eyes for observing and investigating nature.

Experiencing Historical Perspectives
This workshop will address the important role of studying the great works in history. It will discuss this practice in China, which has been one of the six principles of Chinese painting for centuries. The instructor will work with participants in developing their drawing studies, thus helping them to develop a historical perspective.

Making Critical Investigations
This workshop will use the self-portrait project as a platform to investigate ourselves and the world around us. Participants will be encouraged to draw from observation while incorporating personal experiences into their work. Through this process, participants will further develop their critical thinking and critical views.