Your seminar presentation is to show your ability to (1) deploy A SET OF ARTWORKS (by Chinese artists since 1900) as selected and arranged by you in a form of an art exhibition, (2) analyze the messag
(CHES5145) reading notes for Special Topic 3 : Cross -Cultural Exchange in the Global Context Lectu rer: Dr. Elaine Kwok, Yin Ning ([email protected])
(CHES5145 ) Chinese Art in the World after 1900 : Aesthetics and History
Lecturer: Dr. Elaine Kwok, Yin Ning ( [email protected])
Special Topic 3: Cross -Cultural Exchange in the Global Context
- Elaine : The artworks by artists with mixed ethnic backgrounds (artists have one parent
from Europe and another from China) are NOT the criteria for being cross -cultural
artworks although they usually would appear some cross -cultural features.
- Elaine : The definition of cross -cult ural artworks as I put forth is that artworks require
more than one artistic -aesthetic framework s in order to make sense of the artworks’
meanings , i.e. to understand the artworks from a cross -cultural perspective. This is
illustrated in Clarke’s discussion . He also argues that the further implication is highly
related to the negotiation of cultural identity particularly in HK’s colonial and
postcolonial context .
- Elaine : A cross -cultural perspective or handling for artwork interpretations may cau se
problems or complications , which is analyzed in Elkins’s analysis. *** BUT be careful
with Elkin’s circular reasoning (see the details of Elaine’s explanation below for the
reading) .
- Elaine : The c ross -cultural perspective in art history is a relatively new scholarship and is
rapidly developed in recent few decades. It deserves more attention to its updated
advancement and further complications in terms of its theoretical conception and
application.
- Elaine : Identity problem/crisis is NOT necessarily caused by cross -cultural situation BUT
it is usually implicated in cross -cultural situation; existential confusion can also cause
identity problem/crisis.
Clarke, David. Art and Place: Essays on Art from a H ong Kong Perspective , Hong Kong: HKU
Press, 1996. 65 -104 [65 -84 listed in Unit 8; 85 -104 listed in Seminar Topic 3] . (CHES5145) reading notes for Special Topic 3 : Cross -Cultural Exchange in the Global Context Lectu rer: Dr. Elaine Kwok, Yin Ning ([email protected])
- Elaine : (p. 65) traditional (Chinese) vs modern (Western) -> in HK
-
- Elaine : (p. 66) to reconcile the tradition (Chinese) and the modern (Western) in HK ->
cross -cultural interaction -> HK’s cultural identity
-
- Elaine : (pp. 66 -80) Clarke analyzes specific artists and their works in order to illustrate
how their works are reconciling and negotiating between the Chinese and the Western in
order find their HK cultural identity in art.
- -> The process of cultural identity reconciliation and negotiation is in a two -way
directional structure. This means each side of the culture transforms and reconfigures the
other side’s understanding of the opposite culture.
- “[p. 85] In this essay … The interaction between East Asian and Western cultures, …”
-
- “[p. 86] From the pers pective of an artist working in Hong Kong, far from the centres of
Western modernist culture , the heroic narrative of art’s escape from narrative might look
less convincing, and what might seem elsewhere to be a contamination of the visual by
the verbal mi ght look more like an interesting and fruitful entanglement . Such indeed
seems to be the case with Antonio Mak.” (CHES5145) reading notes for Special Topic 3 : Cross -Cultural Exchange in the Global Context Lectu rer: Dr. Elaine Kwok, Yin Ning ([email protected])
- Elaine : It is the entanglement of the verbal and the visual -> cross -cultural interaction &
transformation & reconciliation & negotiation in HK -> HK art -> HK cultural identity
(Lecture – ‘Hong Kong Art: The Colonial and the Post -Colonial’ -> art of HK vs art in
HK)
- Elaine : (p. 91) using Chinese characters to give “pre -existing units” for constructing
meanings + visual elements -> “ from context to context ” ( linguistic context to visual
context + Eastern context to Western context, e.g. on pp. 98 -103) -> transform / reconcile
/ negotiate the viewer’s understanding of the artwork -> HK art with cross -cultural
natures and special i dentity of mix the West and the East
-
Elkins, James. Chinese Landscape Painting as Western Art History , Hong Kong: Hong Kong
University Press, 2010. ix-xviii; 24, 45, 57, 62, 110, and 145.
- Elaine : Elkins studies European understanding of Chinese painting as expressed in
written texts. It focuse s only on Chinese landscape painting (he does not include other
forms/genres of Chinese painting like portraiture, flower -and -bird painting ; and does not
involve the European views expressed in the period before the 20 th century ).1
- Elaine : By revealing how scholars, regardless his or her ethnic backgrounds, studying
Chinese landscape painting is actually expressing their views on Chinese art history
which are based on western framework and perspective . Elkins argues that those scholars
are not working on Chinese art history or the history of Chinese landscape painting but
on Western art history by using Chinese landscape painting as the object of their study .
- Elaine : His main argument is a series of 6 accusations that western writers’ writings on
Chinese landscape painting history are not Chinese art history but examples within
western art history . In his six hypotheses, he accuses the writers of holding the
1 Elkins, Chinese Landscape Painting as Western Art History , p. xii, and p. 145 (CHES5145) reading notes for Special Topic 3 : Cross -Cultural Exchange in the Global Context Lectu rer: Dr. Elaine Kwok, Yin Ning ([email protected])
presuppositions and prejudices that make their writings a western construct and not the
historical reality of Chinese art.
- Elaine : He develops his argument by putting forth 6 “hypotheses ” which encompass
various dimensions of those scholarly works’ methodologies, philosophical approaches,
historical frameworks, and cultural perspectives.
- The six hypotheses as listed by Jennifer Purtle in the Forward (p. xii) 2 are: “Briefly
summarized, thes e hypotheses:
- “1) propose the inherently Western nature of art history , and the place of Chinese
landscape painting history as example or examples within Western art history rather than
as a co -equal of Western art history;
- “2) problematize comparison (entrenched in the discipline of art history), especially
cross -cultural comparison;
2 The six hypotheses as listed by Jennifer Purtle in the Forward are: “Briefly summarized, these hypotheses: 1)
propose the inherently Western nature of art history, and the place of Chinese landscape painting history as example
or examples within Western art history rather than as a co -equal of Western art history; 2) problematize comparison
(entrenched in the discipline of art history), especially cross -cultural comparison; 3) advise that art history is so
inherently a Western discipline that any history of Chinese landscape painting is a Western endeav or, even if written
by a Chinese person in Chinese for a Chinese audience; 4) state that comparison of historical perspective (that is, a
sense of relative position with respect to one’s own tradition) reveals assumptions about the nature of art history an d
its sequences, and shows affinities between Chinese and Western periods; 5) note that Chinese painting has an odd
structure, exemplified by decline in the late Ming and derogatory, if not absent narratives of the Qing (a counter -
hypothesis contends that late Ming and Qing artists appear to art history as a form of postmodernism); and plead for
sustained inquiry in considering art history as Western, aware that when inquiry into art objects transcends Western
assumptions, it will no longer be recognizable as art history.” James Elkins, Chinese Landscape Painting as
Western Art History , Hong Kong: Hong Kong University Press, 2010, p. xii.
Elkins states his six hypotheses in his book: “[p. 24] First hypothesis. The history of Western art is deeply related to
the enterprise of art history itself, so much so that the history of Chinese landscape painting tends to appear as an
example, or as a set of possible examples, and not a coequal in the production or understanding of art history itself.”
“[p. 45] Second hypothesis. Because all understanding works by comparison, no account can be free of it.
Comparisons to Western art continue to mold what is said about Chinese landscape painting. Being self -critical,
provisional, sensitive, linguistically accomplished, circumspect, a abstract, or informal about comparisons does not
vitiates their power, and there is no evidence that we have escaped f rom even the largest mismatches.”
“[p. 57] Third hypothesis. The project of writing art history is Western, and so any history of Chinese landscape
painting is partly but fundamentally a Western endeavor, even if it is written by a Chinese historian, in Chinese, for
Chinese readers.”
“[p. 62] Fourth hypothesis. A comparison of historical perspectives addresses some of the deepest -lying
assumptions about the nature of art history and its possible sequences. It does so because it seems to be among the
most inoffensive and abstract of all comparative principles. In Chinese landscape painting, it reveals affinities
between Chinese and Western periods that continue to inform the history of Chinese art.”
“[p. 110] Fifth hypothesis. The history of Chines e painting has an odd structure. In particular the Ming decline and
Qing eclipse have no parallels in the West, and so they may be fundamentally inassimilable. […] Counter -
hypothesis. Late Ming and Qing artists appear to art history as a form of postmo dernism.”
“[p. 145] Sixth hypothesis. There are reasons to keep trying to understand how art history is Western. But any such
attempt will remain with Western art history, and if an account succeeds in throwing off Western assumptions it will
no longer be recognizable as art history.”
Elkins, Chinese Landscape Painting as Western Art History , , p. 24, p. 45, p. 57, p. 62, p. 110, and p. 145. (CHES5145) reading notes for Special Topic 3 : Cross -Cultural Exchange in the Global Context Lectu rer: Dr. Elaine Kwok, Yin Ning ([email protected])
- “3) advise that art history is so inherently a Western discipline that any history of Chinese
landscape painting is a Western endeavor , even if written by a Chinese person in Chinese
for a Chinese audience;
- “4) state that comparison of histor ical perspective (that is, a sense of relative position
with respect to one’s own tradition) reveals assumptions about the nature of art history
and its sequences, and shows affinities between Chinese and Western periods;
- “5) note that Chinese painting ha s an odd structure , exemplified by decline in the late
Ming and derogatory, if not absent narratives of the Qing (a counter -hypothesis contends
that late Ming and Qing artists appear to art history as a form of postmodernism); and
- “[6] plead for sustained inquiry in considering art history as Western, aware that when
inquiry into art objects transcends Western assumptions, it will no longer be recognizable
as art history.”
- Elaine : (p. 24, p. 45, p. 57, p. 62, p. 110, and p. 145) Elkins states his six hypotheses in
his book: “[1st – p. 24] First hypothesis. The history of Western art is deeply related to
the enterprise of art history itself, so much so that the history of Chinese landscape
painting tends to appear as an example , or as a set of possible examples, and not a
coequal in the production or understanding of art history itself.”
- “[2nd – p. 45] Second hypothesis. Because all understanding works by comparison, no
account can be free of it. Comparisons to Western art continue t o mold what is said
about Chinese landscape painting. Being self -critical, provisional, sensitive,
linguistically accomplished, circumspect, abstract, or informal about comparisons does
not vitiates their power, and there is no evidence that we have escap ed from even the
largest mismatches.”
- “[3rd – p. 57] Third hypothesis. The project of writing art history is Western, and so any
history of Chinese landscape painting is partly but fundamentally a Western endeavor ,
even if it is written by a Chinese his torian, in Chinese, for Chinese readers.”
- “[4th – p. 62] Fourth hypothesis. A comparison of historical perspectives addresses some
of the deepest -lying assumptions about the nature of art history and its possible sequences.
It does so because it seems to be among the most inoffensive and abstract of all
comparative principles. In Chinese landscape painting, it reveals affinities between
Chinese and Western periods that continue to inform the history of Chinese art.”
- “[5th – p. 110] Fifth hypothesis. The history of Chinese painting has an odd structure . In
particular the Ming decline and Qing eclipse have no parallels in the West, and so they
may be fundamentally inassimilable. I am going to oppose that hypothesis to another one, (CHES5145) reading notes for Special Topic 3 : Cross -Cultural Exchange in the Global Context Lectu rer: Dr. Elaine Kwok, Yin Ning ([email protected])
which is its mirror opposite, because the very invisibilit y of the period makes it the fo cus
of attention. I cannot imagine a reflective reader of Sherman Lee’s books, or of Wen
Fong’s, who is not immediately fascinated with the possibility that a major tradition
could somehow take such a wrong turn that it calls down the combined wrath and
indifference of its major historians. ”
- “[6th – p. 145] Sixth hypothesis. There are reasons to keep trying to understand how art
history is Western. But any such attempt will remai n with Western art history, and if an
account succeeds in throwing off Western assumptions it will no longer be recognizable
as art history .”
- Elaine : All of these dimensions, according to Elkins, are the presumptions and
presuppositions dominant in the a cademic discipline of Western art history. Elkins
judges those academic works by comparing them to a hidden standard or a presupposed
achievement at which Chinese art history can be shown as it ‘really’ is or was by making
no reference to any Western framework and perspective. The question whether it is
possible to reach such a standard is another story.
- Elaine : Elkins’s six hypotheses do foreground the ways in which Chinese landscape
painting has been studied ; and do reveal in what sense the studies on Chinese landscape
painting are heavily loaded with many presuppositions which, according to him, are
invalid or wrong when understanding the history of this art.
- Elaine : Methodologically, the logic of Elkins’s argument shows a proble m of circular
reasoning in which the objects of his research (western writings on Chinese landscape
painting) are at the same time constitutive of his accusations that the very western
writings’ (the objects of his research) presuppositions and prejudices make their writings
not Chinese art history or historical reality but western history examples. Thus , once a
writing is a western one, the writing is by nature or by default loaded with Elkin’s
hypotheses because what define s a writing as a western writing, according to Elkin, is the
very features which are at the same time the presuppositions and prejudices making the
writing NOT a Chinese one BUT a western one.
- Elaine : This is to say that by nature, what can be reasonably d efined as western writings
has to be exactly made up with the presuppositions or prejudices of which Elkins accuses
the writers. Elkins develops his argument by putting forth six hypotheses which
encompass various dimensions of writers’ methodologies, phi losophical approaches,
historical frameworks, and cultural perspectives. All of these dimensions, according to
Elkins, are presumptions and presuppositions dominant in the academic discipline of
western art history. (CHES5145) reading notes for Special Topic 3 : Cross -Cultural Exchange in the Global Context Lectu rer: Dr. Elaine Kwok, Yin Ning ([email protected])
- In other words, the qualities of the 6 hypotheses are the defining characteristics of
Western scholarship on Chinese art histo ry, i.e. Western scholarship = 6 hypotheses
(characteristics ). If you want to argue that Western schol arship is XYZ because it sh ows
6 characteristics, Western scholarship would always be XYZ by nature & by definition
no matter what.
- Elaine : M y analogy of a circular reasoning in arguing for the idea that ‘the male is bad’
analogy explaining the circular reasoning problem in Elkins’s analysis -> (my apologies
if anyone find it offensive) Men are bad because they have a penis which can be a piece
of weapon to intrude into other people’s body ; they are physically stronger so that they
can do physical harm more easily to others; they are bodily bigger so that they can
physically dominate other people in an easier way ; etc. Having a penis, physically
stronger, bodily bigger , etc. are the very defining and constitutive features of what men
are in general or in common sense -> since these accusations of men being bad are based
on the very defining constitutive features of man, the reasoning backing these accusations
are circul ar reasoning.
- Elaine : Circular reasoning => When the premises are true, the conclusion must be true.
- Elaine : My position is that no body can be free of having presuppositions or prejudices .
There is nothing wrong when a person judges another culture based on the culture of the
person’s home country or based on whichever culture the person chooses to compare
with. This is because when making judgement, a set of standards or criteria as a
framework or perspective i s always needed.
- However, what matters is the investigation of what can and cannot be seen by adopting a
certain framework or perspective and how what is seen is evaluated by such a framework
and from such a perspective. Such an investigation should be put forth explicitly when
making any judgement.
- Elaine : Dissimilar to Elkins’ position, my research (PhD thesis) reveals major patterns
and concerns when Europeans were encountering Chinese painting and calligraphy. The
‘hidden’ standard used in my study is the common knowledge about Chinese culture
which had been around in China for many centuries before Europeans expressed their
views in the written texts. In other words, my research judges the European
understanding of the two art forms by comparing it with the culture knowledge common
in China.
- Elaine : Other than these positions, the major differences between Elkins’s and my
research are the scope and the period of our studies that he focuses on the Western
understanding of Chinese landscape painting in the 20 th century; I focus on the European
reception of Chinese painting and calligraphy from the 17 th century to the 19 th century.
