Past Exhibitions

Co-organized by Phoenix Art Museum and the Harvard Art Museum, this exhibition showcases more than 50 works from the collection of distinguished historian of Chinese art Chu-tsing Li — the most important and comprehensive collection of modern and contemporary Chinese ink paintings in the West. In the second half of the 20th century, many ink painters experimented with subjects, media, formats, and styles both traditional and modern, East Asian and Western. Focusing on those five decades — a heretofore neglected period — A Tradition Redefined demonstrates the dramatic evolution of Chinese painting in modern times and lays the foundation for a deeper understanding of the international-style works produced in China today. Featuring paintings by artists active in mainland China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and abroad, the exhibition is the first to present a comprehensive examination of works created across a broad geographical range and includes many paintings not previously exhibited in the United States. Organized by Robert D. Mowry, Alan J. Dworsky Curator of Chinese Art, Harvard Art Museum; Janet Baker, curator of Asian art, Phoenix Art Museum; and Claudia Brown, professor of art history, Arizona State University, and research curator, Phoenix Art Museum.

A catalogue accompanies this exhibition.

Harvard Art Museum/Arthur M. Sackler Museum, Cambridge, MA
November 3, 2007–January 27, 2008

Phoenix Art Museum, Phoenix, AZ
June 28–September 14, 2008

Norton Museum of Art, West Palm Beach, FL
October 11, 2008–January 4, 2009

The University of Kansas, Spencer Museum of Art, Lawrence, KS
February 11–May 24, 2009