WHAT: "Hidden Narratives: Classical Literati Gardens and Contemporary Art", RASBJ online talk by Zhou Yang

WHEN: Feb. 26 2025 Wednesday from 7-8 PM Beijing Time

MORE ABOUT THE EVENT: Space in the traditional Chinese literati gardens transcends physical boundaries. They reflected the spatial imaginations of their creators' spiritual pursuits, particularly Taoist beliefs, and invisible realms are embedded within them. Today, the gardens have been severed from their original context. Zhou's practice-integrated research examines how contemporary art generates new understandings of these gardens. She intertwines case study and art practice to consider contemporary artists' diverse responses to garden spaces. For example, Peng Wei's works depict fantastical stories in the gardens, inspired by traditional narratives and her own dreams. Xu Lei's paintings imply garden spaces devoid of people, linking gardens to screens frequently appearing in classic Chinese paintings and evoking spaces between the real and mirage. Zhou utilises photography to make visible the illusive Immortals' realm within the gardens in a contemporary allusion to Taoism, believing that photography reveals the existence of this invisible realm which still provides a retreat from China's rapid urban development.

MORE ABOUT THE SPEAKER: Zhou Yang is a doctoral researcher at CCVA, Birmingham City University, and an artist using the medium of photography. Zhou's research and practice explore themes of memory, cultural heritage and myths, and she has been exhibited in major photo festivals and fairs in China in the past decade. Her interdisciplinary research examines how contemporary art generates new understandings of Chinese literati gardens and creates new experiences for the audience.

HOW MUCH: Free for RASBJ members. RMB 50 for members of RAS branches in London, Shanghai, and Hong Kong. RMB 100 for non-members. Interested in becoming an RASBJ member? Please sign up at https://rasbj.org/membership/​ You may find paying via Alipay easier than paying by Wechat; you can also use international credit cards.

HOW TO JOIN THE EVENT: Please click "Register" or "I will Attend" no later than noon on Feb. 24 and follow the instructions. After successful registration you'll receive a confirmation email with a link to join the event. If you seem not to have received it, please check your spam folder. MEMBERS OF PARTNER RAS BRANCHES: Please register at least 72 hours in advance to allow time for membership verification. You will receiver several emails from RASBJ confirming registration/payment. Please check your spam folder to ensure you see all RASBJ emails.

REFUND POLICY: Paying registrants will be refunded in full if RASBJ cancels or postpones this event.