Riding the Strong Currents: 20th and 21st Century Chinese Paintings from the Allen Memorial Art Museum was an NCTA workshop held on November 7, 2024 in collaboration with the Allen Memorial Art Museum at Oberlin College that explored their collection of 20th and 21st century Chinese paintings. This talk introduced works by Huáng Bīnhóng (1864–1955) and other Chinese painters who have navigated the volatile currents of 20th and early 21st century history and reflected in their art the dynamic character of the times. Kevin Greenwood, Joan L. Danforth Curator of Asian Art at the Allen Memorial Art Museum, presented a talk examining modern and contemporary Chinese painting from 1957 to today. Jill Greenwood, the Eric & Jane Nord Family Curator of Education at the Allen, provided information about the museum’s resources for teachers, such as lesson plans, augmented reality tours, cell app, videos, the touch collection, tours, bus funding, and the eMuseum database, many of which were developed with funding from the Freeman Foundation.
The past two centuries have been turbulent for people in China, as they have confronted the challenges of Western and Japanese imperialism, Civil War, the Cultural Revolution and its aftermath, and, since the 1980s, have experienced reform, stability, and economic success. Riding the currents on a rushing river seems an apt metaphor for this period, one taken from an inscription on a painting by Huáng. The Allen’s permanent collection of modern and contemporary Chinese painting began in 1957, and the talk will highlight familiar favorites and recent acquisitions. The wide range of subjects and styles shown demonstrate the creativity and diversity of this most recent phase of Chinese painting, a tradition extending back over two millennia. Click Here to Access the Workshop Resources