The Story of Ruins

A Story of Ruins: Presence and Absence in Chinese Art and Visual Culture

Cold smoke, withered grass, ancient trees in the distance, a unique monument, and no traces of travel around make people feel that time has passed and now.
Architectural forms based on timber structures shaped ancient Chinese perceptions of "ruins" that differed significantly from those of the West. This pictorial tradition, which rarely depicted abandoned man-made structures, uniquely conveyed the passage of time. Traditional Chinese visual perceptions and aesthetics of the past have historically collided and interacted with Western culture, giving rise to a new modern Chinese visual culture. Following the end of the Anti-Japanese War, as the Chinese nation emerged from that devastated era, what became of these dark and dangerous ruins?
This book considers Chinese fine arts and visual culture in a global context, analyzing a rich range of traditional and contemporary visual materials, including paintings, stone rubbings, architecture, photography, film, prints, as well as installation and performance art, to tell the "story of ruins" that belongs to China.

2017-07-01

上海人民出版社

Century Wenjing

336

9787208143487