Associate Professor of Art History Stephen J. Goldberg published a review of The Art of Modern China, by Julia F. Andrews and Kuiyi Shen, in the January issue of The China Journal.
Goldberg said the book, published in 2012 by the University of California Press, is the first systematic, comprehensive examination of the fundamental changes in Chinese visual art, culture and society that occurred from the late 19th century to the first decade of the 21st century within the Western-controlled treaty port city of Shanghai, the center of Chinese commerce and culture. He said that three recurrent themes weave through the artistic developments of this period: cultural contact with the West, the move to modernization, and the quest for a new national cultural identity.
According to Goldberg, “one of the great strengths of this book is the extensive discussion of the history of institutional changes in art education, exhibition and patronage, and its reception both at home and abroad. The coverage of contemporary critical discussions and artistic debates enhances our understanding of the art of each period.”
