Ageless Chinese Art: A Virginia Scholar's Collection of Chinese Calligraphy and Paintings
/Ageless Chinese Art:
A Virginia Scholar's Collection of Chinese Calligraphy and Paintings
From the collection of Dr. Chi Wang
September 1 - October 23, 2015
Panel and Reception: September 10, 5-7:30 pm
Art & Design Building, Main Gallery
Ageless Chinese Art presents a remarkable selection of calligraphy and painting from the personal collection of Dr. Chi Wang, offering viewers a rare opportunity to engage with one of the world’s most enduring and sophisticated artistic traditions. Spanning centuries of cultural production, this exhibition highlights the deep interconnection between visual expression, language, and philosophy in Chinese art.
The origins of Chinese writing can be traced to approximately 1200 B.C., when early pictographs were inscribed on oracle bones used for divination. These images—depicting humans, animals, plants, and natural phenomena—were at once symbolic and representational. Over time, these forms evolved into more abstract ideograms, gradually transforming into the complex writing system still in use today. Despite this evolution, traces of the original imagery remain embedded within many characters, offering insight into both their visual origins and mnemonic function.
Calligraphy in China is not simply a means of communication but a highly esteemed art form, cultivated through rigorous practice and disciplined study. Traditionally considered a reflection of the writer’s moral character and intellectual refinement, calligraphy embodies both technical mastery and expressive vitality. Its development has been profoundly shaped by the philosophical traditions of Confucianism and Taoism, which emphasize harmony, balance, spontaneity, and the cultivation of the self.
The works featured in this exhibition—collected by Dr. Wang over more than six decades—span from early historical periods to the twentieth century. They include a diverse range of calligraphic styles, from formal script to expressive cursive, as well as paintings that integrate poetry, inscription, and image into unified compositions. Landscapes, flora, fauna, and symbolic motifs appear alongside handwritten texts, illustrating the seamless fusion of word and image that defines classical Chinese aesthetics.
Together, these works invite viewers to consider not only the visual beauty of Chinese art, but also the intellectual and spiritual traditions that inform it. By presenting objects that are both deeply personal and culturally significant, this exhibition underscores the enduring relevance of Chinese artistic practices in a global context.
Install Shots
About Dr. Chi Wang
Dr. Chi Wang is a distinguished scholar, educator, and cultural ambassador whose career has significantly contributed to cross-cultural understanding between the United States and China. He served as Head of the Chinese Division at the Library of Congress from 1956 to 2004, where he played a pivotal role in developing one of the most important Chinese-language collections outside Asia.
In addition to his work at the Library of Congress, Dr. Wang has taught history at Georgetown University and co-founded the U.S.-China Policy Foundation in 1996, where he continues to serve as Co-chair and President. Through his leadership, scholarship, media engagement, and public programming—including television, publications, and international dialogue—Dr. Wang has dedicated his career to fostering informed exchange and mutual understanding between the two nations.
His collection reflects not only a lifelong scholarly pursuit but also a deep personal commitment to preserving and sharing the richness of Chinese cultural heritage.
Public Programs
Chinese Brush Painting Workshop
Friday, September 11, 12 p.m. - 1 p.m. Art & Design Building Lobby
Chinese Calligraphy Workshop
Friday, October 9, 12 p.m. - 1 p.m. Art & Design Building Lobby
Global Language Perspectives
Discussion in conjunction with Ageless Chinese Art exhibition
Thursday, October 22, 2015, Noon-1 pm
Art & Design Building, Room 1005
Lei Ma
Ma Lei (马磊) is Chinese Deputy Director of Confucius Institute at the College of William & Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia and is a veteran TESOL professor (Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages).
Waleed Mahdi
Waleed F. Mahdi is an assistant professor of Arabic at GMU, receiving a Ph.D. in American Studies from the University of Minnesota. His specialty is U.S.-Arab comparative literature and his dissertation interrogates the post-9/11 visual representations of Arab Americans in Hollywood, Egyptian, and Arab American filmmaking industries.
Panel Discussion: Gao Qing (Confucius Institute), Dr. Michael Chang (Associate Professor, George Mason University), Carma Hinton (Robinson Professor, George Mason University), and Dr. Chi Wang