Art Of The Mountain Exhibit Gives High Praise To Peaks

By: Owa Kankhwende

The China Institute Gallery’s newest exhibit of eye-catching contemporary photography is Art of the Mountain: Through the Chinese Photographer’s Lens. 

On display from February 8 through December 2, 2018, 20 photographers and over 60 photographs come together to pay homage to the mountain ranges of China. Mountains are contemplated as pillars of the sky in Chinese legends, places that nurture life. This veneration took the form of rituals, retreat from social society, and aesthetic reverence with a defining role in Chinese art and culture.

The exhibition has three sections. The Revered Mountains of China covers the geography, history, culture, and legends associated with the Chinese mountains. Landscape Aesthetics in Photography explores Chinese landscape painting aesthetic and its influence on contemporary photography. It presents work by Wang Wusheng who has spent much of his career photographing Mount Huangshan, also known as the Yellow Mountain. The last section, New Landscape Photography, features artists using photography and modern techniques to express their thoughts on the role of mountains in society.

Located in the China Institute at 100 Washington Street (with a temporary entrance at 40 Rector Street), the exhibit is open Monday – Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Thursday 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Saturday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is $10 for adults, $5 for seniors & students, and free for members and children under 16.  There is also free admission Thursdays from 5 to 8 p.m. 

Come and enjoy an evening of beautiful displays of Chinese culture that showcase the role majestic mountains play in our world.