Sunday April 1, 2001

10:00 a.m.-12:00 noon

Abstract:

B.J. Kish Irvine, Ph.D.: Chinese Art Libraries: Developments and Trends While a visiting scholar at the Nanjing Arts Institute during April through June 1999, the speaker had the opportunity to interview librarians working in major art libraries in Beijing, Hangzhou, Nanjing, Shanghai and Shenyang. A brief overview of the collections, funding, services, and staffing accompanied by slides of the facilities will be presented. For in-depth information about this research, see the paper published in two parts in the ART LIBRARIES JOURNAL, volumes 25/4 and 26/1.

Angela Lew: Exposing Hidden Treasures of the Dragon: Bringing Art Information and Publishing in China to English Readers in North America. There has been an increasingly strong interest in and trend toward learning about world art beyond Euro-centric western art. As art librarian for California State University at Northridge, I have tried to build up a library collection that supports the curriculum of our art department which has attempted to offer new studies on world art. But with the exception of Japanese art, I am faced with almost a blank wall when searching for books of Asian art especially of art in contemporary China.

The art scene and art publishing in contemporary China are prosperous and dynamic. Art publishers, art colleges and individual artists are publishing large quantities of art books. However, the majority of such art publications are published in Chinese language only thus are not usable or accessible to North American readers.

Currently I am collaborating with two major art publishers in China on a two- phased project in the attempt of filling this void. The first phase is to find Chinese art publications, which already come with English text, and/or to provide English text to selected art publications. The second phase is to find a wide reaching distributor who will systematically distribute Chinese art publications with English text in North America.

Mr. Gu Yinhai: Introduction to the Management of the Shanghai Museum Art Library.

Mr. Gu, Assistant Curator and Deputy Manager of the library of the Shanghai Museum of Art, will provide first-hand perspectives of the opportunities and challenges of managing an art library in contemporary China.