PROGRAMS
FOUNDING DIRECTOR OF CENTER FOR CHINESE ART AT WILLIAM PATERSON UNIVERSITY
The Center for Chinese Art at William Paterson was established on September 9, 2009, to cultivate a deeper understanding of Chinese art and culture. The Center, funded by generous contributions from Margaret Lam and David Yen, will introduce Chinese culture and art to University students, faculty, and staff, as well as to the off-campus community, through Chinese art studio and history courses, symposiums, art exhibitions, and visiting artist and study abroad programs.
For ten years, the Center for Chinese Art at William Paterson University has had the leadership and help of three consecutive presidents and their administrative teams. We have made rapid progress by adhering to the principle of non-profit and to a high academic standard. Our activities have also been recognized and supported by the U.S. government as well as the Chinese government. We have received a total donation of $1,039,448 from persons and non-governmental organizations from both China and the United States. We have established co-operative relations and academic exchanges with Chinese national cultural institutions, including Chinese National Cultural Exchange Group, China National Academy of Painting, National Museum of China, China Opera and Dance Theatre, and China National Art Museum. We have established academic and educational exchange programs with the Central Academy of Fine Arts, Nanjing Art Institute, Xi'an Academy of Fine Arts, Anhui University, Suzhou University, Yangzhou University, Guizhou Minzu University, Beijing Jiaotong University, Beijing Capital Normal University and other institutions of higher learnings, which have become our long-term basis for visit and study. We have successfully hosted a total of 31 art exhibitions including The 60 Years of Drawings in Central Academy of Fine Arts by China Central Academy of Fine Arts, Ink Painting from Oriental: Contemporary Chinese Painting Exhibition by China National Academy of Art, Flaming Watercolor: A Traveling Exhibition of the Watercolor Painting from Shanghai Liu Haisu Art Museum, Chinese Contemporary Printmaking Exhibition at American International Printmaking Annual Conference, Soul of the HAN: Han Carved Stone Rubbings from Tengzhou, China, and Art Exhibition of Chinese-American Art Faculty Association.
We have hosted a total of 11 international academic conferences at the University of Wisconsin, the Asian Cultural Center in New York, Guizhou Minzu University, William Paterson University, and the Asia Pacific Conference Center in Shanghai. The China Art Center has also created a series of Distinguished Visiting Artists Lectures. In the past ten years, we have invited a total of 86 renowned Chinese artists to visit, lecture, and offer demonstrations as well as exhibitions. Those artists include Feng Jianqin, Pan Gongkai, Yang Xiaoyang, Wu Weishan, Qiao Shiguang, Sun Jingbo, Chen Lyusheng, Zhang Jiangzhou, Zhang Xiaoling, Wang Mengqi, Wang Huangsheng, Lü Liping, Sun Haiying, Lu Zhiping, Yu Xiaofu, Leng Jun, and others. We have also received 16 visiting scholars and professors from Beijing, Nanjing, Guizhou, Yangzhou University, Sichuan and Taipei National Arts University for study, visit and research at William Paterson University. The efforts made by the Center have been widely recognized and awarded by related professionals. The list includes the 27th Annual Higher Education Development Gold Awards 2012 by The US Higher Education Market Reports; the 2012 First Award by the 24th National Annual Excellent Publishing Competition for Summer Art in China 2011 – 2012, and Chinese Cultural Ambassador Award by New Jersey Sino-American Chamber of Commerce.
For more information about the Center for Chinese Art, upcoming events, and contact information, please visit wpunj.edu/ccart