Director's Statement

Humanities Center Theme for 2011-12: China and the West

Welcome back! The 2011-2012 Humanities Center theme is “China and the West.” Our programming this year will include many aspects of the relationship between China and Western culture: Western representations, and misrepresentations, of China and Chinese people; the construction of the categories “East” and “West”; the appropriation and incorporation of Western idioms into Chinese society and culture; the experiences of Chinese Americans through the lenses of art and literature; and many other aspects of this complex and ever-changing relationship.

The focus on China begins with artist Niana Liu’s talk on September 1, followed a few weeks later by a lively conversation between Jason Clower (Religious Studies) and Asa Mittman (Art and Art History), two Humanities Center Advisory board members, who will explore, and challenge, the very meanings of “East” and “West.” Our two featured guest speakers will be artist Xiaoze Xie (November 2) and novelist Yiyun Li (March 8).

Xiaoze Xie, the Paul L. & Phyllis Wattis Professor of Art at Stanford University, has exhibited across the U.S. as well as in Beijing, Seoul, and Shanghai. He received the Pollock-Krasner Foundation Grant (2003) and artist awards from the Phoenix Art Museum (1999) and the Dallas Museum of Art (1996). Li was named one of the nation’s best young-fiction writers last year by editors of The New Yorker and is currently a professor in the English Department at University of California at Davis. Her recent books include The Vagrants and A Thousand Years of Good Prayers.

As always, the Humanities Center will also sponsor and co-sponsor other events unrelated to the theme. For upcoming events, please see the September/October calendar.

I also want to highlight the special series of events happening in September: the Humanities Center will feature Peter Hogue’s (Emeritus, English) “Ballpark Figures/Cahiers du Fotoplay,” a multi-media memoir and work-in-progress; photographs, collage and photocopy, written and spoken word, video, baseball, the Far West, movies, personal icons, and friends and family. Don’t miss the “Secret Cinema” tertulias on Thursdays and Fridays!

The CSU, Chico, Humanities Center welcomes faculty, students, and community members to lectures, art openings, and the Tuesday evening showings of the University Film.

We hope to see you soon!

Sarah M. Pike, Director
CSU, Chico, Humanities Center