Lectures Series Continues with Professor David Arkush
Cedar Rapids, Iowa—The Cedar Rapids Museum of Art (CRMA) continues with its series of lectures in conjunction with our current exhibition
China: Insights. The next lecture is set to take place on Thursday, November 18 beginning at 7:00 p.m. in the Auditorium at the Cedar Rapids Museum of Art.
David Arkush, Professor, History, University of Iowa
“Chinese Village Operas and Peasant Values”
Professor David Arkush will explore how Chinese village operas from the early twentieth century provide a remarkably rich source for understanding how ordinary farmers imagined their world. Family matters are prominent: how engaged couples scheme to spend time together, in spite of the impropriety of any contact; how arranged marriages can turn out badly, particularly for the woman; and how a young bride's relations were normally vexed with her mother-in-law, who is naturally jealous of the young women who has stolen the affections of the mother's precious son. Then there is the matter of divorce, which was in fact very rare, but nonetheless is a prominent theme in these operas. There is also interesting insights in these operas about how villagers imagined Heaven and deities, which seem much like bureaucratic Chinese officials.
David Arkush teaches Modern Chinese history. He received his PhD from Harvard University in 1976. He has written about Chinese intellectuals in the 20th century and on Chinese notions of the United States. Most recently, he is working on a book on how villagers in North China thought about life, love, family, social relations, right and wrong, and the supernatural, as shown by several hundred unpublished folk tales from the southern Hebei province. Professor Arkush has twice served as Director of Graduate Studies, in 1995-96 and most recently in 2006-08.
China: Insights. New Photography from the People’s Republic is on display now through January 2, 2011. This exhibition brings together the work of seven photographers from mainland China, each of whom have undertaken the creation of a long-term documentation of one or more aspects of Chinese culture that he or she feels reflects something new about China now—whether that is something emerging or something vanishing. Produced by the Foundation for the Exhibition of Photography, Minneapolis Minnesota, with production assistance from the Flying Dragon Cultural Enterprises, Ltd, Hong Kong. Curated by A. D. Coleman and Gu Zheng.
China: Insights is sponsored by Rockwell Collins, Bradley & Riley PC, and the Momentum Fund of The Greater Cedar Rapids Community Foundation. The lecture series is supported in part by a grant from Humanities Iowa and the National Endowment for the Humanities.
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The mission of the Cedar Rapids Museum of Art is to excite, engage and educate our community and visitors through our collection, exhibitions and programs. The Museum’s collection contains more than 5,800 works of art by hundreds of artists, including the world's largest collection of works by Grant Wood. For more information on exhibitions or related programs call the Museum at 319.366.7503 or visit the Museum's web site at www.crma.org. The CRMA is open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, with extended hours and free general admission from 4 to 8 p.m. on Thursday. The CRMA is also open noon to 4 p.m. on Sunday, but closed Monday and major holidays.