Contemporary "Chinese" art has become the darling of international art exhibitors and collectors, but much of it looks alike to the audience and much of it is made in America. Looking at what is Chinese, contemporary, and American, Outside In: Chinese x American x Contemporary Art and its accompanying publication focus on the diversity of Chinese artistic styles today through an examination of the work and lives of six contemporary artists, often told in their own voices, all of whom are United States citizens and "American" artists deeply engaged in Chinese artistic traditions, style, subject matter, and philosophical outlook.
The exhibition will be accompanied by a one-day symposium entitled "ARTiculations" on Saturday, March 7, 2009, at Princeton University. It will feature talks by the six artists and leading experts on modern and contemporary Chinese and American art. The exhibition, catalogue, and symposium are co-organized by the Princeton University Art Museum and the P. Y. and Kinmay W. Tang Center for East Asian Art at Princeton University.