Wu Hung recognized as 'One of the Most Influential Leaders in Art History'
October 11, 2021
In a recent interview with UChicago News, Wu Hung (Harrie A. Vanderstappen Distinguished Service Professor of Art History and the College) is recognized as a world-renowned scholar for his contributions to Chinese art history. Joining the University of Chicago in 1994, his dedication to the field extends beyond the department in his current leadership roles as the Director of the Center for the Art of East Asia and as an Adjunct Curator at the Smart Museum of Art. The article traces his career origins from China’s Cultural Revolution in the late 1960s to his recent exhibition, “The Allure of Matter: Material Art from China,” (co-curated with Orianna Cacchione) and publication First Class: Teaching Chinese Art History at Harvard University and the University of Chicago (Hunan Fine Arts Publishing House, 2020).
Fellow faculty colleagues speak to Wu Hung’s expertise in the UChicago News article. “He is always thinking about ways to cut across existing boundaries,” said Claudia Brittenham (Associate Professor of Art History and the College). Wei-Cheng Lin, (Associate Professor of Art History and the College), as one of Wu Hung’s students, recognizes that Wu Hung’s “scholarly and curatorial work has immensely shifted the field of Chinese art history. We had to catch up, however, to understand the impact of his work as one of the most influential leaders in art history.”
On Saturday, October 16, Wu Hung will present the keynote address, “In the Name of Art – Destruction and Reconstruction,” at 11:00am CT for Humanities Day 2021, an annual celebration that showcases leading research in the Division of the Humanities. The address, along with other Humanities Day events, will be held in-person and live-streamed. Register to attend Humanities Day 2021.
