Paul Gladston Knihy

The book presents a range of articles and discussions that offer critical insights into the development of contemporary Chinese art, both within China and internationally. It brings together selected writings, both published and unpublished, by Paul Gladston, one of the foremost international scholars on contemporary Chinese art. The articles are based on extensive first-hand research, much of which was carried out during an extended residence in China between 2005 and 2010. In contrast to many other writers on contemporary Chinese art, Gladston analyses his subject with specific reference to the concerns of critical theory. In his writings he consistently argues for a “polylogic” (multi-voiced) approach to research and analysis grounded in painstaking attention to local, regional and international conditions of artistic production, reception and display.

While a number of the essays contained in this book focus specifically on questions related to Chinese culture, the collection as a whole ranges geographically from China and Europe to Latin America. The collection also addresses a highly diverse range of subjects, including theatrical performance, military history, life writing, the everyday, scientific display, transnational cinema, contemporary visual art and literature. Bringing all of the essays together is a common commitment on the part of their authors to a critical assessment of the connectivity between differing cultural identities and, what is more, the continuing consequences of that connectivity as part of contemporary globalisation. China and Other Spaces will be of direct interest to scholars and practitioners working in cultural studies, history, the performing arts, literature, the visual arts, museology, film studies and philosophy.

Contemporary Chinese Art examines China's thriving present-day cultural scene, from the country's issues of state control to its booming artistic marketplace.