This module is an introduction to the visual arts of the greater China region (PRC, Hong Kong and Taiwan) and the Chinese diaspora. We will explore a wide array of visual media and film genres, including blockbuster comedies, animation films, Kung Fu classics and current popular television dramas. Additionally, we will examine how contemporary art intersects with these visual media and tries to address pressing issues ranging from social justice and climate change to equality for all genders.
Through the works of the region's most relevant directors—such as Wong Kar-Wai and Zhang Yimou—and television series and acclaimed contemporary artists, the module explains what has moved (and upset!) audiences in the region and how Chinese visual culture is capturing the attention of global audiences. The module considers the role of censorship and state influence, and students will gain a deeper understanding of China’s history and culture via visual cultural works that are located within the officially sanctioned mainstream, but also those that are (in)famously ‘banned in China’.
We will analyse the mutual influence between China and Hollywood and how Chinese TV dramas, hot on the heels of K-Pop and Hallyu (Korean wave), are gaining a cult following in the West. The title of the module, “Enter the Dragon,” references Bruce Lee’s popularization of Kung Fu films in the 1970s and reflects the growing global importance of Chinese soft power. No prior knowledge of Chinese is required to enrol in this module.