Plateau and Peak Studies in Twentieth-Century Chinese Art

17. Direction: Plateau and Peak Studies in Twentieth-Century Chinese Art

Supervisors: Faculty Team (Without Supervisor Restriction)

The Plateau and Peak Studies in Twentieth-Century Chinese Art program centers on the pivotal question of the “plateau–peak” paradigm in the development of twentieth-century Chinese art. From the dual perspectives of tradition and modernity, as well as local and global contexts, the programme systematically examines the modernization of Chinese art over the past century, tracing the evolution of artistic movements, major schools, representative artists, and processes of cross-cultural exchange.

A central objective of the programme is to investigate both the conditions that foster a flourishing artistic ecosystem—the “plateau”—and the mechanisms through which seminal artists and landmark achievements—the “peaks”—emerge. Through rigorous engagement with the foundations of art history and interdisciplinary research methodologies, students develop expertise in archival research, visual analysis, and critical scholarship. The programme encourages the integration of perspectives from social history, cultural history, and related disciplines to deepen understanding of the historical forces, intellectual currents, and cultural contexts that have shaped modern Chinese art.