Yishu Journal's 2018 Issue Explores Chinese Art Beyond Urban Centers and Diaspora Identities

The September/October 2018 edition of Yishu journal has been released, featuring scholarly articles examining contemporary Chinese art practices in non-urban regions and diaspora communities. Lu Mingjun contributes an opening essay analyzing artists operating in mainland China's frontier zones, challenging conventional national and global frameworks. This text connects to Mia Yu's previous research in issue 86 about creators drawn to China's northwestern margins. Marie Leduc interviews curator Jean-Hubert Martin, discussing his influential 1989 exhibition 'Magiciens de la terre' and its impact on global art discourse. Patricia Eichenbaum Karetzky writes about Yang Jinsong's artistic evolution from figurative expressionism to landscape painting influenced by calligraphic traditions. Yeung Tin Ping revisits Pak Sheung Chuen's work, focusing on recent video projects that interrogate public space usage in Hong Kong. Julie Chun examines audio artist Yin Yi's practice, which captures urban soundscapes in a medium still emerging in China. The final three articles address Chinese diaspora experiences in Canada. Henry Heng Lu analyzes Ho Tam's humorous yet serious explorations of Asian social stereotypes. Annie Wong reviews the exhibition 'Far and Near: The Distance(s) between Us,' tracing developments in Chinese-Canadian art since the 1990s. Joni Low conducts an extensive interview with Karen Tam about her research referencing Québec City's Musée d'art chinois de Jésuits, exploring historical representation and cultural appropriation issues. The issue continues Yishu's editorial focus on artists working outside major metropolitan centers.