The Allure of Matter

From the 1980s, many Chinese artists have experimented with a range of unconventional materials. Their works–in plastic, paper, silk, ash, and tobacco–form a major trend in Chinese art. The Allure of Matter offers the first serious consideration of these ground-breaking material explorations, coining the term Material Art to describe works that place “matter” itself as the primary vehicle of investigation and expression. The book contains four ground-breaking essays, profiles of twenty-five artists, and corresponding color images.

Wu Hung is Harrie A. Vanderstappen Distinguished Service Professor of Art History, director of the Center for the Art of East Asia at the University of Chicago, and consulting curator of the Smart Museum. Orianna Cacchione is Curator of Global Contemporary Art at the Smart Museum. Christine Mehring is Professor and Chair in the Department of Art History at the University of Chi...

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