New Exhibit Showcases Elegance of Chinese Ink Paintings

LEXINGTON, Ky. (July 8, 2016) — The University of Kentucky Confucius Institute (UKCI), in collaboration with the Lexington Public Library, will host “Ink Elegance,” a Chinese painting exhibit, from July 11 to Sept. 2, in the Makerspace at the Lexington Public Library's Eastside Branch, located at 3000 Blake James Dr.

The exhibit will showcase traditional Chinese ink paintings in a freehand style, which were created by one of UKCI’s visiting scholars and specialists, Jian Li, and her students.

On opening day for "Ink Elegance," from 1 to 3 p.m., Li will hold a family friendly demonstration session for visitors, where she will discuss the technique and lead participants in an introductory session of painting.

“Art is a universal language that transcends national borders,” said Huajing Maske, director of UKCI and executive director of Office of China Initiatives. “Chinese painting, poetry and calligraphy are the three perfections of Chinese art. They are combined together in one two-dimensional representation and reinforce each other to tell stories and express artists' emotions and feelings.”

The UKCI has been holding exhibits of Chinese traditional arts for several years in the Bluegrass in partnership with various cultural art centers including the Headley-Whitney Museum of Art, Explorium of Lexington and the Lexington Global Engagement Center (GlobalLex). 

“We are fortunate to have so many partners in the community that are open to sharing this lesser-known aspect of Chinese culture,” Maske said. “We hope that through this event we will be able to partner with other organizations to grow the audience for traditional Chinese art in the Commonwealth.”

To enroll in Chinese painting class for this fall and learn more about UKCI’s course offerings, visit the UK Confucius Institute’s website.

A gateway for Chinese language, culture and art to the people of Kentucky, UKCI provides leadership, support and coordination for Chinese language and programs in K-12 schools as well as on UK's campus; assists and facilitates establishing and maintaining faculty and student exchanges between UK colleges and Chinese universities; conducts Chinese language and cultural exchange; and promotes education about China on campus, across the Bluegrass region, and throughout the Commonwealth. To keep up with UKCI and future events, join the institute's listerv and follow them on Facebook, Twitter and Snapchat (UKConfucius).

UK is the University for Kentucky. At UK, we are educating more students, treating more patients with complex illnesses and conducting more research and service than at any time in our 150-year history. To read more about the UK story and how you can support continued investment in your university and the Commonwealth, go to: uky.edu/uk4ky. #uk4ky #seeblue

MEDIA CONTACT: Whitney Hale, 859-257-8716; whitney.hale@uky.edu